All week long, we celebrate the life and legacy of Angela Lansbury. Here are tributes, stories, memories and the love we remember.
Today: Jefferson Mays, Phylicia Rashad, Jeffrey Richards, Molly Ringwald, Michael Rupert, Matthew Byam Shaw, Phillipa Soo, Richard Thomas
JEFFERSON MAYS
“I performed with her in Jeffrey Richards’s 2012 revival of Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN at the Schoenfeld. Even though the combined ages of everyone above the title was around 500 years she was always, somehow, the youngest person in the rehearsal room and on stage —it was like performing with a 14 year old with the acting chops of an 87 year old. Play was always the thing with Angela. I remember hiding from her backstage during performances and she’d always hunt me down and hit me with her cane. I was first mesmerized by her in BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, (which she graciously condescended to discuss with me as a child in my 50’s), but my favorite role of hers was Mrs Lovett in SWEENY TODD — In the early 80’s, I checked the album out of my hometown public library every two weeks for the better part of a year. And, of course, my favorite photo is of her, resplendent in medieval dress, tucking into a big hamburger with Basil Rathbone at the Paramount commissary while filming THE COURT JESTER. Pure Angela!”
PHYLICIA RASHAD
I was privileged to work with Angela Lansbury in “Murder She Wrote.” She was wonderful! Warm and personable, professional, and oh so kind. Her eyes were filled with light. She was filled with light and love. I treasure her memory.
JEFFREY RICHARDS
“For my memories all are exciting My memories all are enchanted My memories burn in my head with a steady glow”…those are the lyrics from the hauntingly beautiful Jerry Herman song which Dame Angie (as I called her) sang so memorably in “Dear World” I had the privilege of presenting her in “Blithe Spirit” and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man”…one word captures what she meant to me and to so many of us Class.
MOLLY RINGWALD
What a legend. I don’t believe we ever met. I think I would’ve remembered, and I wasn’t lucky enough to have seen her onstage since I grew up a California kid, but of course I know her film career. Let me think about it. I have many connections TO her (I did a film with Len Cariou who was in Sweeney Todd on Broadway) and She was the great aunt of my friend Ally Sheedy’s son. Off the top of my head, I would have to say the Manchurian Candidate always blows me away. Especially the fact that she was playing Laurence Harvey’s mother when they were almost the same age.
MICHAEL RUPERT
Angela Lansbury, in all the times I saw her on stage, made me want to constantly work to be better, to be truly committed to the work at hand and to be a real professional. She made the theater an amazing profession by example. My favorite performance of hers Mrs.Lovett in Sweeney Todd. Though, Elvis Presley’s doting mother in Blue Hawaii is a close second.
When I was a young teenager, I moved to NYC from California to be in a Broadway show, The Happy Time. For my performance, I got a Tony nomination. The day of the Tony Awards show, we gathered for rehearsal and camera blocking at The Shubert Theater, where the televised awards were to be presented that year. At some point in the afternoon, I was sitting alone in the house, watching everything that was happening, when Audrey Hepburn (who was a presenter that year) came and sat beside me and started quietly chatting, asking to know all about me, my career and what show I was in, etc.. Then Angela joined us. And she seemed to be as genuinely interested in my young life in the theater as Ms. Hepburn. They both made a 16-year-old making his Broadway debut feel like a true member of the theater and acting community. And made him feel very special that day.
MATTHEW BYAM SHAW
Angela Lansbury had the grace, intelligence and enormous talent which made her a true star and a joy to work with. She had an unstoppable mix of charisma and empathy which made her beloved by the public and colleagues alike. Her family political history in the British Labour movement rooted her in the proper principles of decency, respect and fellowship which shone through in her work and elevated her further.
MY favorite Angela performance from stage (and/or screen)? As a small boy I was besotted with Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
After her triumph on Broadway she enjoyed the same great success with Blithe Spirit here in London at the Gielgud with such humility and delight. It was intoxicating and made the company and all of us at Playful Productions determined to have the best time possible with a great legend in our midst.
PHILLIPA SOO
Though I never met Angela Lansbury, her portrayal as the voice of Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast is one of most distinct voices I can recall from my childhood. It was familiar, like a warm hug. What an icon. She has lived the exemplary life of an artist.
RICHARD THOMAS
I believe she had the perfect career. Long and varied in all mediums. Success both artistic and commercial. Delicious performances laced with wit, warmth and occasional creepiness. And an unswerving loyalty to the theater.
I can never get Mrs. Lovett out of my mind. She’s always there, inviting me to have a pie.
We shared the same neighborhood and enjoyed many conversations in that orbit. I never played with her, but knew her and revered her as a colleague. And she was a truly lovely person. Here’s to Angie!
All week long, we celebrate the life and legacy of Angela Lansbury. Here are tributes, stories, memories and the love we remember.
Today: Eric McCormack, Ian McShane, Jessie Mueller, Casey Nicholaw, Kelli O’Hara, Steven Pasquale, Austin Pendleton, Neil Pepe, Kenneth Posner, Zachary Quinto and Ann Roth
ERIC McCORMACK
I fell in love with Angela the first time I heard Sweeney Todd. I was seventeen. While I came to realize, years later, how many iconic roles she’d originated, and how incredibly versatile she was, I was blown away. But Mrs Lovett will always be my favorite hilarious at first, then sweet as pie when she fantasizes about living with Sweeney; heartbreakingly maternal with Toby, and finally downright vicious with Lucy… Angela was such a treasure because she brought so much depth and range to a character. Her dedication to coming back to the theatre year after year, despite such an incredible run in film and on TV, has always been inspirational to me. Her career just screams, “You can have it all, but you gotta WORK for it, constantly. And you gotta LOVE it.” There was nothing cynical in Angela; the work mattered, right up till the end.
I got to share the stage with Angie for six months, during Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. Still vital at 86, funny and chatty. My son was 10 at the time, and stood backstage during curtain call for a whole week once; and every night, as she exited the stage, she and James Earl Jones would high five my boy as they passed him. He knew who Darth Vader was; I hope one day he comes to appreciate the other giant of the theatre who greeted him all that week.
IAN McSHANE
On stage, screen and Life …….
She was fabulous
One of the GOATs, and sexy .
JESSIE MUELLER
I grew up with Angela Lansbury in two of my favorite childhood films, The Court Jester and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. There was something about her voice, her cheeky sense of humor; she could do it all. In later years, I realized she was Mame, a Sondheim darling and of course the star of Murder She Wrote. She’s one of those great dames of the theatre that I’m not sure we’ll ever see the like of again. May she rest in peace! What a legend.
CASEY NICHOLAW
Angela Lansbury was an icon to me growing up – the elegance, the voice, the comedy. She was musical theater personified – truthful, yet heightened. My family didn’t have any money when I was a kid in San Diego so my entertainment was checking out albums from the library and learning about all of the Broadway musicals. I loved Sweeney Todd and Mame and also Anyone Can Whistle – especially her songs. My favorite Angela performance (from stage or screen) The Manchurian Candidate. I only got to meet her once – and it was such a thrill – she sat directly in front of me when she came to see Anyone Can Whistle at Encores and it was so much fun to watch her watch it – and she was also so complimentary afterward. It was a dream come true for my teen aged self.
KELLI O’HARA
She was the sort of star I admire the most. She never had to tell the world she was a star. It was just undeniable because of her work. I loved her gentle kindness.
