Stage Notes 06/24/03: Broadway Guest Stars on Sex and the City

In Millburn, New Jersey, of all places, I recently had the chance to catch up with one of my favorite brassy belters, Orfeh. The one-named diva (she doesn't need a last name!) first won me over with her onstage presence and offstage charisma--not to mention that voice!--while on Broadway in Saturday Night Fever. Anyway, Orfeh told me that she recently shot an episode of Sex and the City, where she plays some trashy Italian gal--part of a pack of trashy Italian gals, actually--who have a run-in with Samantha (Kim Cattrall) at a trashy wedding. (Can't wait!) But why were we in Millburn, you ask? Orfeh's hubby Andy Karl plays Danny in Paper Mill Playhouse's Grease, and he's outstanding--worth the New Jersey Transit train ride out there, if you don't find yourself in a limo like me. (Thanks, Paper Mill!)

Hearing of the latest credit on Orfeh's resume made me think back on all of the other stage personalities that have been welcomed onto the New York City set of the HBO hit show over the past six years, not to mention the principal players. Sarah Jessica Parker, who stars as sex columnist Carrie Bradshaw, and Cynthia Nixon, as her best friend Miranda Hobbes, both got their starts on Broadway as kids. Kristin Davis (idealistic gal pal Charlotte York) and Cattrall (playful publicist Samantha Jones) may have fewer New York credits, but they're just as comfortable on the stage. (Hey, whatever happened to Cattrall as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire on the Great White Way? I'm waiting, Kim!) Other stage pros that have had recurring roles on the series include Mario Cantone (Charlotte's hilarious decorator friend Anthony), Take Me Out's David Eigenberg (Miranda's on-and-off love Steve), Evan Handler (Charlotte's Jewish divorce lawyer-turned-lover Harry), Chris Noth (Carrie's big love Mr. Big) and Frances Sternhagen (Charlotte's prim former mother-in-law Bunny).

Because I feel that they should be counted (and because I love the show so much), I decided to pull together a glossary of sorts of the theater stars who have crawled in and out of bed with the ladies of Sex and the City, not to mention some other juicy cameo players. Let's all pray that the producers of the show accept Miramax's $20 million offer and bring the ladies to the big screen for a planned prequel. For now, we have 21 final episodes still to come on HBO. Sex and the City airs on Sundays at 9pm on the cable network, as if you didn't already know.

CARRIE'S CONQUESTS
Craig Bierko: (Episodes #51 and #52) Bringing to mind his work in the New Orleans flop Thou Shalt Not, Bierko plays jazz musician and club owner Ray King, who first romances Carrie from the stage while she was attempting to hang out as friends with Mr. Big. Although Carrie has "mind-blowing sex" with "the jazz guy," she can't get through his scattered mind and moves on.

Timothy Olyphant: (#4) The hipster actor, who got his start on the New York stage, appears as Sam, a 20-something guy that Carrie starts dating when she gets tired of trying to pin down Mr. Big for a night on the town. Although he's a really good kisser (maybe the pierced tongue helps), Carrie is freaked out when she wakes up in his dorm-like apartment (toilet paper subs for a coffee filter) and starts to act her age.

Ron Rifkin: (#65) Rifkin, who played Parker's dad in the off-Broadway hit The Substance of Fire here stars as Julian Fisher, Carrie's married editor at Vogue. He's the ultimate hip father figure, serving martinis from his office bar and helping shape her first piece for the fashion bible, until he comes onto her during a late-night raid of the magazine's accessories closet.

John Slattery: (#31 and #32) Carrie meets the Betrayal star, as up-and-coming politician Bill Kelley, co-judging a Staten Island fireman strip contest. Although she's hesitant to date him (she just broke up with Big), she finally gives in to his persuasive personality. Things are great until the "handsome politico" (her codename for him in her column) asks her to perform a kinky act in the shower. Carrie offers an alternative (dribbling warm tea on him), but he dumps her anyway, saying his advisors don't think they should date.

