ActorQuest - Kristin Huffman Goes Inside 'Company' 26

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.

This is the twenty-sixth story about the "Making of Company."  If you haven't read the others, go back and do so and then rejoin us here!

TWENTY-SIX: ANOTHER OPENING

"Another Opening"?! Who am I kidding? I have never had an Opening Night like this.  During a whole month of Previews on a Broadway stage I never really felt the "Broadway thing." After the opening show, I felt its full force. I am on Broadway!

The day before opening we had a wonderful audience.  Joan Rivers was in attendance that night and I met her afterwards.  As I just blabbed on I happened to notice her great earrings and as per my usual "say what's on your mind without thinking it through" I told her how great they looked. Since I still needed earrings for the opening night party at the Copacabana, I asked where she bought them. (I completely forgot that she has her own jewelry line on QVC.)  Instead of making me feel stupid, she merely said, "I'll send you some for tomorrow".  I have witnesses who can verify this conversation. 

She didn't forget! Before the Opening Night show along with banks of flowers and presents from friends, cast mates and producers, I received a gift bag from Joan Rivers with two choices of beautiful earrings from her collection!   She marked them "For Kristin Huffman, who still didn't have her earrings for opening night!"   Then she also sent a bag of more earrings for the other ladies of the cast too!  

I never have celebrity sitings in my life, so coupled with that Joan Rivers experience we met a host of other celebs in the audience such as Angela Lansbury, Ben Vereen and David Hyde Pierce. I finally realized it was Opening Night on Broadway! During the last song, Being Alive I actually sent up a little prayer thanking everyone I knew alive and dead, for helping me get to this night. 

This includes being thankful for the many experiences that seasoned me for this all important moment.  The outdoor theatres where you regularly competed with traffic and dogs and the occasional airplane. One outdoor experience as Maria in The Sound of Music even had noisy peacocks to drown you out. I learned how to ignore the most obvious distractions in those gigs. 

I gave thanks for the dinner theatre gigs where they housed us in close quarters and shared kitchens, but let you eat the buffet dinner provided for the show's guests.  It saved you a lot of money since you weren't really paid that much. Unfortunately the buffet line also doubled as the stage so that the sweet potato pie remnants left on stage could get one slipping and sliding.  Those dinner theatre gigs taught me lessons about money management and carefully watching my step. 

Then there were road shows like the one with Tennessee Ernie Ford as a backup singer dressed in a show choir outfit and singing things like "I'm Alabamy bound,I've got those heeby-geebies hanging round…."  That was a performance for huge crowds of overzealous right wing Christians and senior citizens wanting to refresh memories of a man of their generation.  For me, there was a lesson to be learned in patience and doing the job you were hired to do. And, trying to relate to the vagaries of one's audience.

Playing a version of "Dorothy" in the Kraft Maid Kitchen Cabinet's live industrial at the Home and Garden Show taught me another lesson.  I was trying to find my very perfect version of cabinets with the help of the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion who all had their own lines of kitchen cabinets to show me.  That was just good money and it taught me that sometimes playing such cheesy stuff literally pays off.

Murder Mysteries, where I pretended to be a stewardess, hostess or waitress who consistently found "body parts" in Victoria Secret bags and finally always ended up being the murderer.  That one taught me how to ad lib and just go with the flow. Also how to shoot a gun. 

There are so many gigs like that where I learned how to deal with other performers and directors and agents.  I can't say I am sorry about all those crazy experiences instead of going right to Broadway, because I don't think doing this type of show would work with folks who weren't a little "seasoned".  In fact, I don't even wish for my college graduated students that debut on Broadway without some "Paying your Dues" time.   It's a chance to learn, and make mistakes in a less visible arena.  You learn what not to do as much as what to do. You grow in your technique and craft and realize how to treat other people, and to adapt to different situations with grace. In the end, I feel very thankful now for being on Broadway, because I remember what it took to finally make it here.

Our opening night party was at the Copacabana and the first thing we did was walk the press line posing for pictures in front of all the papers and online publications. Most of my shots are of me showing off Joan's earrings.  We also gave interviews which ended up in little video clips online along with pictures of the cast and directors.  Once I made it into the actual ballroom it was a challenge finding my folks and husband.  There were my agents, other casting directors from Broadway shows, producers and family members of other cast mates to greet before I finally found my table.  Great food, drinks and a late night party capped a great evening. 

My Broadway debut! Wow!  I am so thankful.

Photos: Kristin showing off Joan's Earrings; Angel Desai; Keith and Kristin hamming it up for the photogs; The ladies of Company