I grew up watching her on television, so it wasn’t until I heard her recording of Sweeney Todd that I truly understood just how versatile she was, just how brilliant. One of a kind sound, one of a kind look, unmatched ability. I was often at different events or galas performing somewhere in the same line-up (Jerry Herman’s Kennedy Center Honor, etc.) so it was the personal interaction back stage or just off the stage when i could really see her true colors…a moment under pressure and yet her warmth and generosity to take a moment of her own time to acknowledge the gawking admirer. She would beat me to a compliment or a word of encouragement rather than let me shower her. That sort of star, who eases the air for a younger admirer, holds a special place in my heart.
STEVEN PASQUALE
Angela Lansbury is the shining example of a theater artist. Despite lots of success in tv and film she always always returned to the stage. A great example for those of us addicted to a life in the theater.
Without question my favorite Angela Lansbury performance…Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I have no idea if that movie even holds up but I have incredible memories of seeing it for the first time as a small child.
I’ve done a handful of concerts/benefits with her and found her to be utterly charming and aware of how impactful interacting with us would be for us.
AUSTIN PENDLETON
What she meant — and means — to me is that, as an actor, you can just keep on stretching. You can be adventurous. Continually.
I think, if I had to choose, that Sweeney Todd is my favorite of her performances.
I knew her slightly. I worked with her once, on an episode of “Murder, She Wrote.”
She was DEMANDING. Excitingly so. I’d love to have worked with her again and again.
NEIL PEPE
To me, Angela Lansbury has always been an inspiration for the incredible range of her roles and her extraordinary work ethic. From theater to film to TV, she consistently delivered surprising and rich performances in everything she did. Angela performances that jump out to me when I think of her are Gaslight, The Manchurian Candidate and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I never met Angela Lansbury but she continues to give me hope for longevity in this business.
KENNETH POSNER
I had the good fortune to design the lighting for one of Angela Lansbury’s last Broadway shows, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. She was a kind force and I remember her being very gracious to all of us on the other side of the foot lights. Her range and diversity as an artist was an inspiration to anyone who cherishes making theatre.
ZACHARY QUINTO
Angela – to me – represented longevity via authenticity and good old fashioned talent. She was eloquent and tenacious and nuanced and always understood the assignment. The theater is a more vivid community because of her performances and the excellence of her craft. She was an anchor of the art form – and her absence will be felt deeply by anyone lucky enough to have seen her on stage.
My favorite Angela performance is hands down Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. I never got to see it live – but watched the recording dozens of times. She brings that character to life with equal parts humor heart desperation and devotion to dizzying effect. It is in my estimation peak Angela Lansbury.
Sadly I never got to meet her. A fact which I find particularly lamentable now that she’s gone. May she rest well in the knowledge that she shaped and inspired the lives of generations of young performers and delighted audiences the world over.
ANN ROTH
Angela has always meant the gold standard. You knew from the minute you began to work with her that you had to raise yourself up to her standard as best you could. That is what she has meant to me and I believe to the theatre at large. Her presence and work was an example to everyone who worked with her.
Everyone says Manchurian Candidate is their favorite performance of hers and I would like to watch that every year. But Ms. Lansbury was in my first picture The World of Henry Orient and I was introduced to her ethic and her humor then and so it has a forever spot in my heart. She was also so very brilliant as Mama Rose in Arthur Laurents’ Gypsy. What an actress!
Let it be known that, when I was living in Dorothy Jerkins’ garage in the late fifties, Dorothy arranged for me to babysit Angela’s children. This consisted of me putting the, then maybe six and seven year olds, into the roof well of my MG convertible and driving them around. But, in the last play we did together, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, we had the most giggles ever working on the fabulous wig that Paul Huntley made for her. Not every actress, in fact practically none of them, can work a wig like that, let me just say.
All week long, we celebrate the life and legacy of Angela Lansbury. Here are tributes, stories, memories and the love we remember.
Today: Marin Ireland, Cherry Jones, Adam Kantor, Stacy Keach, John Larroquette, Kenny Leon, Patti LuPone, Joe Mantello and Michael Mayer.
MARIN IRELAND
One of the things I’m proudest of in my life is losing a Tony Award to Angela Lansbury.
I first became aware of the breadth of her career when I watched the movie Gaslight to prepare for a summer stock production of Angel Street the year I turned 21. She knocked my socks off. Her self-assured charm and comedic vitriol seemed otherworldly, I couldn’t believe she had done that a few years younger than I was. I had only known of her as Jessica Fletcher and heard tell of her Broadway career, the stuff of legend.
Then it was 2009 and I was on Broadway for the first time. And she was there too, making a triumphant return in Blithe Spirit. I was lucky enough to witness her performance. Once again, I could not believe my eyes. How was she moving like that? Those high kicks? Getting those laughs upon laughs? She was pure magic. The epitome of ease and grace.
Whenever the five nominees were at an event, the other four of us would shyly gather and someone would say what we were all thinking “should we go say hello to Dame Angela?”
We were too starstruck individually. And none of us would have dared if we didn’t have the excuse of sharing a category. It was a little silly, the idea of being “up against” Dame Angela. But I was so grateful for the excuse to be near her.
We would go and genuflect and she couldn’t have been kinder or more gracious, every time. We attempted small talk but mostly just fawned and tried to be cool. It was giddying, humbling, and inspiring to be in her presence.
And I’ll never forget the rush of emotion—joy and awe and reverence—as I leapt to my feet to applaud her when she won, tears in my eyes. I turned to my mother and she had the same look on her face I did. “Look at her”, I said. “Wow.”
CHERRY JONES
In 1974 on my Thanksgiving break Freshman year at Carnegie Mellon I came to NY to visit a friend who surprised me with tickets to Gypsy. I already worshiped Angela Lansbury. The previous Spring I’d played Mame in MAME at Henry County High School in Paris, Tennessee. I’d STUDIED the original Broadway cast album and every syllable, every note that came out of Ms Lansbury. I’d never heard a speaking voice or singing voice like hers. As unique as any voice I’ve ever heard.
What I remember most about her Gypsy was the force, the power the speed of her Rose. Her energy level was through the roof. She had no time to waste making her girls stars. By the time she sang “Rose’s Turn”, arms stretched over her head, her force was so tremendous it was as though she was lifting the roof like a pot boiling over and lifting the lid. At curtain call she seemed she seemed as though she could have asked the conductor to “hit it” and performed the entire show again from the top.
I saw the same tremendous burning captivating energy in her Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. I was on the last row in the theater for the first act and found an empty single seat in the middle of the front row for the second act.
I was feet away when she sang “Nothing’s gonna harm you…”. Her hands as she wrapped herself round the boy were so large, beautiful and eloquent. I felt wrapped by her too.
She was a Sequoia.
ADAM KANTOR
Angela not only represented ferocious talent and commitment to character, but a rare generosity of spirit — an inimitable blend of warmth and grace. She emanated humanity from every pore, and one could feel a sense of empathy that she carried — so evident in her work and how she approached her characters.
I loved how she seemed to love and embrace what Mrs Potts meant to the world – particularly to younger generations. It makes me think of her genuine care and interest in her own grandchildren, and my own relationship with my grandmother.
She graced our lives with an elegance and a generosity of spirit that left a trail of love and inspiration for actors everywhere. Regrettably, I never had the honor and privilege to work with her, but her presence among us, the gifts she bestowed on us with her iconic performances, matched only by her gracious warmth, places Angela Lansbury in a class all by herself. Her legend will live in our hearts and minds forever.
