Last night the Levine brood went to see HARPS AND ANGELS, a new musical revue of Randy Newman songs at the Taper Forum in Los Angeles. For you LA readers, check it out. It’s quite great. One of the stars is Katey Sagal (a slight departure from SONS OF ANARCHY) so after the show we all went backstage to say hello. Even though I always feel like the ultimate groupie, I love going backstage.
One of my great thrills was meeting Barry Humphries (Dame Edna) last year thanks to his/her BFF, Tallulah Morehead.
I did have one very awkward backstage experience, though. There was a new Herb Gardner play starring Judd Hirsch I really wanted to see. At the time I think I was doing ALMOST PERFECT. Our casting director arranged for my wife and I to get Judd Hirsch’s house seats.
We arrive, settle in, and Judd’s assistant comes over and says Mr. Hirsch would like us to come backstage after the performance. We were delighted. We didn’t know Judd Hirsch but it was a chance to thank him for the tickets.
After the show we go backstage. The way this usually works is you wait and the actors eventually come out and greet you. The assistant spots us and tells us to follow her. She then leads us into Judd Hirsch’s dressing room. He sees us, and you could tell has no idea who we were. I think he was expecting someone else. But he didn’t want to be rude so he invites us in and acts as if he knew us.
Likewise, we didn’t want to offend him, so we pretend that we know him, too. For fifteen minutes we all chat as if we are long-long friends. I can’t begin to tell you how WEIRD it was. Finally, we say goodnight, and of course we all vow to get together again real soon. I owe him a call.
Fortunately, I do know Katey, and again, see this show if you get a chance. Everyone is wonderful in it. And boy, can that motorcycle chick sing!
