Author: Jane

Tweets on 2009-05-23

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Join me and #gpower crew @ 630p EST. http://bit.ly/Hm8C8 live from Straits, Ludacris restaurant celebrating 1yr w/ Mayor Franklin & others # Streaming live now from @ludajuice event..come watch http://bit.ly/Hm8C8 #

Tweets on 2009-05-23

Jane No Comments

Join me and #gpower crew @ 630p EST. http://bit.ly/Hm8C8 live from Straits, Ludacris restaurant celebrating 1yr w/ Mayor Franklin & others # Streaming live now from @ludajuice event..come watch http://bit.ly/Hm8C8 #

TOTALLY LUDACRIS

Jane 21 Comments

w/ Ludacris at 1st yr Anniv. of Straits (photo: Donna Permell/PrimePhocus) With GCAPP President Michele Ozumba and my Digital guy James Andrews (Everywhere) Photo Credit: Donna Permell With Imara Canady, Chaka Zulu (Ludacris Manager), Valerie Jackson, wife of the late, great Mayor Maynard Jackson At Straits 1yr Anniversary. Photo (Donna Permell) Tulea at Ludacris 1st Year Anniversary (photo: Donna Permell) Being honored by Ludacris Foundation Leaving New York City this morning I felt a combination of relief and melancholy. I’ve been here for 5 months during which time my life has changed: I discovered I was more than comfortable on the stage; I found a new group of friends-my cast members; I discovered the pleasure of having the time to dig deeper and deeper into a play, probe its mysteries, mine the complexities of my character, find new moments in which to reveal her more subtle self; I heard my own voice coming from me and filling the theater, a deep, rich, resonate voice, so different than my voice of 46 and 50 years ago when I was last on the Broadway stage; I realized I have finally found my voice; I began to feel a part of the Broadway community-a community of breathtaking talent and generosity. I left that world this morning but I think I will return to it at some point along the way. I hope so. But there is relief too-the relief of not having to get just the right amount of sleep; of not being continually worried about getting sick, getting hurt; the pressure of making it fresh and true every night. Without these things that I have grown used to over 5 months I feel positively footloose and fancy free. I barely had time to catch my breath and do a little unpacking when I had to go to an event at my friend, hip hop artist and actor Ludacris’ Atlanta restaurant, Straits. Ludacris and I both have foundations that help young people. We became friends a year ago. This event hosted by his foundation, has been planned a long time ago. I was honored at the dinner as was Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. Ambassador Andy and Caroline Young were there and Valerie Jackson, the widow of the former mayor, Maynard Jackson. It was a swell way to reenter Atlanta life-surrounded by fun, smart, interesting people. And the food was superb! I am all packed to leave for the Galapagos tomorrow. It was challenging because we are restricted to 40 pounds including snorkeling gear and flippers, mask, etc. I’m excited, even though I’ll be going through the airports in a wheelchair. It will be 10 days with friends, children and grandchildren and about as far from Broadway as one can get. (Right now, it’s ten minutes to 11pm. We’d have finished 25 minutes ago. See, I’m still thinking within a theatre reference…not so easy to put aside). See you next time

Tweets on 2009-05-22

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RT @keyinfluencer: Had an amazing day seeing @JaneFonda in “33 Variations” http://bit.ly/1aE3Qp TODAY’S BLOG POST #