JOHN LARROQUETTE
Angela Lansbury was, to me, a beacon. A remarkable human and a towering talent. Working with her on Broadway was a privilege and a soul enriching experience I will never forget. She was kind, witty, charming and dedicated to our craft like no one I had met before. To stand on stage with her was a dream. Often I had to remind myself to keep acting and not just sit and admire her.
I was able to do the latter a few years ago when my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing her in Blithe Spirit on stage.
She will always be a giant of the theatre and a remarkable artist who will live on forever.
KENNY LEON
I remember seeing Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd. How could an actor engage me so deeply in a story? The performance was transformative and has lived within my artistic soul for so many years. It has inspired me to realize that if one tells a story, fully committed the audience is always ready to take the ride. Thank you Ms Lansbury for giving me the courage always needed to tell the stories that need to be told.
My favorite Angela performance Sweeney Todd.
She spoke to me during Tony Awards week… She spoke to me… I’m a soldier in her army…she spoke to me. So grateful for her sharing her gift with us.
PATTI LUPONE
Angela has always been a standard bearer, whether on stage or on film. She was an effortless actor, an intelligent, empathetic, technically dazzling actor. Her performances on stage were indelible. There may be other interpretations but Angela’s always leads. She was certainly never far from my mind when I played my first Sondheim role, Nellie Lovett in Sweeney Todd.
I can’t pinpoint one role of Angela’s. But Gaslight, The Manchurian Candidate and Sweeney Todd jump out at me.
Angela was a great lady. Kind, generous, supportive. When we did see each other there was such warmth. If she saw a performance of mine she let me know. She was always gracious when I visited her backstage. And I know from experience sometimes you just want to go home. Her last performance I believe was A Little Night Music. I visited her but was keenly aware of not keeping the Lady too long. But I had to pay my respect. She was a jewel. She was adored. She was an Artist of the highest caliber.
JOE MANTELLO
The theatre definitely lost one of the greats this past week. I was lucky enough to see Ms L give many remarkable performances over the years, starting with my very first Broadway show—SWEENEY TODD. I’m not sure I ever recovered.
MICHAEL MAYER
AL was a consummate artist, and her dedication to the theatre was an ongoing source of inspiration for generations of theatre makers. She was a living reminder that generosity, kindness, and personal dignity were compatible with enormous talent and drive and the quest for excellence.) I saw the original cast of Sweeney Todd at the Uris Theatre and her Mrs. Lovett made an indelible impression. I also loved her Rose in Gypsy which I saw on tour. My favorite screen performance is The Manchuria Candidate, but because she had scenes with Judy, I am a little obsessed with her in The Harvey Girls. I had the great honor of directing the Drama League benefit honoring Angie, so I spent some real time with her, and to say that those moments were memorable would be a gigantic understatement. She also gave us our Best Musical Tony for Spring Awakening. #bucketlist
All week long, we celebrate the life and legacy of Angela Lansbury. Here are tributes, stories, memories and the love we remember.
Today: Kerry Butler, Brian Cox, Bryan Cranston, Michael Feinstein, Santino Fontana and Julie Halston
KERRY BUTLER
Angela had the career we all dream of. She crossed over into theater, television and film and did it effortlessly. She is a theater icon for roles like Mame and Mrs. Lovett. My family and I loved to watch her on Murder She Wrote. I am a huge Disney fan, so I’m partial to Beauty and the Beast and Bednobs and Broomsticks.
Working with Angela Lansbury on The Best Man was an honor and privilege. She has an unmatched career- what I didn’t know was how kind she was. No one on that show could be a diva because Angela and James Earl Jones (I think both in their 80’s at the time) were so kind, down to earth and such hard workers. Before one scene I got to sit on a couch with Candice Bergen and Angela, and Angela would tell us stories about growing up in the business. She said her mother (also a performer) would travel with her when she was a baby, and she would sleep in a dresser drawer! Working with her was a highlight of my career.
BRIAN COX
Angela has to be admired and wondered at for the sheer extraordinary range of her work from Film, TV…Dramatic and Musical Theatre …which is probably unequalled by any other actress..ever.
She was such a tremendous, benevolent and consistently constant force in our business.
It’s extremely hard to imagine our game without Angela Lansbury.
Of course her greatest performance for me was…Eleanor Shaw in the Manchurian Candidate.
To think she was actually three years older than Laurence Harvey who played her son. A compelling study of Matriarchal Evil. And so much the antithesis of who she was as a kind an considerate person. An awe inspiring acting achievement. I was 16 when I saw it… she completely scared the shit out of me.
Unforgettable.
One of my regrets, having been such a fan…is ..sadly I never met…but…What an actress!
BRYAN CRANSTON
Angela was an amazing actor. A champion among us all. Those of us who go to do a Murder, She Wrote (or three) and got to experience her craft that she handled with such grace. On film she was treacherous in The Manchurian Candidate and delightful in Beauty and the Beast. But it was on stage where she truly lived and I was marveled by her work in Blithe Spirit, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man and, of course, Sweeney Todd. The curtain is lowered now, Ms. Lansbury…the show’s over, and you were splendid!
MICHAEL FEINSTEIN
One of the most powerful and inspiring things about Angela was her strong sense of self combined with true compassion and kindness towards all. Everyone was treated equally. She knew exactly who she was and what she could do, and her unwavering sense of that eventually resulted in achieving her goals when others might have given up earlier in the game.
My favorite performance of hers was the reunion with Len Cariou at the Hollywood Bowl for the Sondheim 80th Birthday Tribute when they recreated “A Little Priest”. It was a time capsule and we were all transported back to 1979. She was ageless.
Accompanying her at the piano (for a special event) was a wonderful experience, and I was taken by how insecure she felt when she wasn’t portraying a character and just being herself. She needn’t have been, for she sang wonderfully just as Angela Lansbury!
One time I went to see her in Blithe Spirit I noticed that the once fearsome critic John Simon was seated to my left and was out cold, snoring in his seat. When I went backstage and mentioned it to her, thinking she’d find it funny, she didn’t. She responded “Who does he write for?” and I said “Bloomberg”. She lightened up immediately, and laughingly said, “Oh, then it doesn’t matter”.
SANTINO FONTANA
I’m thinking back to my childhood and remember seeing her in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, then hearing her singing the title song in Beauty and the Beast. All while the adults in my family were watching Murder She Wrote. Then I remember the older theater kids in my school passing me a top secret video tape of this adult show called Sweeney Todd. Was that the same woman? My high school did a production of this never done show, Anyone Can Whistle…”here Santino listen to the cast album, it’ll make more sense.” That’s the same woman again? Then once I was old enough, my grandfather recommended I watch The Manchurian Candidate. That’s her too??? Years later, I was asked to sing at a benefit honoring Hal Prince. Afterwards, a gentle, warm woman approached me. “Hi, I’m Angela. That was quite good. Who are you?” She could be considered a legend for the sheer volume of work she created. She could be considered a legend for the expansive diversity of her work dramatic feature films, children’s animated films, musical dramas, musical comedies, television series and movies, Noel Coward plays, Terrence McNally plays…it goes on and on. She was limitless. But what I think makes her truly legendary is how in all of her performances she somehow found her way into our hearts. She made us feel like we knew her and she loved us. My favorite Angela performances Sweeney Todd, Manchurian Candidate, Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
JULIE HALSTON
A few words regarding this simply legendary performer and person.
The quality of her work is known of course but the longevity of her career is what I find so amazing and frankly inspiring as an artist. That this woman , whose charm and grace and professionalism was very well known could also keep reinventing herself with a variety of skills is what means so much to me as an artist. Film star, Broadway Star, Television Star, Animation Star -was there anything she couldn’t do?! and all with the above mentioned charm and grace.
