Actor Emrhys Cooper Talks About the Bhutanese Film Pattern of Love To Be Released Later This Year

HOW THE KINGDOM OF BHUTAN CHANGED MY LIFE!
BRITISH ACTOR TALKS OF HIS EXPERIENCES AS THE FIRST
WESTERNER TO STAR IN A BHUTANESE FILM
London, UK 26th May 2014

"Bhutan is a country?" Almost no one knows the answer is "yes". Or, that it is firmly landlocked between India, Tibet, Nepal and China, perched high in the stormy Himalayan Mountains. Or, that it has that the only Capital in the world that bans traffic lights. Or, where everyone has the same birthday (officially, the day after New Years Day. This way, no one forgets anyone’s birthday). Or, that it was the first country in the world to ban the production and sales of tobacco. Or, that it was the last country in the world to get television in 1999.

In this splendidly quixotic land, Bhutanese Director Karma Deki wanted to make a movie that would highlight the magnificence and mystery of her country. Plucked for the role was young British actor Emrhys Cooper. The 29-year-old plays the main character Charlie in Kushuthara: Pattern of Love. Kushuthara explores the Buddhist concept of Karma and the possibility of rebirth of two persons in one lifetime to accomplish what was left unrealized in a previous life. The film is due for worldwide release later this year and tipped for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category at the Academy Awards. To this date, no other Western actor has ever starred in a Bhutanese Produced Film.

Emrhys was advised not to take the role because of potential insurance concerns; but instead went with his gut feeling. The rising Hollywood star, who is based in Los Angeles and London, spent six weeks filming in the South Asian Himalayan country. Devon-born Emrhys, who has had previous acting roles in Desperate Housewives, CSI:NY and the film musical Mamma Mia! spoke of how his view on life has changed following his experiences in the Kingdom. "Even my arrival into the country was a whirlwind national news phenomenon," said Emrhys. "It's the biggest movie they've ever made and they welcomed me with the most amazing open arms. I was on TV across the country and I was treated like an absolute superstar. It was a truly amazing yet humbling experience."

Emrhys – a singer, dancer and producer – has documented his experiences in a  video diary, which is being made into a TV documentary for Broadcast later in the year. He says learning about the Bhutanese culture has changed his view on life and taught him the true meaning of happiness."Life in Bhutan is rich, vivacious and splendid, filled with an appreciation for home, love, family and beauty," said Emrhys. "My time there awakened me and I was completely inspired by the level of contentment and utter joy that the Bhutanese people feel within their daily lives."

Three-quarters of Bhutan's 750k people are Buddhists. Buddhism seems to be the key to their Happiness. The Bhutanese are content, resigned to their fates due to their belief in Karma, they do not search for more because they feel they are given what they deserve in this life. Karma- the belief that current circumstances are a result from our past, in this or previous life.

"At first, I was saddened for them by what I thought was their lack of modern conveniences that I take for granted. But what they taught me was to understand the importance of being content with living in the moment with what you have available to you; not worrying about what is to come next. Both my personal and creative lives have changed for the better by viewing my life in these terms. "

"It has been an incredible journey meeting amazing people and opened a number of opportunities for me. I hope my video documentary will allow others an insight very few have ever experienced." he said. "Being chosen for a lead in a feature film is an exceptional honour for any actor. To couple that with being the first Western actor to star in a Bhutanese feature film is the highest of gifts. This honour and experience is one I will hold close to my heart and cherish forever."

2014 Interview with Neile Adams

(photo credit: Jean Mulatier)

Night club entertainer extraordinaire Neile Adams will appear May 24 and 25 for two performances only at the El Portal in her acclaimed night club show, fresh from Paris, France. In our chat she talks about her fascinating background, marriage to Steve McQueen and her passion for music.

Tell us briefly about how your background in the Philippines influenced your career as a dancer.

My mother was a huge star in the Far East. She danced and she sang---totally untrained---but they loved her.   AS I was growing up she would bring me up on stage  --- when I was around 7 - 8. and I would dance with my older cousin. It was "Dancing with the Stars" type dancing but sort of infantile of course. My mother was a beautiful woman and to me she would always say ' Darling you're so cute, Work on your personality , honey." And of course, I learned the Philippine dances. I went to Catholic Schools with the nuns and when the school entertained I was always one of the dancers.

