The Iveys!

Wendy and I were the hosts this year—which means you have to dress. Getting ready was something. As Amanda Wingfield says in The Glass Menagerie: “We have to wear something don’t we?”

David Brewster, Star Tribune

Our first idea was white: white tails and tie for me, and a white satin gown with a white boa trimmed satin coat and white cloche for Wendy. This, however, was not to be; time flew and before we knew it the “week of” had arrived. So I opted for a classic black tux and we went into the Jungle’s costume storage for Wendy’s gown and found a stunning tulle creation that had been donated a couple of months before – pale blue and tan tulle over a tan satin underskirt and a bodice that looked as if it were made of scrunched paper—so strange and unusual, like something Tilda Swinton might wear!

The “night of” I discovered the tux rental shirt was too small and the collar choked me! So I grabbed a white shirt I bought at Costco two days before, jumped in my car, ran over to the theater and covered the buttons with black gaff tape, raced back home, dressed and went to the Iveys! No one the wise.

Great fun at the show. As you know, Wendy won the Lifetime Achievement Award. All day we were bantering about who was going to win it – I kept telling her that it was definitely going to be her (I knew, of course) but she said, ”No, it couldn’t be me; I’ll be changing for The Full Monty (the number performed at the end of the show) so it can’t be me!“

And then when she came from the dressing room to the stage left wing where we were all watching the video of her life in the theater, she was so moved – we all were! And the Jungle‘s Mary’s Wedding won an Ivey for best production (all elements). I am so proud of the whole Jungle production team led by Jungle Associate Artistic Director Joel Sass (his concept, direction, costume and set design), Barry Browning (the Jungle’s extraordinary resident lighting designer), Sean Healey (sound designer), Carl Flink (choreographer) and Greg Brosofke (composer). Not to mentioned the exquisite performances by Alayne Hopkins and Sam Bardwell. 

The Jungle is now the proud recipient of FOUR Iveys, two for Joel (the other was for his set design for Last of the Boys), one for Bradley Greenwald for his splendid performance in I Am My Own Wife (directed by Joel!) and one for Sean’s sound design for Shipwrecked (also a Joel Sass production!). Kudos to the artists who make the theater!

IVEY AWARDS

For those of you who have not heard, Wendy and I are the hosts for the Ivey’s this year! Today, Thursday we did IVEY Interviews on Cities 97 and that was FUN! The interview will air early on the Sunday Twin Cities Insights show with Lee Valsvick, with a second airing on B.T. Turner’s Monday morning show. So, of course we had to pretend that we were talking on those days and not today! Like, “It’s going to be a great show TONIGHT and hope you will all come!”

By the way, if you haven’t reserved your seats for the IVEYs yet (Monday Sept 20^th at 7:30 at the Historic State Theatre), there are still tickets available. Go to IveyAwards.com.  For those of you who have never been, it’s a show like the Tony Awards, with a big set, an orchestra, beautiful and glamorous dresses, and celebrities in local theater, etcetera. So come and party with the Twin Cities theater crowd! Wendy will be wearing a sensational gown that we found in Jungle costume storage (it was donated to the theater some time ago but has never appeared in a play). I say, it’s a gown who’s time has come! I, of course, will be wearing the obligatory tux.

According to Scott Mayer, the head of the IVEYs, although awards are given (Lifetime Achievement, Emerging Artist, Best Actor, Scene Designer, etc.) the show is not just an awards ceremony but also a celebration of all Twin Cities theater.

If you have never been you will be amazed at how many people work in theater in our town!  Come celebrate theater in “our town” Monday at the Historic State Theatre at 7:30 p.m. See you there!   

Glass Menagerie Opening Weekend!



photo by Tucker Hollingsworth



The Jungle has just opened The Glass Menagerie, featuring the one and only Wendy Lehr. Wendy and I have known each another for almost 50 years, sharing the spotlight in countless productions. Working with her is now and always has been so much fun. Those of you who go back a few years will remember us in The Old Kieg Of Malfi at Children’s Theatre Company and, of course, in that legendary production of Cinderella (with me as the Ugly Stepmother and Wendy as my daughter Pearl). More recently we played in The House Of Blue Leaves here at the Jungle along with last year’s The Gin Game.

The trust that we have built over the years allows things to grow and bloom with such assurance and confidence. I always give opening night flowers and little gifts to the actors and stagehands and I found a truly delightful stuffed monkey (at Roger Beck Florists, who always contributes gorgeous flowers for the lobby on opening weekend).  I knew she would like it (along with the blue flower and box of chocolates). The monkey delighted her to no end and it will probably live in her dressing room throughout the run!

Wendy gives a sensational performance as Amanda Wingfield. She brings an empathetic and compassionate hilarity to the role and she imbues the famous jonquil monologue at the top of the second act with a lyricism that is pure, vintage Tennessee Williams, laced with flights of romantic fancy that never fail to entrance and delight me. Wendy (when she has her wig and make-up and costume on) looks exactly the way I imagine Amanda Wingfield would look. Amanda is probably 55 years old who and has lived her life in poverty, in the tenements and under great duress. She should look careworn, burdened by life, although resilient. When a younger actress plays the character, I don’t think you get the real Amanda.

photo by Tucker Hollingsworth

Opening weekend went smoothly, with appreciative audiences on both Friday and Saturday nights. The opening night party in the lobby after the show was so much fun: actors mingling with the audience, great food by Eric (of the box office): shrimp, cheese, pineapple upside-down-cake, wine and beer. There’s nothing like the energy of opening weekend, celebrating with actors and designers (like sound designer extraordinaire Sean Healey and lighting designer Barry Browning). Try it; you’ll like it!