Attendance at today's Chatterbox at Don't Tell Mama was at a medium level, not really packed, but also not desolate. I was surprised when, upon bringing Debra Monk into the room, Rudetsky sat her down next to me prior to bringing her onstage. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Hi, Ms. Monk. I'm Matt Windman.
Debra: Oh yeah.
Me: Congrats on winning the Drama Desk.
Debra: Thanks.
Me: How's it going?
Debra: It's going well. Didn't we talk about this? (Pause) It's nice to be in a show that's doing well. (i.e. not closing)
As I've gone to more and more Chatterbox sessions, I've developed an appreciation for Rudetsky's friendly interviewing manner, where he invites his guests to go over their background/growing up/past for the first thirty minutes, then he delves into his or her current show or project, and tends to wrap up by showing some kind of video of him or her in a show or a TV pilot or whatever.
As Monk has done numerous times, she denied the assertion that her character in CURTAINS is based on Fran Weissler, insisting it's instead based on a producer that Peter Stone knew in the 70s. "She is relentless," describing the key to her character.
Guess what the first title for CURTAINS was, way back: WHO KILLED DAVID MERRICK?
She went into detail over the cast's first performance following the Tonys. There was a power shortage and the computers running the scenery were out, forcing the cast and crew to work together to move everything. Intermission ran 45 minutes. But afterwards, David got champagne to celebrate his Tony win, et al.
She and David are signed to stay with CURTAINS through February 27.
Best comment she got from Arthur Laurents while working on NICK AND NORA: "Deb, you look like a whore onstage."
Rudetsky asked if she'll eventually play Mama Rose. She answers: "We'll see."
He asks about THOU SHALT NOT: "I didn't know people would hate it."
Describing her first play ever, Pinter's THE BIRTHDAY PARTY: "I didn't know what the fuck I was doing."
At Feinstein's, I think the most surreal moment in Mary Wilson's mostly excellent show came when she performed "I Am Changing" from DREAMGIRLS. So, here was one of the original Supremes, singing a song from the show that is unofficially about The Supremes. Got a standing ovation, first one I've seen at Feinstein's since Carol Channing was there, and that was given to Channing only out of respect.