My grandfather was in the Spanish-American War. When that was over he went back to Spain (he was a Spaniard and my grandmother was a German lady) and decided he wanted to go back to Manila.  He loved the climate and the fact that he felt he could make a better living there as opposed to back in Spain. Unfortunately my grandfather died quite young and my grandmother died when my mother was only 13.  But she and her brother somehow survived by banding together. He became the Ziegfeld of Manila and she his star.

How was Paris last fall? I understand you were a great success with your act there. How so?

Paris was sensational to me.They love Americans and I'm going back in November . They really do love our music.  Jazz, standards and musical comedy music. They couldn't fit anymore people in the club if they wanted to and they are waiting for me according to all my emails.

Did you put back stories of your past into the act? If you remember I said in my review that you should not deprive your audiences of the richness of your background.
You'll like this show.  It's the best one yet. I had a part of it in Paris and I have expanded it to include my entire life with visuals  (minus lovers!!!!) 

Your book on your life with Steve McQueen has been a resounding success. You gave him so much. Talk a little bit about how your life would not have been the same without him in it.
Can't imagine life without Steve.  He was my first love and we loved each other intensely. With him I had two children and now four grandchildren. One, Steven R. McQueen is doing very well.  He's been guest starring in many shows and is a regular on "The Vampire Diaries". He plays the fourth lead as brother to Nina Dobrev.   I have a grandson who is a soccer player in England. He's 19 and get this------he is 6 ft. 7 !!!!!!!!! I have two beautiful granddaughters.

Who was the biggest influence on your career?
MGM musicals!!!!  Movie dancers like Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse. You'll see a dance number as my opening. Choreographers Jack Cole and Bob Fosse were my idols.  If I could do it all over again I would without hesitating.  No matter how many injuries come my way.

Tease our readers with what they can expect to see at the El Portal in a few weeks.
The story of my life in song which includes childhood, roommates, motherhood, husbands, children and dare I say lovers (smile!!!); it's me dancer, singer, actress ... with songs very rarely heard but nonetheless unforgettable.

Are Kander and Ebb your favorite composers? You sing their material a lot. What do you like best about them?
Their songs reach me in ways that are extraordinary.  I tend to think some of them are written especially for me. It's a purely visceral thing.

What do you think you bring to your act that is different from all other performers? I see a little girl inside of you, full of fun, surprises and excitement. Expand on that, if you would.

I think that's up to the audience to decide. However I will say I am different in that I have a sense of humor, I'm not a pure signer but rather an actress who sings and I think the audience relates to what I say.

Don't miss this petite fireball with the precious childlike temperament at the El Portal for two performances only on May 24 and May 25! Call 818-508.4200 for tickets or order online at  
elportaltheatre.com

2014 Interview: Robert Osborne

Robert Osborne, renowned host of TCM (Turner Classic Movies), will be participating in this year's S.T.A.G.E. on May 10 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills entitled S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the Movies. It was such a pleasure to speak with this journalistic giant who brings class and intelligence to everything he does...and who has brightened our lives on a daily basis via the TCM channel. And to think that you can see him live on May 10 is indeed something to look forward to.

Tell our readers the role you will play in S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the Movies.

      I'm hosting the evening.

It's so nice to have you in this show as the prime authority of film and film stars. If I recall, you did a shorter segment in a S.T.A.G.E. show a few years back that had to do with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Am I correct about that? Fill us in on the particulars.

    Yes, I did host a S.T.A.G.E. benefit directed by David Galligan (an old friend) years ago and had a great time, and would have enjoyed doing more through the years but it wasn't possible because of my own work schedule and the fact that the work and my home are both 3000 miles away in New York City.

As a huge fan of you and TCM, I am so pleased to be able to thank you for your stimulating work on the channel. You bring so much happiness to so many people. Of all the interviews you've done, I really loved the one with Betty Hutton. Talk about your memories of this if you would.

    The Betty Hutton interview is my own personal favorite of any I've done -- mainly because she was so open, honest and frightened, and even getting her on the set to do it was like planning an elaborate military campaign. She was terrified because she had been out of the public eye for about 35 years -- didn't look her best, and she knew it -- and didn't want to disappoint the fans who had loved her when she was a major star in the 1940s and 1950s. But once the cameras started going the years dropped away, and she was like the Betty Hutton of old -- kookie, adorable, zany and full of pep. But the killer was the fact that the story she had to tell of her life, tragic from the time she was small kid, was heartbreaking, and her need for affection and acceptance was still paramount in her life. It's the "other side" of being a star that one rarely gets to see so closeup and shattering.

