OPENING NIGHT, Behind the Scenes at Wonderful Town
By: Raymond McLeod Feb. 09, 2004
1) The WT logo with all the cast members names on it...
2) A copy of the original blueprint scheme showing the Empire State Building backdrop...
3) A piece of the finished set by John Lee Beatty
4) An original costume sketch and a piece of material from the show designed by Marty Pakledinaz...
5) A series of letters from Donna, Joan Castle (the original Violet in "My Sister Eileen" in 1940), and George Gaynes (the original Bob Baker in "WT" in 1953
6) a copy of the original dance listing ands set sketch by Kathleen Marshall
7) A copy of the original musical sketch of "Swing" by Leonard Bernstein
8) and of course the box itself which is painted in the red paint used in th show ands covered with logo de signs made by myself.
When DOTV closed Liz McCartney (currently in Taboo and new mother!) sold hers on Ebay for $500.00! I made 40 boxes initially (for "WT") and I don't think I've spent a couple hundred dollars for all of them! Go figger! Look Mom! I'm a artiste! LOL! I'm sure that eventually I'll be making more boxes to auction off for BC/EFA or some such.Our show was scheduled to begin at 6:45 (so we'd have plenty of time to party of course) and wouldn't you know that the highways leading to town were a parking lot that night!I guess they were all rushing to our opening night! NOT! That would make our call time at 6:15...and I came screaming into the theater at 6:30! I had called ahead of course and kept them in touch the entire time...but still! Now you may not know this about Broadway shows but the Stage Manager has the right to refuse you to go on if you're late! They'll just tell you to go home. No argument, no second opinion...buh-bye. Obviously, this would be a short sighted decision on opening night...so it didn't happen!
Anyway, there were a pile of gifts and cards awaiting in my dressing room upon my arrival but I had to slide everything WAY over and wait until the next day to take a look.
In the old days, opening night was the night when your family and friends and, of course, the critics were invited. In these days of megabuck productions, opening night is used for the producers to make sure that all the right people see the show. Critics have come and gone in the days preceding this night so there's not that pressure...just a glittering, boisterous crowd who have come to have a great time and support the effort and dress to the nines and be seen! And from the moment the onstage orchestra starts to wail, the crowd begins to roar...and there's nothing that we do that night that doesn't receive immediate and immense response! But hey! it's a great show! And fun! And funny! What are ya gonna do! It's exhilarating and exciting and nervous and A HOOT!
There's nothing like it. I hope everyone of you reading this letter will have the chance to experience it someday. It's better than......almost anything! LOL! Long, standing, screaming ovation at the end and lots of screaming backstage as everyone prepares to fly to the party! WOO HOO!
Off to the party! We were limoed to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel which overlooks Central Park. I have to get my two cents worth of editorial comment here... I have to begin by saying that the reputation of the Weissler's is that they are notoriously cheap...and not pleasant to deal with. After having heard that a million times before this shaw I was a little nervous about how they would treat us...and guess what. I have to say how pleasant and generous both Fran and Barry have been. They have been so supportive and encouraging in every way. Not once, not even during Donna's troubles was there even a hint of animosity or ill feeling...not once. In fact, it was just the opposite. They went out of their way to assure us that all was well (without actually telling us what was happening). But I can't tell you haw great they were through the whole process...and the party!
Upon our arrival at the new and gorgeous Mandarin Oriental Hotel we are met at the door by a host of security, publicity and reporter types...everybody is there who should be. But if you don't have a pass of some sort...FUHGET ABOUTIT. I'm wearing my beautiful long jacketed suit and a very gothic lace shirt open at the neck. Deborah wears a beautiful black and silver taffeta skirt that sweeps out to the ground and a silver and black bustier- she looks great!
I was whisked immediately into the interview line where they took a zillion photos and then off to the elavators and up to the 36th floor. Into a beautiful, expansive oval shaped room overlooking the park. Beautiful chandeliers, a lovely glow to the room...no live music so we could actually talk! And lots of people! Brian Stokes Mitchell and the ever lovely Allyson (bursting with child to come and barely looking it!), Eartha Kitt, Patrick Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Delta Burke and about 500=600 of our closest friends. LOL!
In the old days (what of them I know) the opening night parties were about the cast and the hard work and possible success. The actors were treated like royalty and the the crowds outside would wait for each recognizable face and applaud wildly at their arrival. But like everything else times have changed. It's truly not that surprising. In this day and time and with the astronomical amount of monies that are thrown around, it is not surprising that the opening night festivities have grown more corporate in nature. That is to say, that the celebration has become more about the producers using the party to acknowledge their own community of the people associated with themselves.
Which, if it were the other way around, if I were producing the show, there's a great likelihood that I would be doing exactly the same! This end of show business has truly become a multi-million dollar business with the totals being tallied every week. But back to the party! The Hotel has only been open 5 days-only 80 rooms available as of that evening. the elevators were glitchy and the ballroom was gorgeous! The room itself, as I said, is a huge oval shape with 20 foot floor to ceiling windows facing out over the park and the city and it's a beautiful night. All around the room are trays and trays of great food (tortellini, steak, pasta, veggies) and wandering folks with huge platters of appetizers...but most remarkably...a bar that was easy to get to! I've attended parties in the past where the food was mostly gone by the time the cast arrive d and the bar was impossible to reach. And the music was deafening! But everything tonight was perfectly laid out and beautifully planned.
No music! Conversations! It couldn't have been better! People flowed around the room all night and it was easy to move and talk to everyone! Everybody looked absolutely gorgeous and the mood was joyous and even better when the reviews started to arrive with a consensus of glowing approval! The first show this year with across the board great reviews!
Celebration!!!!
I drank more tonight than I have in maybe 10 years and got myself a little buzz...the first time in 20 years!
Home by 2 AM...and a day off.
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