Daniel Sunjata: (#67) The Take Me Out lead plays Louisiana Navy man Louis LeRoy, experiencing New York City for the first time for Fleet Week. He meets up with Carrie while getting out of a cab with a couple of his buddies, quickly inviting her to a "big Navy party" that night. At the party, Carrie and Louis slow dance to "Can't Get Next to You, Babe" and flirt on the fire escape outside the club, but when he makes disparaging remarks about life in the big city, she heads home alone.

Justin Theroux: (#7 and #27) The young actor, who was recently heartbreaking in Observe the Sons of Ulster… at Lincoln Center (and is about to break out as the villain in Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle), had two shots to win Carrie's heart. In his first appearance, Theroux plays Jared, a hot young writer whose novel Avenue B "just got a rave" in Entertainment Weekly. Carrie isn't impressed. In the latter episode Theroux plays another novelist, Vaughn Weisel, who comes from an adorable intellectual Manhattan family. Carrie loves his mom (Valerie Harper, see below), but breaks it off with Vaughn when he refuses to address his obvious problem with premature ejaculation.

SAMANTHA'S SUITORS
John Dossett: (#25) The Gypsy star plays Don Seglar, an importer of Mexican handbags that Samantha meets at a sports bar during a night out with the ladies. Watching a basketball game, his aggressive talk turns her on ("We need to penetrate! Drive to the basket!"), and after a Knicks victory, she also scores in bed with him. However, Samantha soon realizes that when his team loses out, so does she. After patiently waiting out the season, she dumps him when she learns that he's also a baseball fan!

Sean Martin Hingston: (#28) The dynamo dancer (best known for his work in Contact) plays David Shoffer, one of Samantha's gay friends. He and his boyfriend flatter Samantha by announcing over dinner that they want to have sex with a woman and that they've decided that she's probably the best in bed. Once they all get naked, however, they can't perform: "It's very pretty, but no. It's not you, it's us!" Instead, the threesome goes out for cheesecake.

Marc Kudisch: (#15) The Broadway favorite (currently in Thoroughly Modern Millie) plays Harrison, a wealthy litigator who lives in a 39th floor apartment at Museum Tower. Samantha is very interested until he mentions her age ("Come on, what are you? 40? 41?"), which makes her run to the bathroom to catch her breath. When she returns to the bedroom, she finds him in a leather harness chained up in a closet, begging, "Slap me hard!" She chooses not to.

Robert LuPone: (#38) The MCC Theater honcho plays art collector Len Schneider, a neighbor of Samantha's that she meets in the lobby of their meat-packing apartment building. Although he's an "over-the-hill loser" who brags that he makes "a mean wine spritzer," she finally gives in and goes on a date, giving in to her presumed menopausal state (her period is very late). Finally, during lackluster sex with Len, Samantha's "friend" finally arrives…so she leaves.

Robert Montano: (#16) Things move fast when Samantha meets William (Montano, of On the Town) at his Latin dance club during a night out with the girls. After their first date, he's talking about spending the summer in his East Hamptons house together. Ultimately, he's all talk--he stands Samantha up for a dinner date. When she finds him on a date with another girl, he gets a well-deserved drink thrown in his face.

Sam Robards: (#41) The stage star (last seen on Broadway in The Man Who Had All the Luck) plays Tom Reymi, a sexual dynamo who is the perfect match for Samantha. She's very interested, especially when he shows her his sex swing, prompting her to comment, "How Cirque du Soleil!" One catch--he won't sleep with her until she gets an HIV test, something she's been avoiding for years. Once she gets a clean bill of health, they start swinging together.

Christopher Sieber: (#33) Sieber plays Kevin, a massage therapist at Helena Rubenstein Spa. When another customer at the spa tells Samantha that Kevin offers his female clients something extra, she immediately gets on the waitlist for an appointment. When her turn arrives, Samantha is frustrated by his all-work, no play approach and grabs his crotch. Kevin, who apparently is pickier than some thought, complains, getting her banned from the spa. The nerve!