I also loved your more recent interview with Kim Novak. It gave me a whole new perspective on her and the positive elements she contributed to film. Give a memory or two of this one, if you would, as well.

Kim Novak in her own way was much like Betty Hutton, except Kim managed to survive more fully than Betty Hutton. Kim knew it was time to get out of Hollywood, that it was more destructive than constructive for her, and she's gone on to have a rich, rewarding life on a ranch in Oregon, with a husband she loves and surrounded by animals she adores. That interview especially stands on for a moment in which she had a mini-breakdown, when the pain she felt during her big star days came rushing back to her. It was a great interview because she was so brutally honest about herself.

Do you have a favorite of all the interviews that you've done? If so, which one and why?

  My favorites are the two we just mentioned -- Betty Hutton and Kim Novak, and two Guest Programmer guests we had Tracy Ullman and Kermit the Frog. Both kept me laughing so much, so hard, so often, my sides were actually hurting when we finished. I don't think anyone has a quicker mind than Tracy Ullman, and Kermit, bar none, is the nicest frog
I've ever known. 

 Do you feel that having been an actor yourself helps you appreciate films and performances more? If so, in what way(s)?

    I feel the most important thing having been an actor has done in helping me in the work I do is that I fully appreciate the amount of talent it takes to make something so difficult (as acting is) look so easy (as the real pros do). 

I love The Essentials and your conversations with Drew Barrymore and those  from before with Alec Baldwin. It's also interesting how you bring guests in who choose their favorite films to discuss. I respect how you share others' opinions of the work. How did this whole concept get started? Did viewers ask for it or was it your idea?

    Having Guest Programmers choose four of their favorite films and then come and explain why they like them began being   considered a couple of years into TCM being on the air. The first Guest Programmer was Stephen Sondheim and that came about because he used to tell me how much he liked a certain film, and I'd always asked "Why are you so fond of it," and his
explanations were riveting to hear. So I thought. "Wouldn't it be great if others could hear why Sondheim likes The More the Merrier so much." But Steve wasn't able to come in person and do it because of deadlines he had for new show he was writing. Then Bill Cosby was the second one, and he did come on with me and explain his choices in person. And a tradition was born. 

Who was the first cohost on The Essentials?

The Essentials series started with Rob Reiner coming on air explaining why certain films were "essentai"; he did it solo for two years. Then Sydney Pollack did it "solo" for two years. Then Peter Bogdanovich did it for a year and Molly Haskell was asked to do it for a year and she was interested, but not in doing it alone. So they put her with me so she wouldn't feel the full responsibility (doing solo hosting is not as easy to do as you might suppose) and that played very well. So then came Carrie Fisher and me for a year, Rose McGowan and me for a year and just as we were having trouble finding another woman to take over the spot, Alec Baldwin did a Guest Programmer spot with me and he was so interesting, so bright and so up on his classic films we asked him to do a year of Essentials with me, and that stretched into three years. Now we're in our third year with Drew, and that's also been a great delight. Who'll be the next one getting on the ship with me is anyone's guess at this point.

 I would personally like to see you bring Charles Busch on the program. I'm sure as film historian he would make some very valuable contributions. Any plans for that?

Charles has been a guest programmer for us, and did some things at our TCM Film Festivallast April so don't be surprised if he doesn't do more. How much depends on many things, starting with his availability. When you write plays, as Charles does, and also often star in them, it doesn't leave much time for extra-curricular activities.

I remember you telling Alec Baldwin in an interview about you that your favorite movie star of all time is Gene Tierney. An interesting choice. An elegant and mysterious lady. Expound on this, if you would. Who are your runners-up for that position?

Gene Tierney mesmerized me from the first time I saw her in Laura, and in every movie she's made since, none more so than The Razor's Edge and Leave Her to Heaven. I once had the honor of having lunch with her in the old Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles and she was everything I'd hoped she'd be -- warm, elegant, sophisticated, and certainly beautiful, still. Other favorites as a moviegoer: Alan Ladd, Henry Fonda, Lauren Bacall, Jennifer Jones, Angela Lansbury and the actor I think may be the best one who ever made films, William Holden. Rare is the movie I've ever seen that I didn't think would be better if William Holden had played the lead in it. 

