Feature: THE BREATH OF LIFE, Jane Alexander, Stockard Channing and More

In The Breath of Life: Spiced to Perfection, and With Just the Right Blend of Ingredients (Copyright 2009), Len Bourret comments on THE BREATH OF LIFE, premiering at The Westport Country Playhouse on September 29 for a limited run through October 17, starring Jane Alexander and Stockard Channing, with a book by David Hare. Mark Lamos directs.

--------------------------

From In The Breath of Life: Spiced to Perfection, and With Just the Right Blend of Ingredients (Copyright 2009):

Jane Alexander is an absolute delight to interview, she is extremely talented, and it is no wonder that she receives so many accolades, awards, and nominations. She is a very hard worker, she diligently researches the characters she portrays, and it shows!

I congratulated Ms. Alexander on the success of "Terminator Salvation" (2009), which seems to be doing well at the box office, and the Internet Movie Database currently ranks the film at 7 (good) out of 58,433 votes. The film is a story of nuclear holocaust. Nuclear disarmament is a pet project, or special interest, and one can readily discern why Jane Alexander would want to appear in the movie.

Jane Alexander already has an illustrious career, appearing in projects which are diversified, enjoyable, and unique. I highly doubt that she will ever be accused of being in humdrum, boring, or stereotypical roles! In fact, the Internet Movie Database also states that Jane Alexander's (quote) "...true brilliance has come from the remarkable range and depth of her talent." She is (quote) "Heralded as one of the finest 70's actresses to arrive in films (and), following a towering Broadway success, Jane went on to earn an Oscar nomination for her film debut, an acknowledgement given to very few of her acting peers." I would add that her success transcends the 1970's, and
Jane Alexander is continuing to show strength in her performances, as well as in the high numbers at the box office. Jane Alexander is, unequivocably, a master of her craft. And, not surprisingly, she keeps getting better and better at everything she does!

Ms. Alexander is probably best known for her stage performance, in The Great White Hope, for which she most deservedly won the coveted Tony Award. She has received numerous Oscar nominations, but the stage and television appear to be her greatest strengths. Jane Alexander won an Emmy Award for Warm Springs. And, she has invested in notable performances centering on relationships, something which she affirms that seems to resonate within actors. This is, no doubt, one of the reasons that Jane Alexander has chosen to appear in The Breath of Life at Westport Country Playhouse. Another reason is her passionate desire to appear in a play by David,
Hare, who has already proven to be a master on the subject of relationships. Furthermore, Mr. Hare has received much praise and many awards for his stageplays, as well as his superb screenplay for the highly acclaimed film, "The Reader". Jane Alexander has a great deal of respect for Stockard Channing's acting ability, and Mark Lamos' directorial ability. Furthermore, the trio are close friends.

No doubt these are just a few of the sound reasons Jane Alexander has chosen, and has been selected, to appear in The Breath of Life. She is a person that is clear, focused, and well grounded. Ms. Alexander has made excellent career choices, which include Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years and her portrayal of Sara Delano Roosevelt (FDR's mother), A Circle of Children (coping with parental challenges of Autism), Playing For Time (rendering still another Emmy-Award-Winning performance), and Tell Me You Love Me (dealing with senior sexuality, intimacy, and so-called "controversial scenes"). Just listening to her, one can feel the artistic and creative energy flowing within Jane Alexander. She is intelligent, and is a person of high intellect. One can readily discern how and why she overcame Newt Gingrich and the Theatre of Politics (Jane Alexander's diligence and hard work kept the politicians from shutting down the National Endowment for the Arts). And, it serves as a personal tribute that Former President Bill Clinton appointed Jane Alexander, as Chairman of the NEA, from 1993 to 1997.

Audiences also enjoyed Jane Alexander in Malice in Wonderland (portraying the shrew and sometimes-sharp-tongued Hedda Hopper), Blood and Orchids, as well as In Love and War. I particularly enjoyed Jane Alexander in Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind "Little Women" (I can't help but be disappointed that the late June Allyson and the late Katherine Hepburn, both of whom played the part of Jo March in two separate version of MGM's "Little Women", weren't alive to see this moving television production).

Jane Alexander, David Hare, Mark Lamos, and Stockard Channing are no strangers to the mastery of relationships. I believe that the audiences, at Westport Country Playhouse, will thrill to the mounting of tension as conflict builds. And, I for one, will be looking forward to an effective resolution of the conflict. One thing is for certain: in The Breath of Life, there will be excitement right from the first act, and up until the finale. But, just like some real-life situations, will there be a happy or satisfying ending? Will there be a resolution? That is one of so many variables, all delicious ingredients, that makes this play's recipe worth savoring and tasting.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.