TONIGHT

Jane 14 Comments

Troy, Simone, Bridget, Danny (Bridget’s husband-Danny Elfman) joined the cast crew and producers at a German restaurant downtown called Blaue Gans and had pigs knuckles and fantastic sausage, huge pretzels and beer…well, not just beer. It was a really great choice made by our producer, David Binder, because we could talk easily, move around. Speaking of moving, my assistant during the play, Rachael Brenna, gave a number of us a short lesson in pole dancing. Rachael was amazing to watch. It was an emotional and beautiful evening. Well, first thing, five minutes before the show starts, I go out to look through my opera glasses to see who’s in the audience and I see my son, pointing right at me and laughing with Simone. He points out my location behind the bookshelves to Bridget Fonda and Danny Elfman. I don’t know if he can actually see me but he knows my routine. Then, in the dim light across the stage, instead of the usual wave they send our way (me and Don Amendolia), Colin, Samantha, Michael, all moon us. So far the show is going well. I dropped my cane once and Susan (“Gertie”) picked it up, but I am beginning to find ways to actually use the cane for dramatic purposes. If we had another day I would find other ways to handle the cane so it wouldn’t fall. We had a big standing ovation and three curtain calls and Tulea came out on stage for the third one. Cynthia Nixon came backstage along with my family. Jane Fonda; Samantha Mathis; Colin Hanks; Zach Grenier; Susan Kellermann; Don Amendolia (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Jane Fonda; Samantha Mathis; Susan Kellermann (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Jane Fonda; Samantha Mathis; Zach Grenier (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Tulea (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Cynthia Nixon; Moisés Kaufman; Christine Marinoni (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Danny Elfman; Bridget Fonda; Jane Fonda (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) 33 Variations Producer David Binder (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Zach Grenier and our set designer Derek McLane (2 good lookers no?) (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Moisés (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) Rachel Brenna, Me and Michael Rudd (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) See you next time

YESTERDAY

Jane 23 Comments

Our last Two-show day. My knee went out during the Letterman Show. See, I was supposed to have knee replacement in January but when I accepted to do the play I postponed the surgery and got cortisone shots. You are allowed one shot every three months. The last one was only effective 6 weeks but the doctor said I could get another one to tide me over till the surgery (which has been rescheduled for mid June). Well, it isn’t working anymore and so yesterday I did both shows using a cane the whole time. I managed it well enough so that people who hadn’t seen the show before thought it was part of my character. No one even seemed to wonder why I had a cane for the curtain call. I hate that tonight, our final show, I will be using a cane but, hey, that’s life. And at least I’m playing a character who ends up in a wheel chair and then a gurney. As I have written in my yet-to-be-finished book on aging, when you get older there are aches and pains and you can let that define you or you can learn to live with it and get on with life. Guess which way I’ve chosen. But—the Galapagos will be interesting on a cane. I don’t know exactly how much walking there will be. Some, I know, and on volcanic islands which are tough to walk on. But the swimming and boat parts should be fine. And in the airports, my grandchildren can ride on my lap in the wheelchair. Okay, so back to yesterday. Some really interesting people came backstage afterwards. Estelle Parsons, for one. Now there’s a powerful lady!! She’s in her eighties and goes up and down a humongous flight of stairs all throughout her play, “August: Osage County.” I haven’t seen her in it but have heard she is amazing. She has gone on the road with it—for 40 weeks!!! I will interview her for my book. I want to know how she stays physically strong (her husband is about 25 years younger than her and says he can’t keep up with her.) Estelle Parsons (photo: Michael Rudd) Then, James Andrews came back. He’s the man who persuaded me to start blogging and helped me set it all up and introduced me (by phone) to the mysterious J.J. in Detroit who makes it all happen technically. James came with Pankaj Shah, the man who launched the website TONIC, which sells merchandise to benefit non-profit organizations, Donna Karen turned me onto him. She is on his board. Pankaj and James are discussing how TONIC can help me sell my mug shot totes, clutches and T-shirts for the benefit of G-CAPP. James Andrews James Andrews, Me and Pankaj Shah of Tonic.com Speaking of Georgia, State Senator Nan Orrock came to the show with State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver. I’ve known and worked with them both ever since I arrived in Georgia 18 years ago. They were also with Mary Frances Williams, a progressive lobbyist for women and children who has help G-CAPP over the years and Nancy Hall, retired director of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Senator Nan Orrock and Representative Mary Margaret Oliver Nancy G. Hall and Mary Frances Williams Last night, Eve Ensler and Pat Mitchell came again-for the umpteenth time and we all went to dinner where Moises joined us. It was so much fun I stayed longer than I intended. I feel so blessed to have fierce, precious friends like Eve and Pat. Pat Mitchell, Me, and Eve Ensler (photo: Michael Rudd) Dick Cavett (photo: Michael Rudd) Jane Alexander (photo: Michael Rudd) See you next time