Kohl Sudduth: (#4) The Take Me Out star played Jon--no "h," no last name--the hottest 20-something chef in New York. He takes up with much-older Samantha, who finds her world rocked by his sexual prowess. The May/December romance goes swimmingly until one night, when he cluelessly comments: "You have the cutest little wrinkles in your neck." Next!

MIRANDA'S MEN
David Aaron Baker: (#6) Sarah Jessica Parker's former Once Upon a Mattress co-star plays Ted Baker, a sports medicine doctor that Miranda hooks up with after she accidentally knocks him out in a kickboxing class. When he leaves her alone at his duplex apartment, she looks through his drawers and is freaked out to find a spanking porno. Although she doesn't mention the video to him, she casually mentions a desire to spank him on their next date. He never calls again--and changes gyms.

Marc Feuerstein: (#16) The stage and TV star (who's currently in A Bad Friend at Lincoln Center) plays Josh, an eye doctor that Miranda meets in her running group. She likes him, but can't reach orgasm during sex with him, leading her to fake it. Frustrated, she finally reveals her lie to him. He becomes the eager student, wanting to learn how to please a woman. Miranda teaches him everything she knows but she ultimately still has to fake it.

Dominic Fumusa: (#46) Fumusa, who starred in Take Me Out off-Broadway, is Jim, a civil engineer who Carrie dated back when he was in a rock band. Carrie and Miranda meet up with him at an after-wake party, where Miranda takes a liking to him. Although Carrie warns Miranda that he's a jerk, they begin dating. Ultimately, when the three of them go out to dinner one night, Jim flips out on both of them and proves he's still a jerk.

Josh Hamilton: (#40) Nixon's fellow Drama Dept. member Josh Hamilton plays George, a lawyer that works in the Chicago office of Miranda's law firm. They don't consummate their relationship during his week-long visit to New York, but begin a long-distance phone sex affair from the comfort of their respective homes. It's the perfect relationship for Miranda until George mixes up his call waiting lines, revealing that he's having phone sex with other women at the same time!

John Benjamin Hickey (#12) Stage regular John Benjamin Hickey (who directed Bad Dates, now at Playwrights Horizons) appears as Thomas John Anderson, an up-and-coming New York playwright. He's dubbed "Catholic Guy," due to his catholic-guilt need to shower immediately after sex with Miranda, who's understandably annoyed. When she finally tries to rationalize with him, he freaks out and kicks her out of his place. Six months later, Carrie's voiceover tells us, he writes an off-Broadway hit, Shower of Shame.

David Lansbury: (#26 and #36) Miranda starts dating fellow lawyer Kevin (Lansbury) after they get into a fight in court. He's a nasty and demanding person, which she hates in life and loves in the bedroom. She finds herself apologizing for his behavior and hopes that things will get better after he makes partner at his firm. When he does and the attitude doesn't improve, she walks. In the latter episode, the character reappears (with a new name--David!) when Miranda has to call her past partners after learning she has Chlamydia. Turns out he probably gave it to her, but says, "What are you gonna do? Sue me?"

Daniel McDonald: (#27) McDonald, best known as the romantic lead in Broadway's Steel Pier, plays Roger Cobb, a divorced dad that Miranda meets at New York Sports Club. She calls him "the heterosexual holy grail"--he's cute, stable and devoted to son Simon. Perhaps too devoted--when Miranda accidentally slams a bathroom door on Simon's forehead, Roger cradles his bleeding son and tells her to "please, just go."

Neil Pepe: (#14) Atlantic Theater Artistic Director Pepe plays Aaron Melman, a dermatologist that is dubbed "Spring Roll Guy" because he met Miranda at the Vietnamese lunch truck by her office. The sex is great, but Miranda is freaked out by his dirty talk when between the sheets. After some prodding from her girlfriends, she tries to play along (hilariously telling him how much she loves his "big, hard rock"), but winds up turning him off by mentioning how much he likes it when she puts her finger you-know-where.

