Woke up this morning...bought myself a..
..sigh of relief, because we didn't book that Sopranos Sites Tour in this dreary weather, even 'though we thought about it.
Facebook, is all its sadistic glory, reminded me that ten years ago today we had REAL plans on Mother's Day, to see "Bullets Over Broadway" in Manhattan, where the guy we volunteered to take our photo actually worked for the production and gave us a back stage pass after the show. It was unforgettable and the quintessential celebration..one we thought we'd never top..until today, when we did just that.
Topped the experience.
I was resigned to spending this holiday with pizza crusts and restless naps, but Jim was lucky enough to secure the last three tickets to a production at one of our favorite haunts, New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch.
I knew very little about the show, "The Two Hander" written by Julia Blauvelt, but I knew I needed to get out of the house.
Evan was a good sport to go along with these plans, knowing he'd be the only millennial in the audience, and he was right.
We walk in and the theater is packed with geriatrics.
We see an elderly woman in a wheelchair with a sign that read "DRIVE " and a man with a cap that read "Korean War Vet."
It's was the Pacific Northwest Cruise all over again, the one we took a few weeks ago, where the cruise director tried to rile up the crowd with his rendition of "ninety nine bottles of beer" and I customized my own lyrics, "ninety nine is the median age..of everyone on this ship..fifty broke a femur bone..fifty broke a hip.."
I digress..
We take our seats in the back row, and notice a striking couple who appeared to be in their thirties, arriving after us, taking the last two seats in the theater.
The handsome man offered to crouch down because of his height, but it wasn't necessary. We were just curious as to why these young folks were in attendance without escorting an original cast member from "The Golden Girls.".
The play is fantastic...a two character story of a therapist and her patient, played by Jill Eikenberry (Ann Kelsey from "L.A. Law") and Ella Dershowitz.
We were totally blow away by the acting and the writing in the first act. It was funny and smart and raw and realistic, resonating with anyone who has ever experienced unorthodox therapy, enlighting for those who have not as well.
The house lights go up at intermission, and we all agree the play is terrific. Jim has a wacky theory(that I can't share here in case anyone wants to see it--it runs through May 19th) and I ask a simple question about length of the play with included intermission, when the lady sitting next to me says, "it's one hundred minutes total. I should know because I'm the Associate Director."
I thank her for her info and compliment the work, and she points to that
young couple sitting in front of us, saying, "And that's Julia Blauvelt, who wrote it."
I was so excited to meet the brilliant mind behind this, and she was excited to eavesdrop on our conversation. Her face remained expressionless when we told her our theories about Act Two, but she was so engaging, and her husband, Aaron, is an actor who was charismatic as well.
Julia briefly told us about her education at NYU, where she earned her MFA in Dramatic Writing at Tisch. I told her about my writing aspiration and introduced her to Jim and Evan, who have real jobs, before describing myself as a struggling, starving artist.
The struggling part was obvious.
The starving??
Not so much.
But I said it and I have no filter.
She told us about her long association with star Jill Eikenberry, and I fantasized how our back stage meeting would go(even 'though it didn't materialize) where Jim would gush about how much he enjoyed her acting in "L.A Law" and I'd simply shake her hand and blurt out, "and thanks for the Venus Butterfly!"
That's a Boomer reference that only Jim and I would get..and the actress herself, but the sexual reference was actually MADE UP by the show's creator, David. E. Kelley. Lots of men desperately sought details in those days but the Venus Butterfly existed soley in the mind of its creator.
His wife, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, confirmed as much.
To me..personally.
(Okay, she didn't..but it was such a thrill to meet these folks! And not just because they lacked brittle bones)
The second act was full of twists and turns, even with the set itself.
Jill Eikenberry's acting chops are globally known, but we were totally in awe at what came out of co-star Ella Dershowitz. (daughter of lawyer Alan)
Julia has been close friends with Ella forever, and says her father has always been a great supporter of the arts.
Remember that name..Ella Dershowitz.
You won't have to in five years when she has her EGOT, but remember it now.
I should not be typing a single word about cranky old women when I'm one myself, but wow..did this ever turn out to be a fabulous celebration!
And even 'though it's almost two hours past 4:00 PM, it's time for dinner!
Don't miss this wonderful show.."The Two Hander."
(It has absolutely nothing to do with Burger King Whoppers)
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