Theatre/Theater L.A.: Orpheus Descending

I suppose I'm one of the luckier ones, so I will share my experiences with you as best I can. I kept thinking the whole time I was there how much I'd like to affect people the way Gale and other stars are able to. Well, since I have your ears at least I can give you a little piece of happiness.

The play itself was great, I saw it twice - on Saturday 1/30 and then the Sunday matinee. I came to see Denise as well, being the Star Trek fan I am - and got to briefly meet Gates McFadden who was in the audience! Seriously good luck on my part. Comparing the two performances, I have to say that Gale carried the whole thing on his back. On Saturday everyone was on fire, and the energy flowed out fully. However Sunday was less successful, and as much I loved Denise's performance Saturday, she stumbled (literally) over herself more than once. But I don't judge, I've been up there, I know how that can happen. But man did Gale pick up the slack. She even tore down the curtain on the left side of the stage accidentally, and during this moment when Gale is supposed to be behind it invisible, he just sat down and I watched him intently as he passively felt the emotions of the actors on the stage. He never gives up on his character, not once. He is fully immersed in being Val, whether he's standing in the corner or fully in view. Actors screwed up their lines and he adjusted. I noticed the highlights in his hair too, but I think it could have been shiny hair product plus lighting. The singing takes your heart up to the stars, he has this gentle vibrato that is very special to hear.

On Saturday night there happened to be a talkback with an acting class, and I was glad I had come back whereas at first I was just going to go home. Gale sat a few seats away from me and I was *squeeing* the whole time. He and Denise talked a lot about the play, and he spoke about having the freedom to create your own interpretation. He also talked about the "god" theme, in how there was no idea of "good" or "bad" in the context of the play - so when Vee speaks of god she's referring to an altered or higher state of consciousness. I wish I could remember exactly what he said but that was sort of the gist. Everyone got out of the theater near midnight so I didn't get to say anything to him that night, though I did thank Denise and she was very warm and accepting.

I wasn't planning on going Sunday but couldn't help myself when I happened to drive by the theater just in time. Afterwards I waited with some other ladies (if you girls read this - I'd love to get those pictures from you!), and as soon as he came out I walked up to him. I had already met a couple of stars that weekend so I didn't anticipate a real problem talking to him. Boy was I wrong. My brain shut off at that moment and I found myself staring at him and saying "Uhhh" a lot instead of talking. He was really warm and inviting. I told him that I have been affected a lot by his work.

"I saw the play last night too" I said.

"Oh, really - today was better right?"

I paused, "Well, it was different."

He laughed.

"What's your name?"

"Uhhh... Kira" I stumbled.

He repeated my name and shook my hand with a smile. "Are you an actor?" I think they expect this from a lot of people, being LA and what not.

I said something to the effect of "I'm a lot of things, but thinking of getting into acting". My memory is pretty blurred of the exact words coming out of my mouth. Then I inhaled and asked him about how he got into the game later in life, and how did he get started.

He told me he had the opportunity to work with a teacher for 3 years, and that if I found something like that he'd recommend I try that.

Then a friend of his walked up, and Gale said "Heeyyy!" and gave him a big hug. They talked for a few minutes and then he turned around and saw me, remembering that we were in the middle of a conversation and said "So that's what I would do".

I said "Ok, I will - I'm too nervous to remember what else I was going to ask you so, thank you." I walked out of the theater.

The other ladies talked to him next, I should have stayed to listen but my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't think. I had no idea that my hormones would surge so hard that I would lose my ability to think straight. The whole time I kept thinking "Oh my god, I'm actually talking to him for real - I'm not just imagining it." I suppose if I didn't know who he was I would have made a better impression, because I would have just been myself.

I talked with Francesca outside, and she was so curious as to why so many ladies are crazy about him. I told her, "Have you SEEN the show??" She said no, and said, "Isn't he gay in the show?". I laughed - "Exactly!". She seemed confused. I said (basically paraphrasing Gale from an interview), "You know how men like to watch two women together? Well, women like to watch two men together." Her eyes widened and she hollered "Oh my god, thank you for opening my eyes! Now I get it!" She's quite a bit older, and her generation doesn't have the same fetishes we do now. But it was a really cute conversation with a bunch of women squeeing about their secret desires.

I went back inside and asked Gale if I could take a picture with him, and he said "Sure!". Unfortunately it took longer than would have been convenient so although he was happy about it at first I could tell he got mildly irritated by the 2nd picture. Then I did something stupid and said "You know what I really wanted to ask you was... Are you in a hurry? Do you have to leave?"

Kinda frustrated "Well I do have to go but, what's up?"

I stopped, quickly calculating my options, and decided that I was already talking so I would finish.

"I'm someone that goes from artform to artform and never feel settled" (well that's what I wanted to say, but what came out was a jumble of words and ideas). Eventually I got out the phrase "How did you find that this is what you want to do?"

"Uhh, by accident" he said. "I was a printmaker for a long time but had to sell my equipment because I couldn't afford it anymore." Then I stopped listening again because of my stupid hormones ringing in my ears, but he got around to saying "So just keep on that." And that was sincere so it made me feel ok about asking.

I backed out of the theater and said "Well, good luck for you - I mean to you."

"And for you" he said.

I went out and complained to Francesca what an idiot I just made of myself. And really it wasn't that bad, I just felt like I was probably the billionth person to ask him a bunch of questions he didn't want to answer. I just wanted to stir up conversation really, but because I wasn't being natural and all nervous it didn't work out quite right.

I talked with Claudia for a minute and told her that inside the theater I felt connected to the greater depth in life that's so hard to find on the street. She was so excited and grateful to hear that, and I gave her a hug.

"You know that's what we hope to do, to affect people" she said. She was incredibly sweet. And see, because I didn't know her I was able to do say whatever I wanted. Everything I wanted to say to Gale actually came out at her.

Gale came out and talked to Francesca for a minute while I was still talking to Claudia, and then said he was going to get his truck.

He walked down the street carrying his guitar, turned around and said bye to each person in the cast and glanced at me once before turning around and disappearing around the corner.

***

In retrospect, I don't think I did anything that wrong - I definitely beat myself up for how uncool I was afterwards. But I think he is a really sweet guy that just loves his craft and isn't all that excited about the millions of women who want to jump his bones. It's a crazy world out there in Hollywood, and way over glamorized so people who come to these things are full of crazy emotions in their eyes - like me. It was quite an experience for me, the first time I've actually met a person I admire so much for their work. I'm going to see Sharon Gless' play tomorrow in SF, and plan to keep up with Gale and see him again whenever he happens to perform. Not super often, but that will give me a chance to actually practice what I'm going to say - and maybe actually study acting so I have something in common to talk about. Yes I obviously have a crush on him, but it's more than that - I'd rather work with him than try to fantasize about romance. I guess that's what I've always done, try to work with the people I admire most.

Hope that gives you all a little piece of the experience.