Her performance as Laurence Harvey’s ruthless mother, Eleanor in the film TheManchurian Candidate still makes me shudder with her sly, flirtatious and utterly terrifying portrayal.
And although I did not see her on Broadway in Mame , I remember very well the 1975 Tony Awards when she came down those stairs and ended up in the arms on Mayor John V. Lindsay -she was surprised and laughing ( it’s on YOUTUBE) I just thought this was the most glamour I’ve ever seen ! ( I had not met Charles Busch yet !)
Speaking of Charles Busch, Angela was a great admirer of Charles’ work and we were all beside ourselves when she came ( with Ian McKellen !!) to the downtown Soho Playhouse to see The Divine Sister – She and Ian had a wonderful time and of course pictures were taken ! And then , a few years later I did a workshop with Angela of the Ahrens / Flaherty musical Anastasia . The minute she saw me , she threw her arms around me and said “ Darling I’m still laughing about the nuns you and Charles played !” She was so kind to me and everyone and I kept thinking “ Is this happening ?”
We were blessed to witness this extraordinary talent , this fabulous woman and this true legend. We were lucky – we may never see the likes of her again.
All week long, we celebrate the life and legacy of Angela Lansbury. Here are tributes, stories, memories and the indelible life we remember and will never forget.
Today: Jason Alexander, Debbie Allen, Annaleigh Ashford, Elizabeth Ashley, Candace Bergen, Andre Bishop and Danny Burstein.
Angela gave me a big, heartfelt hug and then put my face in her hands and said, “my darling boy, the papers never get it right.
JASON ALEXANDER
Let me just share a personal story.
It is fairly well known that I was reluctant to be in the cast of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway because when I was approached it was conceived as a giant dance review of Jerry’s best Broadway choreography. And clearly, I couldn’t dance it. But they kept saying that I was to be “the host” of the show. And that didn’t sound like much of a task for an actor so I kept passing.
Eventually I understood what the role could be and took it and eventually won a Tony for it. But during the early part of the run, the New York Times did an interview with me in which I was trying to explain my reluctance to be cast as I have done here for you. And I said to the interviewer, “they kept telling me I was going to be the host. The host? I mean, what is that? Angela Lansbury is the greatest host in Tony history but even she wouldn’t want to do that eight times a week”.
Somehow, when the article came out, that quote was paraphrased by the author saying something like, “Jason feared he’d be stuck in a hosting role like Angela Lansbury”. So not what I said!!!!!! It felt so demeaning and dismissive of Angela. I was devastated. I wanted to reach out to her to explain but I didn’t know her and didn’t now how I could reach her. So, I just let it go and hoped she wouldn’t see it.
Months later she came to our show. And in true Great Lady of the Theater form, she came backstage to shower compliments on our company. But she specifically came to my dressing room and gushed over my performance for a solid five minutes with compliments so lush that I could barely stand. And all the while I was thinking, “should I say something? Should I mention the article?” I remained silent and after a thorough exhalting from Dame Angela, she began to walk away. And at that moment I broke.
I ran to her and said, “Ms. Lansbury, I have to tell you…I don’t know if you ever saw it or heard about it but I was so horribly mis-quoted in the Times. I was trying to explain that being a great host is not an easy task but that it is not something an actor would necessarily find challenging in a long run of a show and I referenced you lovingly but they got it all wrong and I have felt terrible ever since thinking you would think I would ever go anything but revere every moment of your work and I’m sorry I didn’t say this earlier but I’ve just been so embarrassed”.
Angela gave me a big, heartfelt hug and then put my face in her hands and said, “my darling boy, the papers never get it right. I saw it. And I was delighted just to see that a young artist like yourself even knew who I was”. She had seen it. And despite what it sounded like, she came backstage and showered me with affection and praise, and then walked away. If I hadn’t said something, she would never have known if the paper was right or wrong. And it didn’t matter to her. She knew who she was. She knew her worth. She was a woman of the theater.
I met Angela several times over the years after that, even doing several benefits with her. We always shared a good laugh over that experience. She was grace and dignity and good fun and true professionalism through and through. She was a queen. And she left us with her amazing legacy of work and spirit. God bless her.
DEBBIE ALLEN
I had the distinct pleasure of being in Angela’s company during her many appearances
on THE ACADEMY AWARDS celebrations when Gil Cates was producing. I think he was surely one of her greatest fans. She was beyond delightful and fun to be around. So funny, so many great stories and so gracious, while being very grounded by her personal life. Her son was her favorite and best companion. She was one of a kind, and will be remembered with tremendous respect and always a smile.
I want to be her when I grow up. Always have and always will.
ANNALEIGH ASHFORD
Angela Lansbury was one of the greats. A truly magical artist. She had the wonderful combination of craft and God given talent. Most of all, she was not only a great performer but she was a great human. There was clearly such a love and respect for the theatre as an artform and for the theatre community. She also showed those of us who are mothers in the theatre that it is possible to do eight shows a week and have a family.
My favorite Angela performances Mrs. Lovett, Mame, Mama Rose. The list goes on and on. But I will aways have a uniquely special place for Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
I met her three times. I cried every time. She is one person that I was truly unable to control my emotions in front of. I couldn’t talk and had to walk away. I had such a profound sense of gratitude for her as an artist. I have always felt connected to her body of work and her commitment to being a character actress. I want to be her when I grow up. Always have and always will.
ELIZABETH ASHLEY
Countless hearts were broken last week when beloved Angela Lansbury left us for that big ole dressing room in the sky. Where else would she go?
I know exactly where she is right this minute because –
it’s always ‘half hour’ somewhere.
She’s at her dressing table, staring in the mirror and putting herself through that ancient ritual actors have been doing since Euripides wrote the script.
First, pinning and securing her wig cap and starting her makeup. Then, Angela’ll take that little piece of sandpaper she always has tucked under her hairpin box and scratch the soles of the shoes she’ll be wearing when she makes her first entrance onstage. “Insurance against slippage,” Angela says.
“15 minutes please” will be heard over the dressing room intercom, until “five minutes please” blares everywhere backstage. Then comes the always slightly terrifying “places please, ladies and gentlemen. Places, please.” And off she goes, like the thoroughbred she is.
In the weeks, months, and years to come, every superlative in the dictionary will be used in remembrance of Angela Lansbury. All will be accurate and true. I racked what’s left of my brain to recapture my immediate visceral response when I first heard “Angela Lansbury died.” Two words blazed thru me –
1.) Monumental – defined in Oxford Dictionary as ‘Great in importance, extent, or size.’
2.) Champion. Bottom line, she is and will always be the Muhammad Ali of performing artists in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Her artistry, creative imagination, strength, generosity of spirit, perseverance, humility, determination, kindness, immeasurable talent, professionalism, and dedication set a bar so high it can never be attained – only aspired to.
I’ve known Angela since the early 1970’s. Later, I did a couple of guest shots on Murder, She Wrote, and we became friends. Once, I was being considered for a job that I desperately needed both financially and professionally but was told I was at the bottom of the list because much more famous actresses were being considered. During the ‘waiting to hear’ period I ran into Angela on a film lot. She asked what I was doing, and I told her. I’ll never forget her response. She told me she’d never been first choice for any of the best parts she’d done in film or on stage! She said – “you walk into that room and just tell them they should know that part has your name all over it!”
