St. Malachy

Here’s something you probably don’t know about that is one of really cool things about Broadway: Every matinee and evening, one half hour before the curtain goes up, the bells of St. Malachy’s church chimes “There’s No Business Like Show Business”! It’s a beautiful church known as the Actors’ Chapel and it is right across the street from the Eugene O’Neill Theatre.

I arrived at the theatre today to see the billboard lying on its side ready to go up. I like that I will be looking out from the billboard straight across the street onto St. Malachy church. The church has special mass held between shows so that theatre people can attend. Don Amendolia who plays the music publisher Diabelli, says actors’ weddings and funerals are often held there. And a year or so ago when there was the actors’ strike, the church allowed Union meetings to be held there.


Colin Hanks

Having completed the first complete tech rehearsal last night at 11pm, we are now about to try doing a full run through with all the bells and whistles. Because the show is so technically complicated there will surely be glitches but it will good to see how well I can remember everything from Monday…like where my spot light will be at the top of Act two and so forth.

There have been a dozen or so people sitting out in the audience all week who aren’t familiar with the show—makeup consultants, my wig maker, costumers, the marketing and PR people, etc. They have all gone out of their way to tell me what an impact the show is having on them…and they haven’t even seen a run through yet! It’s the imagery, the lighting, the visual concept that originated with Moises and that has been so exquisitely executed by Derek McLane our set designer, David Lander, our lighting designer and Jeff Sugg, our Projection designer. I am chomping at the bit to have an audience see it.

See you next time.

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9 Comments

  1. I love reading this blog and greatly admire your honesty and willingness to share your creative journey with everyone. It’s inspiring.
    I also loved “My Life So Far”, but this blog makes me wish you would go back and write about your CREATIVE process in your astounding body of work- not the usual biography “and them I did this film with this person”, which you already avoided, but an attack like this blog- it would be fascinating reading.
    In your spare time!!
    Really looking forward to seeing you in the show!

  2. I’d never heard about St. Malachy’s–what wonderful support to have right there in your working ‘hood. Love the pic of Colin juxtaposed against the poster faces. Getting excited for you as previews grow near. Hope you’re managing to squeeze in some relaxation this weekend.

  3. Ooh this sounds lovely. I miss living in NYC and the theatre. I so wanted to do all classical theatre when I was younger but fighting through stereotypes and surviving a childhood full of upheaval didn’t leave me much bs immunity. I have always admired the way you navigated your life as a woman, a person with privilege and concern about regular folks as well as being an accomplished actress.

    I too am continuing my journey and picking myself up with a determination to be positive but take bold steps to get my life back on track. I have too much to offer to let negativity and the struggles of life knock me out. So thanks.

  4. Ms. Fonda

    My name is Juan Carlos Fisher. I’m a theater director from Lima, Peru.

    I’m Associate Director of the theatre in Lima that produced Moises Kaufman’s Gross Indicency. I’ve directed plays by Martin McDonagh, Tony Kushner, Tracy Letts and two musicals.

    I found out in the NYTimes Website that you had a blog.

    For me, as a Profesional Director from another part of the world, I find your blog absolutely fascinating! I love to read about the process of theatre play, your process there. And coming from a superb actress like you make it really fantastic.

    So I wanted to conratulate you for it and encourage to never stop doing it!

    I’ll be in NYC the first week of March and I have already the ticket for your show! I’m really hoping to see it!

    I hope I could be get in touch with Mr. Kaufman again. I’m a big fan of his work – we get in touch a long time ago, he has a family conection with Peru – so I hope to be able to meet him as well.

    Every day in Peru, after the third call, five minutes before a perfomance began, all the crew and cast get together backstage, and we put all our hands together to say a spanish version of “Break a Leg” – but what we say in Spanish is a bad word actually! It will be a sort of “Lots of shit” or “Mucha mierda”. That give us the energy and the feeling that the theatre is a place where you are part of a group, where you really need to conect with “the other” to achieved an excellent perfomance. I wish you and the entire cast “mucha mierda”

    With all my love,

    Juan Carlos

  5. Neat story about the church I had never heard of it; it looks beautiful.

  6. Oh how I wish I were up there to see it in person. I’ve always thought of you as a wonderful actress.

    break a leg!

  7. Jane I have the utmost respect for you in all ways. I wish only and all the best in this new venture of your life!

  8. Have always loved St.Malachy’s …we used to go there often and I miss those bells. Also love the poster…you look fabulous and RING THOSE BELLS!

  9. For those who do not know of St. Malachy, he is best known for this: http://tinyurl.com/62kqp .

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