Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe who played Precious—brilliantly!!

Queen Latifah, Me and Richard

Richard, Me and Lenny Kravitz

We saw “Precious“, the remarkable, powerful film directed by Lee Daniels. It opened the New York Film Festival. I read the book, “Push” —by Sapphire–more than a decade ago and felt it to be one of the most powerful, provocative books ever. The film is very good. I am grateful that it has been made and that Oprah and Tyler Perry have stepped up to help ensure it’s distribution. I wish everyone could see it. I’m thinking back over the years to the (white) men, usually business men, who asked me why my organization did “all these programs for those girls? You’re just rewarding them for their bad behavior.” It has taken time, patience and a great deal of faith to try and prove to them that most of the “girls” weren’t “bad.” They were victims who had been on the receiving end of so much dehumanizing, brutal, cruel behavior, then ignored, cast aside. They needed care and attention not more demonizing. The movie is wonderful in how it subtly shows that hope and confidence can bloom in someone when a little love and attention is sent their way. At least two Oscar worthy performances: Gabourey Sidibe is Precious and stand-up comedian, Mo’Nique, is jaw-dropping as her mother, Mary. Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz are excellent as well. Bravo to all!!!

The next night was went to the opening of Carrie Fisher’s “Wishful Drinking.” We had a big group—Troy, Simone, Harvey and Daphna Keitel, Pat Mitchell, Kenny Vance, Claudia Potempkin, Annette and Joe Allen, and more. I meant to take pictures but, as often happens when I’m having fun, I forgot to take any. Carrie was hysterical. I’ve seen an earlier version and was surprised to see how well she’s tightened it up and made it resonate for folks who aren’t of Hollywood. Given her uniquely dysfunctional childhood, one reviewer said it is amazing how she makes the audience feel she is just like them. It’s a must see. So is “Precious”.

Daphna, Harvey, Daphna’s mother, Richard, me and Eve Ensler

Daphna and Harvey Keitel

Then two more glorious days of great food and much fun with Richard’s friends and mine—we had a reunion party with the cast of “33 Variations” and Moises, the author and director. I’m very moved by the fact that Richard’s friends from childhood, High school and college still love him and stay in touch…same with old girlfriends.

33 Variations cast reunion

33 Variations cast reunion

Richard signing doo wop with Kenny Vance. Kenny had long been Richard’s friend. They both had singing groups back in the late fifties...Richard’s was The Escorts, Kenny’s was the Planetones...still is...still sounding like dream

Cannot believe that, except for the photo of Richard singing with Kenny Vance, I forgot to take any pictures. Shame on me.

See You Next TIme

Pat Mitchell and her husband, Scott Seydel with Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbott of the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe.

From left to right: Scott Seydel, Roshi Joan Halifax, Pat Mitchell

Our last Two-show day. My knee went out during the Letterman Show. See, I was supposed to have knee replacement in January but when I accepted to do the play I postponed the surgery and got cortisone shots. You are allowed one shot every three months. The last one was only effective 6 weeks but the doctor said I could get another one to tide me over till the surgery (which has been rescheduled for mid June). Well, it isn’t working anymore and so yesterday I did both shows using a cane the whole time. I managed it well enough so that people who hadn’t seen the show before thought it was part of my character. No one even seemed to wonder why I had a cane for the curtain call. I hate that tonight, our final show, I will be using a cane but, hey, that’s life. And at least I’m playing a character who ends up in a wheel chair and then a gurney. As I have written in my yet-to-be-finished book on aging, when you get older there are aches and pains and you can let that define you or you can learn to live with it and get on with life. Guess which way I’ve chosen. But—the Galapagos will be interesting on a cane. I don’t know exactly how much walking there will be. Some, I know, and on volcanic islands which are tough to walk on. But the swimming and boat parts should be fine. And in the airports, my grandchildren can ride on my lap in the wheelchair.

Okay, so back to yesterday. Some really interesting people came backstage afterwards. Estelle Parsons, for one. Now there’s a powerful lady!! She’s in her eighties and goes up and down a humongous flight of stairs all throughout her play, “August: Osage County.” I haven’t seen her in it but have heard she is amazing. She has gone on the road with it—for 40 weeks!!! I will interview her for my book. I want to know how she stays physically strong (her husband is about 25 years younger than her and says he can’t keep up with her.)

Estelle Parsons (photo: Michael Rudd)

Then, James Andrews came back. He’s the man who persuaded me to start blogging and helped me set it all up and introduced me (by phone) to the mysterious J.J. in Detroit who makes it all happen technically. James came with Pankaj Shah, the man who launched the website TONIC, which sells merchandise to benefit non-profit organizations, Donna Karen turned me onto him. She is on his board. Pankaj and James are discussing how TONIC can help me sell my mug shot totes, clutches and T-shirts for the benefit of G-CAPP.

James Andrews

James Andrews, Me and Pankaj Shah of Tonic.com

Speaking of Georgia, State Senator Nan Orrock came to the show with State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver. I’ve known and worked with them both ever since I arrived in Georgia 18 years ago. They were also with Mary Frances Williams, a progressive lobbyist for women and children who has help G-CAPP over the years and Nancy Hall, retired director of Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Senator Nan Orrock and Representative Mary Margaret Oliver

Nancy G. Hall and Mary Frances Williams

Last night, Eve Ensler and Pat Mitchell came again-for the umpteenth time and we all went to dinner where Moises joined us. It was so much fun I stayed longer than I intended. I feel so blessed to have fierce, precious friends like Eve and Pat.