One of the most daunting jobs I ever did was when Jeffrey Richards asked me to replace Angela when she was leaving The Best Man on Broadway. Angela would continue for a week while I rehearsed during the day. She not only insisted that I use her dressing room when I had a break in rehearsal, but she also helped clarify the blocking that was all new to me. She even gave me tips on how to navigate the sometimes-complicated scene changes.
It goes without saying I was always a super fan. Her range was unmatched and awesome. Her body of work is so vast it’s impossible to single out any one thing.
I’m always fascinated by the choices actors make in extremely difficult roles. Angela’s work in The Manchurian Candidate – She was terrifying, but at the same time you understood and empathized with her.
I’ll never forget the opening night of Sweeney Todd. You fell in love with her and just wanted more and more of her horrifying pies. Truly, we’ll not see her like again.
So, to the original genuine ‘wild Irish rose,’ – One last time, “Places, please.”
P.S.- Thanks for leaving that little scrap of sandpaper on the dressing room table – it’s my ‘Angie-treasure’ –
(“No slippage.”)
CANDICE BERGEN
Angela has been, to an actor, Eternal. Like the coastline or the Empire State Building. Always excellent and always with great range. She could sing, probably dance, and she won tons of awards for acting.
One memory I have of her (which I was actually shocked by) was her doing leg lifts and tours jetes holding onto the podium backstage before the curtain went up. She’d had hundreds of surgeries hip and knee replacements and she was almost cocky about her flexibility. I got it. She was remarkable. Meticulous about her work on stage. A couple of times I tripped her up because I was late with a cue and afterwards she told me, “It all makes a difference. Every little thing triggers something else. I need it all to be exact.” She was right and I learned the importance of discipline in one’s work from her. Discipline and pride.
She had enormous stamina, she was 86 when we worked together in THE BEST MAN and she never missed a performance, never arrived a minute late. She had a system and she kept to it and it paid off. I’ve never worked with anyone more professional . She was a pleasure and it was a privilege.
How lucky we all are to have shared the planet with a soul as transcendent as Angela Lansbury’s.
REED BIRNEY
In 1968, I was in ninth grade in Wilmington, Delaware. My mother had been so disappointed that she hadn’t seen Angela Lansbury in MAME, so when this incredible ad appeared in the Sunday Arts and Leisure section announcing DEAR WORLD, my father sent right off for ticket for the whole family to trek to NYC so we wouldn’t miss out again.
I think it was a Saturday night in December, up to The Big City we came, all seven of us, full of anticipation. I, who had always wanted to be an actor, was out of my mind with excitement. We stayed in the Howard Johnson’s at 51st and Eight Avenue (now the Hampton Inn) right around the corner from The Mark Hellinger. We had dinner at Les Pyrénées, now long gone, next to the theater and my oldest brother who was 18, had his first legal drink, a daquiri. We arrived in our coats and ties at the gorgeous theater (still unchanged inside even though it has ceased to be a theater.) The lobby was out of control with excitement. They were handing out the souvenir programs for free (I still have it) because the creative team detailed inside had been replaced, the director Peter Glenville was out and Joe Layton had taken over. The play was supposed to have already opened by the time we were there but because of the switcheroo, changes were still being made, songs listed in the Playbill were gone and new ones not listed were sung. The show must’ve been in trouble because Peter Glenville hadn’t even been the first director, the ad had announced Lucia Victor.
None of that mattered. The memory of sitting there at 14 is as vivid to me today as it was that cold and long ago Saturday night. Angela Lansbury’s iconic status even then– just within our family– was permanently sealed. Her performance that night was seared into my still plastic brain, and when she won the Tony the following spring, we were all as proud as if she’d been a member of our family.
I think for all of us in the theater, we felt like she was a member of our family, a great aunt–is her name Mame?–who was always there full of joy and celebration. I saw her many times on stage after that, and it was always the same incredible jolt I felt at 14 to be in her presence and see her making magic. And my children saw her on stage. I certainly can think of no other actor, even legendary ones, who appealed to so many of us for so many reasons. She could do it all, and did, so the musical theater aficionados had that that Angela, straight play lovers had their Angela and movie buffs worshiped her for her gorgeous performances on film. Plus she was one classy classy lady, always carrying herself impeccably, even after the days when that was no longer in fashion. She set very high standards in every aspect of her life.
Forty years after I saw her in DEAR WORLD, I asked was to do a reading with her. It was a talented and seasoned group of actors but we were all flabberghasted that she, at that point in her astonishing career, would be into spending her day like so many of us do, in a conference room with a handful of fellow artists, exploring a new play. She was incredibly collegial, relaxed and generous and stayed after to discuss the flaws and strengths of the play, just like the rest of us. Still setting a standard of integrity and artistry. How to be an artist, on and off the stage.
I, of course, couldn’t believe, that my journey had led me from that cold night at The Mark Hellinger Theater to sitting in a conference room with Angela Lansbury. Such was the miracle of her career, it just seemed that she was just always there, a beacon for generations, and we had no reason to think she wouldn’t continue to always be there.
But actually, she lived one of those lives that will always be there. Her work is incredibly well documented, and the fact that her first performances on film remain as fresh and alive today as when they were filmed lets us know her work will never go out of fashion or appear dated. Several of her film performances are touchstones and inspirations for me on how to be a great film actor THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, ALL FALL DOWN. She has a moment in THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT that continues to take my breath away, even thinking about it. Such is the result of living an authentic and truthful life that she brought effortlessly to her work. And also being as talented as a person can be.
How lucky we all are to have shared the planet with a soul as transcendent as Angela Lansbury’s.
When we got home to Wilmington the next day after seeing DEAR WORLD, I went off to a Christmas party at a friend’s house. As I was leaving to go, my mother, seeing how hopped up I was from our excursion to The Big City and Broadway, said, “Now, don’t go to the party and brag about our trip to see Angela Lansbury.” I can’t remember if I bragged at the party that night, but I have been bragging about it ever since. And I imagine I will for the rest of my life.
ANDRE BISHOP
Angela Lansbury was a great artist, and she was impressive particularly because she kept reinventing herself. First she was a saucy young movie actor; then a musical comedy star, then a beloved television icon. She taught us that you could be talented and impressive and still be decent and nice. She was fun and smart and she was an example of excellence to those of us in show business.
My favorite performance of hers would have to have been – what else – Mame!
I knew her only slightly but I remember one day when she was doing a reading here of The Chalk Garden she suddenly turned and said to me “I’ve played everywhere but I have never played the Beaumont. Do you think you might have room for me someday?”
DANNY BURSTEIN
Angela Lansbury epitomized “class” in the Theater. She was kind. She was a true professional. She worked hard and showed up night after night. She was incredibly talented. She led by example. And she was always good.
My favorite Angela Lansbury performance? How can I not say Mrs. Lovett? She was fierce, funny, sexy and brilliant. And, what the hell, The Manchruian Candidate wasn’t bad either.
I met Angela on several occasions throughout the years. But my favorite time was after an early preview of Fiddler on the Roof. She came backstage to say hello to me. About a year before I’d gone backstage to visit John Lithgow after a show and he asked me to sign his “remembrance book”. I thought to myself, I should do this for all the people who come backstage after Fiddler – it’ll be a wonderful way for me to remember that time. The first person who came back was Angela and I was a little nervous & embarrassed to ask her to sign the book. I explained to her that John had done this and I thought it “might be a nice keepsake”. In an instant she grabbed the book, held it close to her heart, closed her eyes and said, “Oh, Danny, I have always wanted to do this!!!” Immediately all my nerves about asking people were gone. I mean if Angela Lansbury loved the idea, then it was definitely okay! She signed her autograph with a huge flourish, gave me a hug and was on her way. I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget her.
