Time Hardly Stands Still For Alicia SilverstoneAlicia Silverstone, the Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress known primarily for her film work ("
Clueless"), recently concluded her much-praised sophomore effort on Broadway as part of the acclaimed production of
Time Stands Still. It was such a marked departure from her 2002 performance in
The Graduate -- which, for the record, I actually enjoyed -- that there's even talk in some circles about Ms. Silverstone's chances for a Tony nomination, although we never broached that possibility with her.
Last Friday, I joined with fellow theatre bloggers Patrick Lee (
Just Shows To Go You) and Kevin Daly (
Theatre Aficionado At Large) by way of the
Independent Theater Bloggers Association (ITBA) in a half hour telephone conversation with Ms. Silverstone. I asked her, "What did you take away from your Broadway debut that has informed your stage work since?"
Alicia Silverstone replied:
I had only done one play before that (Carol's Eve, 1993).
(In The Graduate) I learned a lot from Kathleen Turner, who is awesome. She came to see me in Time Stands Still and was so proud of me.
She took me under her wing and treated me with so much respect from the moment we started working on The Graduate. I remember when we were in Baltimore, before we came to Broadway, and after the first night she said to me, “That was really good, darling, but tomorrow maybe you will have your voice down about four notches.” I was screaming. I guess I was so excited and nervous that my voice got very high.
After originating the role of
Time Stands Still's Mandy Bloom last year at Los Angeles'
Geffen Playhouse, Ms. Silverstone was the only prinicipal to stay with the play through Broadway. Nevertheless, she said of the latter experience, "I came humbly to the rehearsal room. It was so electrifying that I didn't want to leave (even) to go to the bathroom.
Laura Linney became like a big sister to me."
Telling us, "Theatre people are the best," it's no wonder this actress with an infectiously sunny disposition is already contemplating her next stage outing. Although currently filming "
Butter" with
Hugh Jackman,
Rob Corddry and
Jennifer Garner, Ms. Silverstone somewhat wistfully told us her dream would be to do a production of
Romeo And Juliet. But she said that after seeing
Janet McTeer perform in
A Doll's House, she'd really love a chance to tackle the role of Norma Helmer.
Just don't expect her to do a musical any time soon; she says, "I'm not a trained singer. I'm interested in it but I've never practiced singing."
To read another take on our interview, please visit
Just Shows To Go You.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. Labels: A Doll's House, Alicia Silverstone, Broadway, Hugh Jackman, Interview, Janet McTeer, Kathleen Turner, Laura Linney, Play, The Graduate, Time Stands Still
FourOver the past week, I've enjoyed four milestones, not only as a theatre blogger, but also as a theatre lover.
On the first score, Saturday found me "celebrating" the fourth anniversary for
Steve On Broadway (SOB). The day was spent doing one of the things I love to do most: seeing a show. In fact, I was in the audience for two markedly different Great White Way productions (
Red and
Come Fly Away).
But I also observed my anniversary day enjoying the cameraderie of fellow bloggers/friends Patrick Lee (
Just Shows To Go You), Linda Buchwald (
Pataphysical Science), Leonard Jacobs (
The Clyde Fitch Report) and Andrew and Phil (
West End Whingers), along with non-blogging friends Bill and Ken and new friend
Baz Bamigboye.
(And all of that came on the heels of wine and/or coffee-infused moments of pleasure earlier in the week with Roger Calderon (
Daddycatcher's Realm), Kevin Daly (
Theatre Aficionado At Large), Kari Geltemeyer (
lit-wit), Jonathan Mandel (
New York Theater), Sarah Roberts (
Adventures In The Endless Pursuit Of Entertainment), Gabriel Shanks (
Modern Fabulousity) and last but certainly by no means least Jan Simpson (
Broadway & Me). It was a week to savor, and is serving to inspire me to write yet again.)
My second milestone hit last Wednesday. Doing what I always do after each Rialto performance, I dutifully logged the Broadway shows I had seen that day into my ever-expanding list, only to discover that my Wednesday matinee of
Million Dollar Quartet marked the 200th time I had set foot in a Broadway theatre for a show. (Since I've been known to revisit some of my favorite plays and musicals, this was not my 200th
production -- it was only my 184th.) I'm not sure how that compares with your theatregoing habits, but over my span of nearly 25 years attending Main Stem performances, I think the folks at the
Broadway League and the
American Theatre Wing would likely deem my attendance above average, and since the inception of Steve On Broadway (SOB), my near perfect attendance would be way above average. Given that I
still pay for every ticket, it also means I've plunked down a tidy sum through the years. But I don't regret a single penny.
My third milestone occurred just yesterday when I took in the evening performance of
Everyday Rapture at the
American Airlines Theatre. In seeing
Sherie Renee Scott's semi-autobiographical musical, I now lay claim to having seen each and every one of the 38 new shows that opened on Broadway during the 2009-10 Theatrical Season. That string includes such short-lived productions as
Brighton Beach Memoirs,
The Miracle Worker,
All About Me and
Looped.
Finally, my fourth milestone is one that's served as further inspiration for writing Steve On Broadway (SOB) yet again. I was proud to be among three theatre bloggers participating in a Q&A with Alicia Silverstone, who was recently on Broadway in
Time Stands Still. Having the opportunity to pose questions to this underestimated actress marked my first time formally interviewing any thespian. I'm hoping it won't be my last. (I'll write more in the days to come on our conversation with Silverstone, but in the meantime, here's
another post from one of my blogger colleagues.)
So for the one or two readers who are still out there, thanks for returning to Steve On Broadway (SOB) and sharing in my four milestones with me. It's great to be back.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Alicia Silverstone, Anniversary, Friendships, Interview, Milestone, Special Messages
Will [show] Be Re[title]d?In case you missed
Chris Caggiano's
excellent interview with
[title of show] co-creator/co-star
Hunter Bell over at
Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, seems as though there's a real possibility that the little tuner that could may very well come back in time for the Tonys.
My only question would be whether they'd incorporate the return engagement into the production itself.
Here's to Chris for scooping the rest of the media with his essential theatre blog. Bravo! (If you're not already reading
EIKILFM, you really should!)
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Chris Caggiano, Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, Hunter Bell, Interview, title of show
"Sands In The Clouds," Or Why I Love Harriet HarrisHarriet Harris is featured in
Playbill's latest Cue & A Column and once again demonstrates why she's one actress who's more than worthy of my affection.
Harris opens in the Broadway revival of
Old Acquaintance tomorrow evening. It's her first Great White Way appearance since winning her very well-deserved Tony as Mrs. Meers in
Thoroughly Modern Millie back in 2003 (although she did reprise her role again the following year).
Break a leg, Harriet!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
Summer Brings Old Acquaintance Harris Back To Broadway (March 23, 2007)
The Glass Menagerie (The SOB Review) (February 16, 2007)
Harriet Harris To Headline Guthrie's Glass Menagerie (December 21, 2007)
Mame (The SOB Review) (June 18, 2006)
Mame with Christine Baranski Begins Saturday at Kennedy Center (May 26, 2006)
Labels: Harriet Harris, Interview, Old Acquaintance, Play, Revival