 Is there any particular movie star that you feel was LUCKY to get there...someone who perhaps should not have gotten that special recognition? If so, why?

I think anyone who has made it big in films was lucky to get there. I think some stars who collect Academy Awards and elicit screams when they walk the red carpet owe it all to luck. But that success will slip away very quickly if they don't do as, for an example, both Tony Curtis and Rock Hudson did. They worked, worked, worked to improve their performances, and both turned into Academy Award nominated actors, and became comforable working with actors with the training and DNA of people such as (for Tony) Laurence Olivier, Henry Fonda and Gregory Peck and (for Rock) James Stewart, John Wayne and Charles Boyer.

Do you care to mention anything about the Festival this year or the TCM cruises?

Love the film festivals (#5 last April and they get better every year) and love the cruises (#4 coming up in October) and very much look forward to them. II wasn't all that keen on the idea of either, initially. It all sounded like a mob scene and a lot of work. Now when people say "Oh, they must be terribly tiring to do," in all honesty I have to say, "No -- no -- they're very invigorating. No way can you gettired when for four days people keep coming up to you saying, "I've never had so much fun. And I couldn't live without TCM coming into my home every day. It comforts me, entertains me, and teaches me. Don't ever let it go away." When people say things like that about the place where you spend the major part of your life, it can't be anything but exciting -- and inspiring,"

Is there anything that you do not do on the program that you would like to do? Adding any new/different segments in the near future?

New things are always happening. Changes have to be made for things to keep evolving. But what I'd most  like to do is to keep doing basically what we've been doing since TCM went on the air April 14, 1994, digging more and more into various film libraries and showing films which haven't yet been cleared to show on TCM. Also to continue getting younger people to enjoy the beauty of films in black-and-white, and for everyone to enjoy classic films not just on TCM but on big movie screens whenever they are. You haven't seen a movie, be it Casablanca, Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Maltese Bippy until you've seen it on a big, giant movie screen with a big audience.

This man is a walking encyclopedia of film: the one and only Robert Osborne, who will be live onstage in S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the MOVIES, which, without a doubt, will be a great, great show... with appearances by Mitzi Gaynor, Lainie Kazan, Donna McKechnie, Helen Reddy, Jason Gould, Richard Chamberlain, Betty Buckley, Debby Boone, Patrick Cassidy, and Robert Osborne's close friend from the days of Desilu in the 50s, the inimitable Carole Cook, who brings the house down every year with her ferocious comic turn... among many many other super talented performers. The best seats are going fast, so go to their website and order your tix online NOW! Remember you are contributing to APLA Los Angeles with every dollar you spend. And remember the date: Saturday May 10 at the Saban Theatre, only 10 days away.
http://apla.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=STAGE_Home

Interview with Playwright Emilie Beck

Playwright Emilie Beck wrote Sovereign Body, the critically acclaimed drama now receiving its world premiere at The Road Theatre Company. In our conversation she talks about the play and about the cast and creative team of Sovereign Body.

Tell me about Sovereign Body without giving away too much detail.

The play was inspired by my aunt, who's had Early Onset Parkinson's for over 30 years now. She's always maintained her sense of humor, and she made an offhand joke decades ago to the effect of having an affair with Mr. Parkinson. I'd wanted to write about her experience for years, and that joke stuck with me as I was delving into research. I read a lot of writings by people with Parkinson's, and to a person, they all spoke about the feeling of being invaded. I took that as my entry point: a personification of the disease as invader.

How were you motivated to write it?

It is so hard to watch someone you care about suffer. It's a helpless feeling, and it brings up a lot of anger, and there's nowhere to direct that anger. You can't harangue a disease. So I did the only thing I could do. I wrote about it.

Compare it to other plays or stories you've written. Is is very different? If so, why?

I seem to have a theme that I'm drawn to over and over again, which is: How we are changed by our bodies? Or how do our bodies define our personalities? Or how is outside perception of who we are dependent on how we are represented by our bodies? But my plays deal with this in very different styles. SOVEREIGN BODY straddles a very fine line between Realism and Surrealism, and demands a light touch in that balance. My play AND LET THE SKIES FALL falls more into a style of Expressionism, manifesting in gestural and choral work. NUMBER OF PEOPLE is more Absurdist: a one-person play in which the main character, suffering from Alzheimer's, keeps asking the audience who we are. My newest play, HABEAS CORPUS, is much more straightforward, but still takes us on poetic journeys.