Poland born Martyna Majok—her last name pronounced like “my oak”, which is perfect, really, because her path to get here is like that of a stunning and mighty tree that keeps growing upward—won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for her original play, Cost of Living. The play is a story about the relationships between the disabled and the abled, and the exploration into the parallels between the haves and the have-nots. Without even stopping to catch her breath as the curtain lifted on debut night, Majok graciously answered our most pressing questions we had for the playwright.
Read on to learn how Majok draws on inspiration for her characters, her first peek at theatre (thanks, mom!), and how grief and financial instability led to a Pulitzer.
Cast of COST OF LIVING
1). Give us a brief synopsis of your background. What your hopes and dreams were as a child, and how you came to be the playwright you are today.
I was born in Poland and came to America with my mom a few years after the fall of The Wall. We moved to working class North Jersey — right at the end of the PATH train — where my mom worked in factories and cleaned houses. I didn’t grow up with theatre. Then one day, while my mom was cleaning a house, she came across a pamphlet that had been set out for recycling. It was for “something called ‘Cabaret’.” And John Stamos was starring in it. So my mom brought it home for me, informing me that “Uncle Jessie was in NYC!” Around that same time, I’d won $45 playing pool (at a pool hall ironically named ‘Guys & Dolls’), the most I’d ever won. And the cheapest tickets happened to be $45…
I knew nothing about the show going in. This, of course, turned out to be the iconic Sam Mendes’ production at Studio 54, originally starring Alan Cumming. I was shaken to be in a theatre, full of that much life. And I was moved to be experiencing a story that did not compromise the difficulties of the times — and that reality invited me into its world and storytelling. It communicated to me that both things could exist together — truth and generosity — that ultimately connected a group of strangers to each other and to their own lives. There were many steps and struggles along the way to becoming a playwright, but it was that experience that lit the fire in me. I wanted to devote my days to inspiring that much life in others.
Ironbound (Round House Theatre) Josiah Bania (Maks) and Alexandra Henrikson (Darja). Photo: Cheyenne Michaels
2). Tell us a little about your first successful piece of work, when you knew that life and work would be a bit different thereafter.
The most personally meaningful moment at one of my own plays was at the opening night performance of Ironbound in Round House Theatre in DC. The play is largely inspired by my mother’s life. Like many working class immigrants, she spent much of her life doing the physically demanding, undersung work that keeps this country running. I was sitting next to my mother in the theatre. And as the final lights went down on the show, and the audience leapt to their feet for a standing ovation, I felt like they were applauding my mother. Standing up for and seeing her life and her struggles.
3) What inspires you to write a new play or story? Is it the world around you, perhaps? Or, experiences taken from moments and people throughout your life?
A combination. There’s usually something churning in my life that I’m having trouble looking at. Then, something external will unexpectedly hit against that and get my imagination going — a moment I’ve observed, an anecdote I’ve heard, something I’ve read. I start writing once I can hear dialogue. And I learn who my characters are as I go.
Many, though not all, of my characters are composites of people I know or have been. The humor of one person, a particular experience of another, the speaking rhythms of this one or that one, etc — I mix bits of myself and others, and situate them in worlds I’ve lived in. I write to find out what I feel.
4) For Cost of Living, what inspired you to write this story?
Grief. Financial instability. And my experiences as a caregiver.
Martyna Majok accepts the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama from Columbia University President Lee Bollinger. (Photo: Eileen Barroso/Columbia University)
5) Incredible to have won a Pulitzer. What was that recognition and winning that award like for you?
Absolutely incredible. An amazing, amazing honor. And a complete surprise. When my agent called to tell me, I didn’t believe him for a full ten minutes. I hope most of all that the award, as well as the play being on Broadway, amplifies this story — and its performers — and encourages theatres to more widely produce stories like it. And not just on its small stages.
6) Any particular moments from seeing Cost of Living live that stick with you most?
There is a moment in the play that I don’t want to spoil…but it has to do with the vulnerability of the human body. And every night, the audience has such a strong, collective reaction. At one point, an audience member even got out of her seat and started going toward the stage to try to help what she thought was happening. To me, those audience reactions show me how much we actually care for one another, as humans in the world. How connected we actually are.
7) What do you hope the audience learns, feels, or takes with them, after seeing Cost of Living?
I hope they see themselves and others — and feel more connected, less alone. I hope they find a home with these characters. I hope they yearn with them. I hope they laugh and I hope they cry (I say this as someone who loves crying in the theatre.) I hope they feel every feeling.
When I was preparing to start rehearsals, I worried whether I would be ‘over’ the play. But that first read hit me so deeply. It seemed to hit everyone in that room deeply. I think after having experienced these past two years, after all this collective loss and struggle, Cost of Living and its themes speak to us in a much more impactful way. The play’s been good for my soul. I hope it is for others’ as well.
Florence Welch and Martyna Majok in studio for The Great Gatsby Musical
8) How’s it going so far with The Great Gatsby?
Wonderfully. Florence [Welch, of Florence + the Machine] and Thomas’ [Bartlett, a.k.a. Doveman] music is beautiful and transcendent. All the collaborators have been a joy to work with. I can’t wait to share this piece with the world.
[end]
And we cannot wait to see it. Our sincere thanks to Martyna Majok for indulging us so vivaciously. How fortunate we are, to have her unique perspectives unfold in diverse storytelling to better our own theatre experiences. Get your tickets to Cost of Living on Broadway now, and stay tuned for her upcoming adaptation of Broadway’s The Great Gatsby coming soon!
Jayne Baron Sherman has produced a wealth of Broadway shows and her IBDB reads like a laundry list of the theatre’s best hits since the early aughts. From 2004’s A Raisin in the Sun to the long-running Kinky Boots ten years later, Sherman seems to know good storytelling and what might resonate with a wide audience. So we wondered—what inspires Jayne Baron Sherman to want to be a part of a new production? Luckily for us, Sherman obliged. Read on for the producer’s reflections on seeing more headscarves in the audience on Broadway, and the timely stage debut of a 91 year old author.
On the phone with Sherman, we dove right in. What inspires this producer to take on a new Broadway production? Sherman didn’t hesitate to answer, telling us that a story must touch her in a personal way, that she must feel compelled to share these stories and experiences with others. “It must touch my heart and soul, yes, but it also needs to have some impact on the world,” Sherman says. “Therefore, no fluff, but a chance to see everyday lives differently, through a new window.” Keeping her producer’s hat firmly on, Sherman adds that a new production must be commercially viable too, and that her instinct for this isn’t always right, but admits to having a pretty decent track record commercially, and we’d agree to that.
For the current production of American novelist Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler, Sherman tells us that two things have stuck with her most each time she sees it live (which is frequently): The sincere diversity, for starters, does her heart good. “Seeing more women in the audience with headscarves, it sticks with you,” she says. “Witnessing the way the audience is touched by the performances of the actors, and the actors themselves, feels new each time. Each production brings out a new reaction. The majority of times, they jump to their feet and cheer when the lights go on, which is unique for a play—usually reserved for musicals—but it’s a story of redemption that ends on an uplifting redemptive note, which is rewarding in storytelling.”
Sherman goes on to explain that certain scenes from The Kite Runner still bring her to tears after so many times, and seeing the audience react similarly to that is special. “This is a fully authentic cast of fine actors that are so happy to be a part of this production. They are not out of central casting. They have been refugees themselves, or have immigrant family members. They’ve lived the life to truly share this window with you. It’s an experience.” The Kite Runner on Broadway is a must-see experience indeed, and one that will close soon, at the end of this month.
