Time Stands Still Star Brian d'Arcy James Fills His Dressing Room with Cherished Gifts

Brian d’Arcy James is giving a performance of depth and searing honesty as a wartime journalist in the Broadway return engagement of Donald Margulies’ Time Stands Still. Beloved by audiences for his uncanny skill at jumping from musicals (notably Shrek and Next to Normal) to plays, James has decorated his Cort Theatre dressing room with very special opening night gifts and family-focused memorabilia. Take a look, and listen to the fascinating stories behind his favorite things.

Photo by Jenny Anderson for Broadway.com


“Let’s start with the best: my family. My wife, Jennifer, compiled a book of photographs from our recent trip to London and Paris as an opening night gift. One of the reasons I love this is because most of the pictures I have of our daughter Grace are from when she was three years old or younger—and she’s now nine. We were lucky to share such a fantastic trip with her.”


“My father had a vast collection of ‘Toby’ mugs from Royal Doulton—mugs with faces based on characters from history or literature. This one was a gift from my mom on opening night. My dad passed away in 1990, so this is a nice remembrance of him.”


“I found this poster on eBay of my late uncle Brian Kelly, an actor who starred in Flipper and went on to produce the movie Blade Runner. It’s from a movie called Shoot, Gringo…Shoot! What’s interesting is that my character in Time Stands Still is really into films. My Uncle Brian was a big inspiration and a big supporter of mine. When you’re a kid in Michigan wrestling with the idea of going into acting, it’s helpful to have someone successful to look up to.”


“My friend Sam Robards surprised me with this book, Slightly Out of Focus, by photographer Robert Capa. It actually figures into the story of the play, because the character played by Eric Bogosian gives it to Laura Linney and me as a wedding gift. I absolutely love it; it’s something I’ll always have that is reminiscent of doing this play.”


“This was my opening night gift from Donald Margulies, the playwright of Time Stands Still. Apparently he is an avid collage artist, and [the images] are loosely inspired by the play. I cherish it not only because it’s extremely beautiful, but also because of its sentimental value. I’m here only because Donald Margulies has written this incredible play!”