Who is your favorite playwright? Play?

I love Albee's THE GOAT. I'm a huge fan of his work in general, as well as Maria Irena Fornes, Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter. I think Octavio Solis' LYDIA was under appreciated. And I'm a big fan of the devised work that Anne Bogart does with the SITI Company. Shakespeare is pretty great too.

Are there any mentors who have been particularly inspirational to you and your writing?

I had a few English teachers in my early years, who really inspired me. I don't know how connected the kind of writing I'm doing now is to what they taught me, but Yolanda Robbins and Curtis Crotty were major figures for me in 7th, 8th, and 12th grades. In my days as a performer I worked a lot with Mary Zimmerman, and I learned a great deal from her as an auteur. These days I'm very lucky to work with the artistic team at Boston Court. We are in constant conversation about the art of theatre, and they feed and nurture me as an artist. Those folks are Jessica Kubzansky, Michael Michetti, and Aaron Henne, all super smart, all crazy talented, and all incredibly supportive.

How has it been working with the Road? Are you happy with the cast and creative team of Sovereign Body?

Long ago, when I was an actor, I was a member of the Road company. It's always great to be able to come full circle, to come back to an artistic home. Sam Anderson is a terrific human being, and I felt so welcomed by him as Artistic Director. And of course, it's terrific to have Taylor (Gilbert) in this play. I feel connected to her as friend and artist. I've known Scott for years now. He and I have shared many meals as excuses to talk about art and theatre. And I feel very lucky for the cast as a whole. This play demands smart, committed performances from each actor, but also a strong sense of ensemble. Finding where those two dovetail is surprisingly difficult, but that's exactly where this cast shines.

2014 Mini-Interview with Taylor Gilbert

This Friday April 4 The Road Theatre Company will proudly present Sovereign Body by Emilie Beck. Over the next several weeks I will be interviewing the actors from this new production.

First up is Taylor Gilbert, who plays Anna. Taylor founded The Road Theatre Company in 1991 and for the past few years has been Co-Artistic Director. She also serves on the Artistic Board. 

Taylor has worked as a Producer on over 30 Road shows. Her Road directing credits include: the award winning In The Name of the People, Mooncalf, My Last Confession, The Chisholm Trail Went through Here, and Slumber Party. She also co-directed Hitler’s Head and Homefires, both with Ken Sawyer.

Taylor has been seen as an actress on the Road stage in: Balm in Gilead, Why Things Burn, Vig, Pirates, Akela, Merlin, American Romance, White People, A Mislaid Heaven, The Seventh Monarch, The Pagans, Oroboros, Backwards in High Heels, and And Neither Have I Wings to Fly.

Taylor has also acted on the big screen in several roles. Her film appearances include: Spiderman 1 and 2, Hancock, The Island, Twister, Tucker, The Dead Pool, The McMartin Trials, and Torment.

Here’s what she had to say about her character Anna in Sovereign Body :

First off, who is Anna?

Anna is a chef and her artistry in the kitchen means the world to her. It is her passion. " I fed people. Not just satisfied their hunger but fed them emotionally. I knew how to make food that gave people an experience..." says Anna.

What kind of conflict does she face?

Like many of us, she really likes being in control of herself and her life. When she finds she's losing control over certain situations in her life, she finds herself struggling with very serious issues that threaten to destroy her identity. 

How challenging has it been for you as an actress to find what makes her tick?

Anna has been a complex character to explore and embody. Her relationships with her family are quite normal but as she progresses through the play they seem to become somewhat abnormal due to the circumstance she finds herself in. The work has been physically and emotionally quite challenging. Exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time!

How have you used your own personal experiences to help create Anna?

My experience as a mother of teenagers, as well as a professional outside the home, has helped to ground me in the reality of this role. I am delighted to play a character that has been so artistically yet realistically penned by Emilie (Beck) and specifically directed by Scott (Alan Smith).

Anything else you care to add for our readers?

I urge you to join us for a beautiful production that will live with you long after the curtain call.

2014 Interview with Bruce Davison

Actor Bruce Davison certainly needs no introduction. He has starred on stage, screen and television in a multitude of complex roles over the last almost 50 years. He is most remembered for his early film Willard in the 60s and his stunning Oscar-nominated role in Longtime Companion from the early 90s. Davison is currently onstage in Noel Coward's A Song at Twilight  at the Pasadena Playhouse, co-starring Sharon Lawrence and Roxanne Hart. In our chat, he talks about his wonderful role in the Coward play and other fascinating career tidbits.