Speaking of current productions, we were curious about what Sherman thought was inspiring Broadway of late, so we asked her. We especially wanted to know if the producer thought there were any current parallels to the shows, whether that be nostalgia exacerbated by the pandemic, politics or pop culture or all of the above. Turns out, nostalgia will always play a leading role in audience demand, but quality content comes to mind too. “Showgoers are simply thrilled to be back”, Sherman tells us. “Nostalgia is always a big deal for viewers, and maybe more so right now. Into The Woods has a host of celebrity actors, which is a draw for out of towners especially. The Kite Runner is probably more timely now than during its London run. Especially with Afghanistan today, Ukraine, and Iran, most notably recent. The Kite Runner has adopted four different non-profits helping Helping refugees and women to resettle, and aiding women with diminished rights in Afghanistan, and other essential, timely and localized needs. We put inserts in Playbills with QR codes to get involved, and we have them on signage in the lobbies as well. These are vetted organizations and we’re finding that more and more people today want to help beyond their own backyards.”
As for what’s currently inspiring Sherman? We wanted to know where she goes for inspiration, and how she stays creatively motivated to keep going. It’s the old art of people watching for this producer. “I’m always looking for ways to expand people’s horizons and views, to help them see things a bit differently. As an activist in the LGBTQ+ community for years, I’m constantly inspired by storytelling that touches people in unfound ways and opens their eyes a bit wider. The ‘touching’ doesn’t need to be a hammer, it can be a nudge which can actually be more effective.” Sign us up for people watching with Jayne, stat.
Finally, we wanted to know if Sherman could share any small tidbits about her upcoming production of Ohio State Murders, which debuts on Broadway in December. Giving us just a taste in order to entice us into the theatre for more, Sherman exudes excitement that’s a bit harder to contain. “It will be a very interesting evening of theatre! Audra McDonald plays a novelist, and she also plays herself as a younger college student. This is a cast of five actors and it unravels as a mystery—a whodunit—so the audience will be thoroughly engaged! There’s an exploration of race dynamics and how that’s unfolded over the years, which plays into the mystery of the story. Seeing this production live will be a riveting evening of 75 or 80 minutes total but it’s a big one. And, another absolutely thrilling main dish of this show—it’s the author, Adrienne Kennedy’s Broadway debut at 91 years old. Her debut will open the new James Earl Jones Theatre, a gorgeous spectacle to witness on its own.”
The newly restored Cort Theatre on Broadway has been renamed the James Earl Jones Theater, on Sept.12, 2022 in New York.
Another noteworthy honor from the incredible playwright Adrienne Kennedy—in 2022 she became the sixteenth recipient of the Gold Medal award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for Drama. Only two awards in the rotating categories have been given each year since 1909, and the Drama list includes such talent as Eugene O’Neill, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, and Sam Shepard, to name a few.
Many thanks to Jayne Baron Sherman for allowing us to pick her Broadway-loving brain.
Be sure and see The Kite Runner before its New York close this month, and get your tickets for this December’s production of the must-see mystery, the Ohio State Murders.
Michael Rupert won the 1986 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Oscar in the revival of Sweet Charity. He received his first Tony Award nomination in 1968 at the age of 16 for his Broadway debut in Kander and Ebb’s The Happy Time. Rupert originated the role of Marvin in the William Finn musicals March of the Falsettos (1981) and Falsettoland (1991), which would later be combined into the 1992 two-act Broadway musical that featured Rupert, Falsettos. His impressive resume also includes Pippin (1974), Mail (1988), City of Angels (1991), Ragtime, originating the role of Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde (2007), and Our Town (2014).
In addition to acting, Rupert is an experienced director, writer, and composer. He directed The Lunch Anxieties Off-Broadway as well as the musical The Stars In Your Eyes. He composed the score to Strange Vacation, Mail, 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down, and Streets of America, which he also co-wrote the lyrics and books.
We were fortunate enough to speak with Michael and get Twenty questions with a Tony Award Winner.
1. What were your first thoughts upon being nominated for a Tony Award?
I was thrilled. I had been nominated once before and had not gone on to win, so I thought whatever happens, at the very least, I’ll get to enjoy the next few weeks of parties and anticipation.
2. What were your first thoughts upon winning?
I was pretty shocked. I didn’t think it was going to happen. I hadn’t even come up with any kind of “Thank You” speech, so I fumbled a few words and made my way backstage. Very surreal.
3. Do you have any fond memories from the night of the ceremony?
The Tony ceremony that year happened in the theater where my show, Sweet Charity, was playing, so when I got backstage, I was greeted by all the crew people I was working with 8 times a week. That was quite special. I got to share the moment with my friends.
4. What was a great opportunity winning the Tony Award afforded?
Winning the Tony Award did not really change my life or my career considerably, other than whenever anyone wrote about me or mentioned me, I was referred to as “The Tony Award-winning Actor…etc.
5. Where do you keep your award now?
I keep my Tony in a cabinet with other memorabilia.
6. Who is an artist/performer you admire?
Sam Gold.
7. What is the best advice you have received in your career?
“Just say the words. Don’t act. Trust that you’re interesting enough.”
8. What is the last book you read?
NEVER by Ken Follett.
9. What is a dream role of yours?
I have no dream role, per se. Though, Fagin in OLIVER! is cool.
10. What previous role of yours had your favorite costumes?
In LEGALLY BLONDE The Musical, I got to wear very expensive tailored suits. I enjoyed that.
Kate Shindle, Laura Bell Bundy, and Michael Rupert in Legally Blonde, photo by Joan Marcus.
11. What is a fond rehearsal memory of yours?
I was in the very first workshop of William Finn’s A NEW BRIAN at The Public Theater. Jason Robert Brown was our musical director/vocal arranger. The first day of rehearsal I watched him attack the keyboard like no one I’d ever seen. Truly brilliant muscular musicianship. I was in awe.
12. Which of your previous roles did you feel most similar to?
Marvin in FALSETTOS.
13. Which of your previous roles did you feel most different from?
I once played a cranky, old elf in a workshop production of Harry Connick, Jr.’s THE HAPPY ELF directed by John Rando. I am not an elf.
14. What has been a challenge you’ve faced in your career?
Letting go and trusting myself. I’ve always been too self-critical.
15. What are you working on now?
I’m retired from acting/performing at this point. I spend my time now directing and working with students at various colleges and universities.
16. What is your favorite song?
“I’ve Never Said I Love You” from Jerry Herman’s DEAR WORLD. I can still listen to Pamela Hall’s performance of that song, and it gets to me every time. Brilliant.
17. What is a show or movie you are looking forward to seeing?
It doesn’t come out until next year, but I look forward to seeing the next part of DUNE.
18. What was your best subject in school?
English Lit.
19. What is your go to brunch order?
The Avocado Burrito at Tajin in Lower Manhattan. Unbelievably brilliant!
20. What is your favorite part of theatre?
Sitting in the audience the moment the lights go down.
In 2000, Blair Brown won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Margrethe in Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen. Brown first appeared on a New York stage in the 1975 New York Shakespeare Festival’s production of The Comedy of Errors and boasts an impressive theatre resume including the 1989 Broadway production of Secret Rapture, the 1995 Lincoln Center Theater production of Arcadia, two runs as Frau Schneider in the 1998 and 2003 productions of Cabaret, and the 2006 production of The Clean House. She can currently be seen at Studio 54 as Ms. Innes in Tracy Letts’ The Minutes, playing through July 24th only.
