ActorQuest 8 - Kristin Huffman Goes Inside 'Company' 8
By: Kristin Huffman Jul. 07, 2007
Click Here for More on STEPHEN SONDHEIM
In November, Kristin Huffman made her Broadway debut as Sarah (flute, piccolo and sax) in John Doyle's production of Company. The actress, with a new series of tales that go inside the making of Company from an actor's perspective, starting at the Cincinnati Playhouse and on to New York, continues her stories about a 15-year career that has led her to the door of the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
The eighth story I wrote while we were in Cincinnati making "Company" was the most exciting as we had found out that Mr. Sondheim was coming to see the show. If you haven't read the previous stories, go back and do so and then come back to this fun one! It's a three parter.
SCENE EIGHT: HE'S COMING! - March 12, 2006
HE'S COMING!... HE'S COMING!...HE'S COMING ON MONDAY!!!
HE'S COMING HERE TO CINCINNATI TO SEE OUR DRESS REHEARSAL!! THE ONE TRUE GOD OF MUSICAL THEATRE! JUST HIM! SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE!! WATCHING US!!!!!
STEPHEN SONDHEIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM SO INCREDIBLY NERVOUS ALREADY I COULD DIE!!!!
No matter what others are telling us about him: He's a nice person. A recluse. A shy man. A man who really likes actors. And no matter what advice we are getting: He really loves John's work. He likes to see re-imaginings of his shows. It's too late for him to fire you at this point.
NONE OF THAT SEEMS TO HELP ME!!!
Mary-Mitchell suggested a few things to help with nerves. 1. Pretend you are a character playing your character. Like instead of KRISTIN playing the part of SARAH. I should imagine I am some big diva actress who really doesn't care about anyone's opinion playing the part of SARAH. Like maybe Judy Garland. Wait…she committed suicide, didn't she. Ok not her. 2. Pretend he is coming on another day. And then what? I should just think that that guy sitting in the fifth row on Monday who looks so much like Stephen Sondheim is …the janitor? No, it's a really good suggestion, for someone who is not so INCREDIBLY NERVOUS ALREADY!!!!
Barbara Walsh said to remember that HE is flying all the way out here to Cincinnati just to see us. If he doesn't like the show he will blame John, not us. Or maybe he will just blame John for CASTING us. She said that it is really an HONOR that he is coming all the way out here to see us. I AGREE! THAT IS WHY I AM NERVOUS! HE IS USING UP HIS FREQUENT FLYER MILES!!!
Many people said to just concentrate on the work. The words. The music. IT'S HIS MUSIC!!!!!! HE WROTE IT!!! IT'S HIS OWN STUFF. AND WHAT IF I AM SO NERVOUS I CAN'T EVEN SING OR PLAY IT!!
WORSE YET. WHAT IF I AM JUST SO DAMNED NERVOUS THAT I REALLY DO FALL OFF THE STAGE BECAUSE MY LEGS ARE WOBBLY AND I CAN'T FOCUS AND MY LIPS SHAKE AND MY VOICE SHAKES AND I FORGET WHAT I AM DOING AND WHAT KEY I AM IN AND WHAT SONG I AM PLAYING AND WHAT I AM SAYING?
WHAT IF I FORGET ALL MY LINES?
WHAT IF I CAN'T MAKE A SOUND ON THAT DAMN SAX?
WHAT IF I FORGET HOW TO SING?
WHAT IF I HAVE A HEART ATTACK RIGHT THERE ON STAGE?
Ok, that would certainly take care of my worrying problem.
HE'S COMING! HE'S COMING! HE'S COMING ON MONDAY!!!!
I was so stunned when John told us that he was coming that I found I couldn't remove my hands from my face. They had flown up there to cover my eyes I think, and they stayed there until Mary-Mitchell told me to "breathe". Gordon, the makeup and costume supervisor must have noticed, because now I also am getting a free French manicure on Monday morning because my character "Sarah" is very rich and would have her nails done. Actually all the wives are getting manicures! When he told me that they were bringing someone in to do my nails, I was pretty excited and of course pushed it in asking for a pedicure as well. I wear boots, so that was vetoed. But I get a free manicure! Somehow that does helps with the nerves a little.
HE CAME! - March 14, 2006
I was beginning to think he was the Phantom or a figment of my overactive imagination. When we auditioned for this show, we were all told that we had to be approved by Mr. Sondheim. For a month I obsessed about meeting him, telling friends that I would probably faint the minute I was introduced to him. At the last minute it turned out that we didn't have to be approved so we never met him.
