Smiling All the Way Home

A breakthrough! I loved rehearsal today. It was the first day where there was an abundance of laughter. Interestingly enough, it was the most productive day that we have had. It was as if a heavy blanket was removed off the process. The blocking became more clear and the lines definitely came more easily to the actors. All four of the female actors are over 65, so memorization can be a bit of a challenge (Heck, I can barely remember my phone number).

I know I have said this before, but I am so endeared to these actors. I wish I could adequately describe the clarity of their work. They make it all look so easy. I believe that these women have known each other their entire lives. I believe their personal stories of struggle...even when they have scripts in their hands. Their playfulness has been there the entire time, but today it genuinely oozed its way into the performances.

One funny anecdote from today's rehearsal...Nancy (who is pushing 70 and really shy and sweet in real life) kept saying Kate's line. Finally Kate said, "No, please take it. In fact, take as many lines as you want. The good Lord knows I never seem use them correctly." Lucy Martin (who is the queen of one liners and the only other woman that I have ever met who says 'shit' more than I) quipped, "No, you don't you line stealing bitch...you will not steal this scene too." We roared. Today I had to write a bio for the Playbill. How humbling to write my background to place it on the same page as these amazing artists.

During our lunch break, I returned a call that I had received from Kathleen Chalfant. She is a stage goddess, so to have her voice on my phone...well, let's just say that in addition to Tom Stoppard's, this is a message I will not erase. When she answered, I said, "Hello, Ms. Chalfant, this is Kim Bartling." She said, "Oh, Kim...good, and please call me Kathy." Cool. She invited me to her home on December 4th. Unbelievable, I am going to Kathy Chalfant's house. A reminder to those students who are reading; "Kathy" originated the role of Vivian Bearing in Wit. She is one of the grand dames of the stage.

It was such a gorgeous night that I decided to walk home (70 blocks toting a laptop). I made myself a bit of dinner before heading up to 57E57 to see The Fourth Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide. The best thing I can say about it is that it was only 60 minutes long. It had no idea what it was. It needed to more bold in its absurdism. Because of the waffling in style, it was just long (at a whole hour) and stupid. If it the timing was sped up and the boundaries pushed, it would be a hilarious dark comedy. Unfortunately it didn't and it wasn't.

Since I got out early, I thought about catching a film down in Union Square. I was five minutes late for the two I was interested in, so I came home to shake rugs and do dishes...did I mention my mom is coming tomorrow?