Pat Mitchell, Me, and Eve Ensler (photo: Michael Rudd)

Dick Cavett (photo: Michael Rudd)

Jane Alexander (photo: Michael Rudd)

See you next time

Left to right: Loreen Arbus, Gloria Steinem, Jodie Evans, Helen Zia, Carol Jenkins, Teresa McBride and, in front, Pat Mitchell, and me (holding a totally day-glo Tulea) — Click to enlarge

Last night many of the Women’s Media Center’s board came to see “33 Variations” and then we all were invited to dinner by Jodie Evans. Jodie, by the way, is also co-founder of the important peace organization Code Pink.

Today the Women’s Media Center had our board meeting and tonight, at Gloria Steinem’s cozy home, the Sisterhood is Global Institute’s new, soon-to-burst-forth, viral presence, had a board meeting. So tonight, I go to bed energized and optimized.

Board members of the Women’s Media Center (photo by Michael Rudd)

Pat Mitchell and her husband Scott (photo by Michael Rudd)

See you next time.

This is our first 2-show day. I’m kinda tired so I will take my nap soon before the evening show. Last night my dear friends from the past–Laurel Lyle and David Hodges saw the show and came back stage.  David was the director of the Laurel Springs Children’s Camp that my husband, Tom Hayden, and I ran in California for 15 years. Laurel is an actress who for many years was my stand-in and played small parts in a number of my movies. It was very special having them see the show. They were deeply affected by it. They came baring a basket of 33 cookies for the cast and crew, baked and beautifully decorated by their daughter Kate (one of my goddaughters. Her sister, Tess, is another one). Everyone has been commenting on how good they are.

Then I went to dinner with Robin Morgan and her musician son, Blake Morgan. They are both highly intelligent and talented. As a child in the fifties, Robin was the actor who played Dagmar in the hugely popular TV series, “I Remember Mama.” Robin was second only to Shirley Temple as a nationally popular child star. She is known now as a writer, a poet and the editor who created the historic feminist anthologies “Sister is Powerful,” Sisterhood is Global” and “Sisterhood is Forever.”

Both Robin and Blake were shaken by the play. At dinner Robin said to me, “It is so rare that you see any public honoring of the process of art, the cost of the process of art.” Blake was stunned by the parallels between Beethoven’s dilemmas and those of musicians today. A character from the 1800s in the play says “They’ve outlawed dancing so we can’t sell sheet music.” Blake pointed out that today this translates into “They’re copying our music so we can’t sell music itself!!” He went on to say that “Throughout history, musicians are always more interested in the high note than the bottom line.” What a good line! It made him feel less alone when the play reminded him that Beethoven struggled with these same financial pressures.

Moises didn’t come to the matinee which is understandable…he needs to rest and reclaim the fresh eyes that will allow him to see his play anew. Still, I have to admit that I felt bereft knowing he wasn’t there. He’ll be there tonight though. I’m glad. My friend and columnist, Roger Friedman, is also coming tonight and Pat Mitchell’s coming—again. She asked her husband, Scott Seydel, what he wanted to do for Valentine’s Day and he said, “See Jane’s show.” (He was away the other night when Pat saw it). Here’s a bit of trivia: Scott’s from Atlanta and his son, Rutherford Seydel, is married to Ted Turner’s daughter, Laura. Their three children are grandchildren to me, Scott and Pat.

See you next time.

Outside the theatre after the first preview. Fun, huh?

Gloria Steinem and Christina Biaggi

Pat Mitchell, Eve Ensler and Rev Debra Haffner

Gloria Steinem and Christina Biaggi

Fans outside the theatre. To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect there would be many fans outside the stage door…one or two, maybe. So this was quite a loving surprise and the comments—about Tulea, about my memoir (one man even quoted something I wrote that had affected him a lot), about my blog and about the play which many had seen.
Speaking of Tulea, she actually watched the show in the arms of her pet sitter sitting in the orchestra—never taking her eyes off me!!

These gorgeous flowers came from my friend Val Kilmer who is my neighbor in New Mexico. Lucky me!!!

Last night was a good night and I received so many nice comments on my blog from people who were there. Who knew what a wonderful viral community could evolve from a blog. I was so happy to have my friends there last night. Afterwards the whole cast and production team went to Dan Marino’s next door for a drink. Zach Grenier who plays Beethoven said today that he had a glorious conversation with Gloria Steinem about Beethoven. No surprise to me that Gloria could teach him a few things about the master. She’s so amazing.

After that I went to dinner with Eve Ensler and Pat Mitchell. I am blown away that Pat and Eve not only came to the show but spent the evening (till 1am) talking to me about it. I say this because Eve is in the midst of a massive national campaign to focus attention on the sexual violence in the eastern Congo. She and Dr. Mukwege, a heroic Congolese doctor devoted to saving the lives of the women who have been raped and mutilated every day are meeting with the Secretary General of the UN today and will soon leave on a national tour. I urge you to go onto her organization’s (V-Day) website to learn more about the situation in the Congo and what you can do to help. Check out where they will be appearing in case you can attend one of their events. The V-Day website is on the front page of this website as I am on the V-Day board-as is Pat Mitchell.

Everyday I thank God for friends like Pat and Eve. Pat is the President and CEO of the Paley Center (formerly the Museum of Radio and Television). Before that she was President/CEO of PBS and before that she ran the Documentary unit at Turner Broadcasting when Ted had her producing epic 12-hour docs about the Cold War, the Vietnam War, The Millenium and A Century of Women among others.

Again, I meant to get up this morning and do some serious blogging catch-up but stayed out too late and barely made it to the theatre in time for rehearsals. This is the start of what is usually a challenging time in the life of a play. Definitely one thing I remember vividly from 45 years ago when I was last here: When the playwright begins to tweek the play and we get new lines, even new scenes, every night.

I have a few new things to learn right now so I will sign off with my usual…

See you next time.