July 10, 2005
After Thursday night's Lennon debut I joined my familly across the street at Sardi's for a late night dinner and drinks. There I was approached by a young boy sporting a Beatles tie and and "imagine peace" button, who told me I had done a great job that night. I graciously thanked him and his family and he left. This has happened several times on the street outside the theatre, as well. I hadn't the heart to tell anyone the truth. It was better to let them believe they had met the man who was actually onstage rather than tell them they'd only met his understudy. This sort of thing never happened in San Francisco, but back then my hair was longer. These days Will and I look pretty similar. I could easily be his stunt double. The fact that we live in the same house is rather confusing, too. Even the neighbors think I'm him!
Yesterday was a two-show day, and between sets I joined Will, Julia and Chad for dinner on 8th Ave. There we saw a friend of theirs, popular Broadway actor Kevin Cahoon. I knew this man, too. He was twelve years old when he and I did a play together in Houston. I was eighteen! Amazing how I'm never too far from home. Perhaps that's why NY feels like home to me.
Today is a Sunday afternoon matinee, which will lead into a two-night break for the company, and cap off two busy, stressful weeks for all concerned. Even though the show has opened up to good crowds and consistent positive response, people are still dizzy from the whirlwind of opinions in the air. Everyone has a different take on what this show ideally should be, and because it has to do with John and the Beatles, those views are passionate. The impact of The Beatles was such a personal one for so many, as was the impact of Lennon's murder. All those who loved John feel not only a kinship, but an ownership as well, and this creates a tough spot for those making the creative decisions, who constantly have to navigate through the ocean of constructive critics putting their two cents in (myself among them). With so much at stake, it's hard to keep everyone calm, even Yoko. But the most important thing for all to remember is to breathe.
Yoko Ono is a woman of her word. On a rainy Friday afternoon her assistant Robert came to the stage door and returned my John Lennon book, which Yoko had borrowed from me several weeks ago. It was cased in a brown protective folder, and on the opening page, as promised, was her autograph.
What a classy lady.