THE FINAL DAY

Jane 12 Comments

Here we are. I can’t believe this day has arrived. I am not as sad as I expected because a) I sense we’ll do it again somewhere; b) I couldn’t keep going despite my desire because of the pain of my knee and c) I am so tired. Pain and limping are exhausting. This is good because it gives me empathy for those who do it all the time. Bridget (Fonda) is in town. Troy told me she has taken her little boy to the Natural History Museum. I am excited that she and Danny have come in for this. Today was the big luncheon for all the Tony nominees and some past winners. It was fun to see everyone gathered together. I couldn’t help but notice and appreciate that the actors (men and women) look like real people-ie. They aren’t all pulled and injected beyond recognition. It was challenging to take as many photos as I’d have liked because I had the cane and, besides, I was afraid of looking too much like a groupie. (I don’t think any of the other actors have a blog and they don’t go around asking everyone to have their picture taken.) But I got Leslie Uggams, Marian Seldes (who read something Ruth Gordon wrote in her 80’s about being a stage actor that knocked all our socks off), Martha Plimpton (nominated for her role in the musical “Pal Joey”) and who played my daughter in “Stanley and Iris.” I was able to talk a bit with Harriet Walter who co-stars with Janet McTeer in “Mary Stuart.” They are both nominated for a Tony for Best Actress. Moises and Zach and Derek (Nominated for Best Set Design for “33 Variations”) were all there. Spoke briefly with all four of the actors from “God of Carnage”-Jeff Daniels, James Gondolfini, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Hardin. Like Marcia, Hope has young children and had to rush off to pick one of them up from school. She commented on how tired she is. I can’t imagine. At least I am able to sleep when I choose. Leslie Uggams, Me, Marian Seldes and Martha Plimpton (photo: Michael Rudd) Martha Plimpton (photo: Michael Rudd) Harriet Walter (photo: Michael Rudd) It was really nice. One of the purposes of the luncheon is to give us some pointers on how to win, how to lose, how to make an effective acceptance speech (don’t pull out a list of names to thank). Speaking of which, I am going to do that right now. I am in the dressing room where I will stay (with Tulea) until the show ends tonight and I need a major nap. It will be an emotional cauldron here after the show. Our producer, David Binder, is throwing us a closing party in a German restaurant downtown where we will have pig’s knuckles!!! This is because we talk about pig’s knuckles several times in the show-it is a famous delicacy in Bonn, Germany, where the second act takes place and where the Beethoven archives are housed. I intend to visit the archives this coming November. See you next time.

DISCOMBOBULATED

Jane 20 Comments

Waaaaay back, a lifetime ago, back in January when I started rehearsals, I titled a blog entry “Discombobulated.” I was in that strange state an actor experiences when they haven’t yet clarified who their character is and who they are. I feel like I’ve come full circle back to that place only I’m morphing in the opposite direction. Tomorrow’s it’s over. Today the packing is done (with major help from Carole and Rachel). All the books and files (that I never used) are gone, the clothes, too. All packed. I woke up at 6:30am, my “normal,” pre-play time. Couldn’t go back to sleep. I’m sitting in my apartment looking out the big windows down Manhattan at the Statue of Liberty, remembering the first time I took in this view. I think I took a photo for the blog, in fact. The intensity of yesterday is still with me–The Letterman Show, the play which felt like swimming under water–for all of us–the friends who honored me with their backstage presence. Wow! An abundance of riches. Barry Hirsch has represented me (as a lawyer) in the movie business for over thirty years. He used to come with me and Tom to Vero Beach, Florida to the Dodgers Dream Camp. They were both baseball fanatics and liked to practice with the players. When Ted and I got married Barry, Carole, Paula Weinstein and her late husband, Mark Rosenberg, threw a big Hollywood party for us.  We share some good history. ########################################### It is now a day later and there’s much to say so I will close this chapter of the blog and start a new one. See you then.