    Tell me about A Song at Twilight and the character you are playing in it.

The play is Noel Coward’s King Lear and his most complex piece. I play  Hugo Latymer, a closeted writer who hesitantly accepts a visit from his former mistress. She’s writing her autobiography and wants to use his love letters. He refuses, which leads to confrontations about past secrets and repressed lives.

What challenges, if any, are you experiencing in playing this role? 

Language, stamina, and filigree rococo language is quite a lot to master especially with an upper class British accent – as well as to try to maintain a character that is so shut down emotionally and still covey a sense of truth about him that will be interesting.

       How does it compare to others you have played?

It’s the hardest – people often don’t realize the amount of work that goes into creating a character that carries a play – The Elephant Man was a piece of cake by comparison. After six months of doing The Elephant Man on Broadway I was doing it again in Westport while doing Hildy in The Front Page with Brian Dennehy at the Long Wharf ... at the same time. Hildy works very hard supporting all the characters – in contrast, all the characters work and support the Elephant Man.  In reviews, Hildy is hardly mentioned – I thought it was my best work – while with the Elephant Man – every gesture, every move is raved about – it gave me an understanding of what people don’t understand about what goes into playing a role.

       You have had a wonderful stage career in New York and Los Angeles. I saw you in The Elephant Man Broadway early on and also playing Tom in The Glass Menagerie with Jessica Tandy. Talk a little about the latter experience.

Hume Cronyn played the role of Tom on Broadway, and he was a great mentor to me. I did the The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial with him on Broadway in the 1970s; Henry Fonda directed. During the time I was doing The Glass Menagerie I was lost in the part of Tom – my mom was dying in Philadelphia, and I was playing Tom for real – going home on a train and leaving my sister with my mom in Philadelphia – and I couldn’t get near the part – I was emotionally shut down – Hume took me aside and told me “It’s not important what you feel – what is important is the performance and the words – simplicity and the words are all you need.”  He then told me the story of the death of his father in 5 minutes at the end of which I was in tears. Hume then said, “I put no emotion into that – I just told you the facts. That is your job – you have one of the greatest written passages to do that for you. So find your light, and say the words.”

I later directed Hume in his last film Off Season for Showtime, for which he was nominated for an Emmy.  I wish he were here now to help me with Hugo.

     Another highlight was The Cocktail Hour, which you did here in LA. Talk a little about that and working with Nancy Marchand and others in the cast.

I have a picture on my dressing room table of them. Keene Curtis and Nancy were great influences on me - another great theatrical family. We played together for over 400 performances and I always think of them when I see that photo sitting there. Holland Taylor played my sister in that production as well.

     What is the favorite role you have played onstage? If more than one, mention them. Why these choices?  

The Elephant Man was a great sense of rebirth for me in the theater and of coming back after having a rough time in Hollywood. Doing Streamers in Westwood was great as well. For films, Longtime Companion certainly, and Ulzana’s Raid, directed by Robert Aldrich.  I got to live every young man’s fantasy of chasing Apaches across the vast expanses of the West along with costarring and riding alongside Burt Lancaster.

     Which playwrights are among your favorites? Why?

I love Pete Gurney (A.R. Gurney) – I know him personally and got to work with him. Other favorites are Ionesco, who I got to know when I worked with him in Stockbridge, and Tennessee Williams. I wish I could have met him – he died just before I did The Glass Menagerie.

   Longtime Companion brought you an Oscar nomination and was a wonderful performance. I know the battle against AIDS remains close to your heart, as it figures into the charitable side of your career. Talk about that film and others related to the issue that you have done.

I started with The Normal Heart before Longtime Companion – and I was inspired by Larry Kramer who went on to create Act Up. I never thought anybody would see Longtime Companion - it was a little movie of the week for public TV – I never thought it would even make it on the air much less have a theatrical release - but because of Tom Rothman and Sam Goldwyn it went on to achieve the success it did – I did Randal Kleiser’s film It’s My Party and worked with a lot of earlier groups when they were starting in. I worked with Henry Heimlich when we thought Malaria therapy might be a solution to the AIDS crisis – I also worked with American Rights and APLA in the early days – when my agent manager and commercial agent all died – during the late 1980s and early 1990s; it was a holocaust.