On Screen, Brown appeared in the 1973 Oscar winning film, The Paper Chase, as well as in The Choirboy, Altered States, One Trick Pony, Stealing Home, and A Flash of Green. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her leading role opposite John Belushi in Continental Divide. She received a second Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in the TV miniseries Kennedy. She had a 5-year run on the television comedy-drama, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, where she received 5 consecutive Emmy Award nominations. In 2008, Brown appeared on the Fox television series The Fringe, and was featured as Judy King in 3 seasons of the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange is the New Black.
We were fortunate enough to speak with Blair and get Twenty questions with a Tony Award Winner.
Blair Brown at the 2000 Tony Awards.
1. What were your first thoughts upon being nominated for a Tony Award?
Why wasn’t there an ensemble award? There still isn’t. I was in a three-character play, Copenhagen, and Michael Cumpsty and Phil Bosco and I were totally dependent on each other for our performances.
2. What were your first thoughts upon winning?
It’s just nice to win a prize even though we know it doesn’t really matter.
3. Do you have any fond memories from the night of the ceremony?
My son in a tux as my date. I got a chance to thank the brilliant wig maker, Paul Huntley, whose artistry in helping actors create characters was largely unrecognized, and I got to sing and dance Irish music on that huge Radio City stage in that gargantuan house. A nice night!
4. What is the biggest change you experienced after winning?
You get better billing. That’s it really.
5. Where is your award now?
In a cabinet mixed in with small ceramics my son made as a child.
6. Who has been a mentor in your career?
I never had a mentor but there were two actors that I wanted to be like: Marian Seldes and Roger Rees. They both brought such genuine joy and enthusiasm to this work they loved. I try to remember that.
7. What is the best advice you have received in your career?
One day in rehearsal at the Guthrie Theater playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice I was having a crisis of confidence. Michael Langham, the director, took me aside and basically said “You expect people to pay money to watch you think and feel so get on with it”. He said it in a slightly nicer way but that’s what he meant and it’s true, we do!
8. Do you have any preperformance rituals?
I make up different rituals for every show.
9. What is the last book you read?
I Just finished rereading A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders. A wonderful look at Russian short story writing that can inform what actors do creating characters.
10. What is a dream role of yours?
I wish I’d done more Shakespeare, more Shaw, more Restoration comedies. I was in the wrong country.
11. What previous role of yours had your favorite costumes?
My Favorite, most favorite costume was a gown designed for Camino Real by Michael Krass that was based on a 1950’s Dior petal dress. I shed sequins and petals wherever I walked. Divine!
12. Which of your previous roles did you feel most similar to?
I always felt Gretta in James Joyce’s The Dead was someone I could have been.
13. Which of your previous roles did you feel most different from?
When I was in drama school I was cast as a termagant in John Osbourne’s Live Like Pigs because I’d been complaining about playing ingenues. I had to look up the word and I was ridiculous as this older hardened prostitute!
14. Is there a role that you would like to revisit?
I’d like to revisit playing Prospera in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It was such a rich and interesting experience to switch that protagonist’s gender, fascinating to feel the story play out differently. I’d like another shot at it with Emily Mann directing again.
15. What has been a challenge you’ve faced in your career?
The biggest challenge for me was trying to balance raising my son with the work I loved doing but also needed to do to support us.
16. What is a song that always makes you smile?
“Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love” by Cole Porter always gets me smiling.
17. What is your favorite cocktail?
Danny Meyer’s Tabla on Madison Square used to make a Citrus Ginger Snap cocktail. Delish!
18. What is a place you would like to visit?
I want to see more of Scotland, those wild islands.
19. What is your favorite show tune?
No single show tune stands out. It’s a crowded field. Anything from Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. Or The Threepenny Opera. Or The Band’s Visit.
20. What is your favorite part of theatre?
My favorite part of theater is rehearsal and tech when the play emerges. Thrilling! My 2nd favorite is the moment after the Sunday matinee when you’ve run the 8-show gauntlet and you breathe a sigh of relief and accomplishment.
Samira Wiley and Blair Brown in Orange is the New Black.
In 2014, Jessie Mueller won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her portrayal of Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Along with her 2014 win, Jessie has been nominated for three additional Tony Awards for her Melinda Wells in the 2011 revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, originating the role of Jenna in the 2016 hit Waitress, and most recently, her Julie Jordan in the 2018 revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel.
Jessie Mueller’s distinguished career has also included appearance on shows including The Family, Blue Bloods, Madam Secretary, Evil, and Candy. She can currently be seen in Tracy Letts’ Tony Nominated Best Play, The Minutes, playing at Studio 54 until July 23rd.
We are very grateful that Jessie took some time between shows to answer Twenty Questions with a Tony Award Winner.
Jessie Mueller in Beautiful (Joan Marcus).
1. What were your first thoughts upon being nominated for a Tony Award?
When I was nominated for Beautiful, I was thrilled. I was so proud of all the amazing work everyone had done putting that show together.
2. What were your first thoughts upon winning?
Honestly? Walk and talk fast and don’t fall down. It had been a long night!
3. Do you have any fond memories from the night of the ceremony?
I remember seeing Nick Cordero perform from Bullets Over Broadway, and thinking who IS this cat? He’s amazing.
4. What is the biggest change you experienced after winning?
It opened a window to professional opportunities I’d never had before.
5. Where is your award now?
In a box still from a recent move!
6. Who has been a mentor in your career?
Oh gosh…I try to pick up a little from all the wonderful people I meet. Steal what I admire and learn from what I don’t. Harry Connick Jr. was certainly a mentor for my early days in NY. He took me under his wing during Clear Day. He’s someone I know I can always come to if I need advice.
7. What is the best advice you have received in your career?
“Do your thing and don’t worry about other people.” -HCJ
Not easy, but very sound advice.
8. Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
Lately, a little yoga beforehand helps me get my head in the game and start breathing.
9. What is the last book you read?
I don’t remember. But the last one that really made me laugh was Phoebe Robinson’s Don’t Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes.
10. What is a dream role of yours?
Being an animated Disney character…I will be a tree stump. I’m not particular.
11. What previous role of yours had your favorite costumes?
My costumes as Melinda Wells in Clear Day were pretty fabulous. Cathy Zuber made me feel like a million bucks. There were hats and matching shoes. It was so fun.
12. What is the best prop you’ve used?
Ok, I have to say the first thing that popped into my head was prop baby dolls. They’re always hilarious. They’re usually very scary looking, and you spend most of the scenes when they appear trying to look lovingly into their dead eyes while hiding their face from the audience at all costs.
13. Which of your previous roles did you feel most similar to?
Probably each one as I was playing them. I think that’s where I start. I use what I have, so each role brings something out in me that is particular to that moment in time.
14. Which of your previous roles did you feel most different from?
Maybe Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. I loved that. It was a fun departure.
Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry (Julieta Cervantes).
15. Is there a role that you would like to revisit?
Not a role really, but I think I’d like to do Into the Woods again at some point.
16. What has been a challenge you’ve faced in your career?
Juggling life and work. It’s really hard. Live theatre work especially is extremely demanding. It seems like you only work a few hours a night, but it’s no joke.
17. What is a song that always makes you smile?
Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver was the first thing I thought of!
18. What is your favorite cocktail?
Oooooh. Spicy margarita or a vodka martini up with a twist, honey!
19. What is a place you would like to visit?
Ireland.
20. What is your favorite show tune?
I like the overtures.
Jessie Mueller and Noah Reid in The Minutes (Jeremy Daniel).
