'Wit' on Broadway with Cynthia Nixon

   Just experienced another fantastic Broadway play. 'Wit' is at the Samuel J. Friedman theatre and stars Cynthia Nixon as Vivian Bearing, a poetry professor with cancer. Cynthia is excellent from the first instant on stage and never loses her momentum. She teaches her students about the poems and metaphors of John Donne, a seventeenth century metaphyscial poet. She has a passion for his words and their meaning. She dissects the poems with fervor, leaving her brightests students to ponder and the others to find excuses for not writing their papers. Vivian has a strong sense of intellectual superiority, brought full circle in her final hours as she finds compassion from her nurse who knows how to comfort, but knows nothing about cerebral poetry. With her last breath she realizes there is more to life. No wonder the play is so marvelous!!!!

Raquel Welch interviewed by Dick Cavett @ the Raquel Films showing @ Walter Reade in Lincoln Center NYC

It was everything I hoped for and more. I think it was about 2 years ago that G gave me the Dick Cavett box set to watch. Hollywood Legends, Comedians, and Rock Stars. I savored every moment watching the dashing wit and charm of Dick Cavett go one on one with the likes of Marlon Brando, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, Betty Davis, Gloria Swanson and on and on. One of my favorites was one with Janis Joplin and Raquel on the same show. Check it out. The DVD, I mean. Fabulous. So here we are last night, front row, Dick Cavett and Raquel smack in front of us just like time standing still and sticking you smack in the middle where you reveled at the glorious antics you saw on  film. Now, live. And if that isn't enough, just before the Q & A began prior to the showing of The Three Muskateers, I asked Dick Cavett if I could have a photo with him. He delivered with one of his great lines: "I thought you'd never ask."

And for the second night Raquel looked spectacular. She's very funny. And so nice. Since this blog is about movies, Broadway, and books, I have to mention that her book is now out in paperwork and it is really good. She wrote the entire book herself and it is also full of beauty tips that are good to know. Obviously they work for her.

Tonight. Kansas City Bomber. More pictures tomorrow.

 

 

Raquel Welch - Films Showing - Film Society Lincoln Center

Last night kicked off a showcase of Raquel Welch films at Lincoln Center @ The Walter Reade Theater. Raquel was there for Q & A before 'Myra Breckinridge' showed. She is gorgeous at 71. Very funny as she talked about making the film and her experiences with Mae West.

Other films that will be showing through 2/14/12 are: Hannie Caulder, The Three Muskateers, One Million Years B.C., Mother, Jugs and Speed, Kansas City Bomber, and more.

Tonight before the movie begins there will be a Q & A with Raquel and Dick Cavett. If you're in the neighborhood, you should come. I'll post some pictures tomorrow from that.

In the meantime, here are some pictures from last night.  See what I mean!!!

 

 

'Woman in Black' with Daniel Radcliffe

'Woman in Black' with Daniel Radcliffe opened yesterday. I couldn't get out of work fast enough to get to the theater. Daniel has  grown up and he is truly great in it. Just as he was on Broadway in 'Equus' and 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.' (see earlier posts for pics from Broadway). Good for him for showing such diversity in roles. And, to add to that, he is a class act! He is gracious and kind.

Most of 'Woman in Black' takes place in a spooky, gothic mansion with long hallways and creepy sounds. Arthur Kipps played by Daniel, is sent there by his law firm to collect paperwork. It gave me  some of those great jump out of your seat moments. And if I'm going to be scared, that's the best kind. I don't like movies with that other scary business going on. The supernatural works better for me.

So if you're going to a movie this weekend, and you like to jump out of your seat, and you are a Daniel fan, check out his latest!

'Learning to Live Out Loud' by Piper Laurie

 I met a lot of people this week and they were all fantastic. Piper Laurie was doing a book signing of her autobiography, 'Learning to Live Out Loud.' A lot of you probably know Piper from her role in 'Carrie.'  My favorite Piper movie is one no one spoke of during the Q & A. I mentioned it to her afterward. It's a movie called, 'Tim.' Tim was written by Collen Mccullough before she wrote 'The Thorn Birds.' If I remember correctly, it was her first book. And it's a great book. What a fantasy. Piper plays the older lady who has this gardner who is gorgeous, but rather simple minded. They fall in love. The young man is played by Mel Gibson. This is before he was known here in the States. It's Australian. Any hoo, I watched Piper in 'The Hustler' the other night just because I'd met her and can watch any movie with Paul Newman in it over and over. It had been a really long time since I'd seen that one. Her book is wonderful. She's had a very interesting life. She wrote it entirely herself. She didn't speak much as a child, thus the title of the book. Here's some pictures from the other night. Piper just turned 80 and she looks wonderful. She's real and real is much more beautiful.

Ed Burns 'Newlyweds' is awesome

As soon as you get the chance, I highly recommend Edward Burns latest movie, 'Newlyweds.'  If you love NYC movies as I do and all Woody Allen fans do, then you'll love this. It's all about relationships and how they become complicated.

Ed did a Q and A after the film and said he shot it over a 3 month period in 12 days between November and March. I could tell. It was nasty last winter and winter lasted forever. There were scenes with all that awful slush on the street.

He used a 3 man crew and unknown actors, but watch 'Nice Guy Johnny' and you'll see some of the same actors like Max Baker who was in that play I go on and on about, 'Jerusalem.'  They're all great characters in both movies and you really like them or not, but it's because you're not supposed to if you don't.

Ed Burns is tremendous. I've always been a huge fan, but now even more so because now I know how truly nice and down to earth he is.