     As you are aging, do you have a role that you feel you must play like King Lear? Or are you just satisfied with the work that comes your way?

I am just satisfied with the work that comes my way – King Lear would probably kill me – I watched Lee J. Cobb do it – I was a spear carrier at Lincoln Center – I used to watch him come sliding down that highly raked Ming Cho Lee set – I thought he would get a hernia!

     Talk a little about your recent TV work - A & E's Those Who Kill and Last Resort. 

Last Resort was the last resort – they ended up blowing us all up – the network didn’t want to continue which was too bad – I thought it was a great series and I loved working with Andre Braugher, but you never know. Those Who Kill finished its first season and is about to have a reboot – we will see how things go – I play Chloë Sevigny’s twisted dad – it’s a fun role.

Don't miss Bruce Davison in his knockout role in Noel Coward's A Song at Twilight through April 13 at the Pasadena Playhouse. As always, he delivers the goods.

http://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/

2014 Interview with John McDaniel

On Saturday May 10 S.T.A.G.E. (Southland Theatrical Artists Goodwill Event) will present its annual show at the Saban Theatre on Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, this year entitled S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the MOVIES, directed by David Galligan with musical direction from the incomparable John McDaniel. Grammy, Tony and Emmy winning composer, musician McDaniel took time out of his busy rehearsal schedule to chat about the evening.

John, will you give the audience a little preview of the show? What film songs may we expect to hear?

There are so many great songs that have been featured in films - a few of my favorites that have been chosen so far include:  "How Do You Keep the Music Playing" from 1982's Best Friends, which will be performed by Bill Hutton, "It Might As Well Be Spring" from State Fair, sung by Debby Boone and "The Way You Look Tonight" from Swing Time,  performed by Jason Gould.

The show usually honors Broadway. Why a show about films this year? 

(laughing) We are in the thick of Hollywood, for heaven's sake - it's a natural fit!

Sounds like fun and it sure is a change. You have been doing this show for how many years? Do you have any favorites or do you just love each one as it comes along for its own merits?

Little known fact:  I played keyboards on the Julie Styne benefit - way back at the Variety Arts Theatre - what a great show ...with Georgia Brown!!  I've been the music director the past few (3 or 4?... I can't remember) years.

What will Robert Osborne be doing? Narrating? Setting up each segment?

Bob is graciously hosting - there will be lots of film clips, a few fun interviews - it's gonna be so cool to hear him live and in person!

You have done it all. TV. Broadway. Concerts. You have played for some of the greatest entertainers in the business. Pick one and tell me a funny story. Maybe something unexpected that happened, or just the experience itself, how it became more memorable than you would ever have imagined. 

My favorite Stritch (Elaine) story has to do with when we did PAL JOEY together in Long Beach in (maybe) 1990. She was reprising the role of Melba, singing "Zip", just as she had done on Broadway in 1950.  Yup, 1950!!  At the last performance, she was doing the "stripper" ride off, heading off stage, and she looked straight down at me in the pit and yelled, "Take me home, John!!!".  I died and went to heaven at that very moment. 

OMG, how hysterical! 
Who is your favorite composer of all time? 

I have a hard time considering any theatre composer on a par with Stephen Sondheim.  And getting exacting and thoughtful notes from him when I conducted the reunion concerts of the original Broadway cast of COMPANY was another "life" moment.   

I've heard about those famous notes! Any favorite musicals you care to mention?

My 2 favorite, and somewhat perfect to me, musicals are GYPSY and THE KING AND I.

Great choices! What's up next for John McD? Anything promising on the horizon for Broadway?

I'm excited to honor FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in concert on April 28th in NYC with a starry cast - we are celebrating Sheldon Harnick's 90th year, which will be an absolute pleasure.  I'm also very much looking forward to my 2nd year as Artistic Director of the O'Neill Theater Center's Cabaret and Performance conference this summer!   


There you have it, folks. Like John McDaniel says,  S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the MOVIES will be a great show... with appearances by Mitzi Gaynor, Lainie Kazan, Donna McKechnie, Helen Reddy, Jason Gould, Richard Chamberlain, Betty Buckley, Cheyenne Jackson, Debby Boone, Patrick Cassidy, among many many other super talented singers. The best seats are going fast, so go to their website and order your tix online NOW! Remember you are contributing to APLA Los Angeles with every dollar you spend.
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