PHOTOS FROM MY DRESSING ROOM

Feb 01.11

The sofa in my dressing room I sleep on at dinner break with the Gees Bend quilt on it.

My dressing table

A very 60s beaded necklace that Catherine Keener gave me when we did “Peace, Love and Misunderstanding” this Summer.… Click for more

Carnegie Hall

Mar 22.10

I am sitting in my dressing room about to go on stage at Carnegie Hall, narrating the concert opera of “Grapes of Wrath.” I am so excited bevause it’s such a powerful show with so much talent.… Click for more

NEIL SIMON, TIM ROBBINS, ANNA DEAVERE SMITH

May 19.09

Nothing like a little pressure!!! These people are all here tonight. And, I stayed out too late after last night’s show–a kind of goodbye party before the real goodbye party–Susan Kellerman, Don Amendolia, Diane Walsh, James Gandolfini, Sandy Duncan—what a good time.… Click for more

SADNESS

May 17.09

I have been packing up my books and files and then came to the dressroom and packed up what I won’t be needing between now and Thursday.… Click for more

TULEA’S RETURN ENGAGEMENT

May 10.09

What a night!! The show was about to begin. Michael was trying to put bows back into Tulea’s ears when she jumped out of his arms and ran on stage looking for me.… Click for more

BACKSTAGE

May 09.09

Stage left is where the stage manager sits on a high stool, wearing earphones, the script in a loose binder with lots of notes and cues written on it.… Click for more

CONTINUING THE BLOG

May 03.09

I have been thinking a lot about whether or not to continue blogging. I began this whole endeavor because I wanted to take people through the day-to-day process of doing a Broadway play—after 46 years.… Click for more

BACKSTAGE ROUTINE AND THEN THE 9 TO 5 RED CARPET

Apr 30.09

I sent Susan Kellermann an email at 1am this morning and she immediately wrote me back asking, “What are you doing up at this hour?” I should have asked her the same.… Click for more

LESS TIME THAN I THOUGHT

Apr 25.09

I thought I would have time to blog about my daily routine at the theatre but there’s been no time. This is, after all, a two-show day and between shows there was a large group from Atlanta including Kim Nolte, the Vice President of G-CAPP in charge of Programs and Training who brought many friends who also work in the field of adolescent sexuality and pregnancy prevention.… Click for more

ALAN ALDA

Apr 24.09
backstage42409alda

Alan Alda and his wife Arlene (photo: Michael Rudd)

Alan Alda is in the audience tonight with his wife Arlene. I will be very happy to see them after the show.… Click for more

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE LOVING KIND

Apr 24.09

Itzhak Perlman, the great violinist, has come to the show. I will go out into the house after the rest of the audience leaves to greet him.… Click for more

FRIENDS–NEW AND OLD

Apr 17.09

Rosario Dawson is coming tonight. She and I both sit on the board of V-Day: Until the Violence Stops, the global effort started by Eve Ensler to end violence against women.… Click for more

What a combo in my dressing room tonight

Apr 14.09

What a combo in my dressing room tonight–Kathy Griffin (who was hysterical) and Carol Gilligan who wrote the iconic book “In a Different Voice” that changed my life in 2000.… Click for more

AN AUDIENCE TO DIE FOR

Apr 11.09

Today’s matinee audience was to die for. I wanted to hug them all. Standing and cheering at the end. There was even applause at the end of the first scene.… Click for more

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Apr 07.09

Grand children left yesterday after a visit to the Museum of Natural History. How lucky we are to have such a magnificent place for people to learn about the natural world and other indigenous cultures.… Click for more

From Emma Willard to Lee Strasberg All in One Night

Apr 04.09

Having the grandkids here is tiring but fun. Today I showed them all around the set, explained the story (which they will see at tomorrow’s 3pm show) the props, showed them my dressing room.… Click for more

JAMES TAYLOR AND FRIENDS

Apr 01.09

I should have thought up an April Fools joke to play on somebody but I forgot to bring my calendar home last night and so I was sound asleep when I was awakened by a frantic call at 10:30 reminding me that I was to go on the air at 11am on the Joan Hamburg show done live from Sardi’s.… Click for more

SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS

Mar 31.09

Wow. I knew Ted was out there,


Ted Turner (photo by Michael Rudd)

and Paula Weinstein


Paula Weinstein, and Paula’s daughter (and Jane’s goddaughter) Hannah (photo by Michael Rudd)

and Jane Olson and their daughters,

Jane Olson and Daughter Amy (photo by Michael Rudd)

but I didn’t expect Edgar Bronfman and his wife Jan.… Click for more

TED TURNER AND OTHERS

Mar 31.09

Wow! Last day of the month. Hard to believe. Tonight Ted is coming to the show. So is my best friend Paula Weinstein and her daughter, Hannah (my goddaughter) and Jane Olson and Erica Jong (a Twitterer just twittered me-”I *hate* it when Ted & Erica come to my shows – they rustle their candy wrappers & laugh in all the wrong places.” Funny, huh?) and Dominick Dunne and a host of other friends.… Click for more

LET’S HEAR IT FOR ATLANTA!!!

Mar 28.09
gcapp-group-small
CLICK TO ENLARGE (photo by Michael Rudd)

About thirty friends from Atlanta and other parts of Georgia came to the show this afternoon.… Click for more

March 25

Mar 25.09

Diane Von Furstenberg came backstage after the show, very moved, enthusiastic and generous about the play.

Moises was here tonight, too.… Click for more

JAMES EARL JONES

Mar 22.09

James Earl Jones saw the show tonight with his wife and they came backstage after. I had not seen them since 1994 in Moscow where we were for the CNN/TBS (Ted Turner’s vision) Goodwill Games.… Click for more

Film, Television & Theater

  • "At age 50, I broke all the career rules and left acting for 15 years. Ten of those years I was married to Ted Turner and after that I spent 5 years writing my memoirs and traveling the world on behalf of women and girls. Needless to say, returning to my profession late in life has been an interesting, exciting and unusual experience! "Monster-in-Law" was my first film after this hiatus and was one of my most fun professional experiences after "9 to 5"! During my 15 year absence, I gained confidence and, as a result, I feel that my acting is better, more nuanced and relaxed than ever."