He was supposed to come and see our dress rehearsal Monday before our opening but due to bad weather decided to come to our first preview tonight. I thought I had my nerves under control. Right after I arrived at the theatre, I went to my dressing room. We each have our own space but they are all connected so we can talk to each other and hear everything that happens. When Mr. Sondheim arrived, he actually said hello to some of the cast members who happened to be standing there. I was in the bathroom and when I emerged the stage manager told me he was right around the corner. I freaked out and hid behind her for a second and then breathed slowly and started to walk around the corner. By that time he had vanished. About 15 minutes later, just enough time for me to get out of my clothes, Mr. Sondheim came back downstairs again. I could hear him talking to a few more people, but by the time I put my clothes on he was gone again!
Then it was show time. It went really well but I was still really nervous to know that Stephen Sondheim was in the audience listening to us! I literally had a few un-actory moments when I thought " I hope I played that flute part musically enough" which is not a John Doyle approved technique. Most of the time I focused on the work and so did the rest of the cast. We received a standing ovation.
After the show, I made a beeline for the bathroom and once again I missed Mr. Sondheim. He had come into the women's dressing area and told them that he "loved it and that it was very sophisticated and wonderful". I got all this second hand because I WAS IN THE BATHROOM. When I came back, he had moved on to the men's dressing area. John Doyle came into our dressing rooms and was looking at the aftermath of Mr. Sondheim's lovely comments. Leenya was crying, Angel had her mouth open, Heather was wiggling all over and Amy had a huge smile on her face. John remarked on how wonderful it was that Stephen made a point of coming backstage to say that and I cried that I hadn't heard anything because I was in the bathroom!!!
Dejectedly, I got dressed and stepped out of the dressing room---and there he was talking with the stage manager. John took me over to meet him and Mr. Sondheim put his hand over his heart and made an 'uh' kind of sound. I chose to believe he liked my performance rather than having heartburn.
Tonight we all went out with Mr. Sondheim to the Blind Lemon, a quaint little gathering place. He vanished for a bit and then came back in to tell us that he had been speaking with George Furth, the book writer of the show, and that he had given him such a glowing that Mr. Furth is coming out next week to see us!
Tomorrow we will be working with Mr. Sondheim at 1:00 pm. The man who wrote the lyrics to West Side Story and great songs like Send in the Clowns, Anyone Can Whistle, Giants in the Sky, Green Finch and Linnet Bird, Being Alive and many other famous songs will be working along side of us tomorrow on this wonderful show. It doesn't get too much better than that!
HE'S COMING AGAIN! - March 15. 2006
Bedbugs! They found bedbugs in the room next to mine. Now I have to pack up six days of my stuff and move to another room. I feel sorry for the hotel manager who sounded so down that I did not have the heart to gripe about it being opening week. When he told me that I would be moving into a Jacuzzi Room I brightened considerably. Since I cannot take all my food with me they threw in comp meals as well. If they do find bedbugs, they will launder all my clothes. It is a nice hotel and I am sorry for this little disaster. Guess it kind of offsets my egg burning episode.
On the non-nightmare side of things, our rehearsal with Mr. Sondheim went beautifully. I have a photo of myself next to him! We went through each scene and songs and he suggested some adjustments to all of us. My adjustment was to bring out Sarah's warmth more and flirt with both men more often. Before I could stop my mouth, I coquettishly remarked to him: "Ooooo, flirting I can do." (How crazy: I was just flirting with Stephen Sondheim for crap's sake). John rolled his eyes but they did laugh about it. My castmate, Kelly, told me that during my "food org*sm" scene, Sondheim was laughing so hard that he slapped John on the arm.
I thought the whole cast took the critiques very well. We changed some of the music, made additions and will have our Second Preview later tonight. Mr. Sondheim will come again! He has said that he is both impressed and amazed by our work. I could have fainted right there.
Since I take his advice so seriously, I practiced by flirting with some cast—both male and female—some tech guys, the stage manager, and the company manager to get in the right mood for tonight's show.
Back in my hotel, I flirted with the bell boy, the waiter over dinner and then moved more of my clothes to the Jacuzzi Room and left for the show. Once again the audience jumped to their feet in a standing ovation. After the show we all went to the Mt Adams Grill to get a bite. Still in 'flirty' mode, I joked and had fun with all of them. At the end of the evening, as I left for the hotel my witty cast mates couldn't resist yelling out: "Good night, sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite!"
They think they are so funny. I seriously doubt I will invite any of them to join me in the Jacuzzi ...um...room.
Photos by Fred Rose - 1) Fred Rose and Stephen Sondheim; 2) Stephen Sondheim and John Doyle; 3) George Furth and Kristin Huffman's first meeting; 4) Barbara Walsh and John Doyle discussing Stephen Sondheim's notes
Videos