CHARLOTTE'S CHAPS
Kurt Deutsch (#17) The founder of Sh-K-Boom Records (and Mr. Sherie Rene Scott) plays Ned Williams, a widower that Charlotte meets at the gravestone of his wife in a Queens cemetery (she was attending a funeral a few gravestones over). Charlotte is moved by his devotion to his dead wife Elizabeth, whose photo he carries around in his wallet. In fact, she's so moved that she jumps in bed with him after he breaks down on their first date. But it turns out Ned is a snake--when Charlotte meets him at his wife's grave with a bouquet of white lilies, several other duped ladies are also there.

Anson Mount: (#29) Art Party boy Mount is Greg, a 20-something guy that Charlotte meets on the Jitney to the Hamptons, where Miranda and the girls have a summer share. She immediately lies, saying she's 27 and starts acting it, attending a late-night keg party on the beach which leads her to pass out with him on the living room couch of the share, to the dismay of her friends. Ultimately, she finds herself saddled with a case of the crabs. Maybe being a little older and wiser isn't so bad after all!

OTHER NOTABLE GUEST STARS
Jason Antoon: (#50) Contact's "eyebrow guy" plays a framer utterly unimpressed by Samantha's nude photo.

Becky Ann Baker: (#56) Another of Nixon's Drama Dept. cohorts plays Miranda's sister Betsy in an episode about their mother's funeral.

Alan Cumming: (#50) The Tony winner plays Dolce & Gabbana designer Oscar (who prefers to be called "O") in Carrie's disastrous first time runway model episode.

Catherine Curtin: (#46) The Love, Janis star is a skeptical scholar in Carrie's Learning Annex class.

Andre de Shields: (#63) The Full Monty fave plays Charlotte's tap dance teacher, who infuriates her sensitive newly-separated self by making students "pair off."

Mike Doyle: (#31 and #32) The stage regular (last seen off-Broadway in Burning Blue) is a closeted gay guy on the campaign trail with politico John Slattery (see above).

Jonathan Dukochitz: (#49) Broadway regular Dukochitz (who was in last season's The Look of Love) plays Dan, an old friend who scored at one time or another with all four ladies.

Lisa Emery: (#8) The pro thespian was Ruth Scheer, a woman whose husband is sleeping with Samantha. Trying to fix things, she offers Samantha a threeway. She declines.

Katie Finneran: (#2) The 2002 Tony winner plays a friend of one of Miranda's dates, who reveals a sexual passion for Bing Crosby.

Daniel Gerroll: (#4 and #14) The Enchanted April star plays Jack, a.k.a. Mr. Marvelous, an obnoxious friend of Mr. Big's.

Anita Gillette: (#45) The stage vet plays Mrs. Adams, smothering mom to Carrie's young comic bookstore owner boyfriend.

Kate Jennings Grant: (#7) Grant, probably best known for her work in Proof and Summer of '42, plays Allison Roth, a "self-important bitch" who's seen on a date with Miranda's ex, Skipper.

Julie Halston: (#74) The Gypsy funny lady plays Bitsy Von Muffling, a socialite who marries a flamboyant lounge singer. (Nathan Lane, see below.)

Valerie Harper: (#27) The recent Allergist's Wife star plays Wallis Vaughn, the intellectual mom of one of Carrie's boyfriends, who Carrie falls for more than her son.

Charles Keating: (#5) Recently seen off-Broadway in A Man of No Importance, Keating plays Neville Morgan, a famous artist who does a portrait of Charlotte's vagina.

Maggie Lacey: (#59) The Our Town fresh face plays a hostess at a hot Gramercy restaurant who has to inform Carrie and boyfriend Aidan that there's even a waiting list for the bar.

LaChanze: (#39) The musical theater fave plays a lunchtime hostess at Eleven Madison Park, where Mr. Big tells Carrie that he's engaged.

Nathan Lane: (#74) Tony winner Lane plays presumably-gay Bobby Fine, whose announcement of marriage to a socialite (Julie Halston, see above) confuses the tri-state area.

Carol Lawrence: (#36) The West Side Story legend plays an annoyed neighbor in Samantha's East Side building who is fed up with her late night visitors.

James Lecesne: (#16) The lithe funny man plays Nevin, the assistant photo editor at New York Magazine that helped Carrie disastrously get on the cover of the tome.

Lisa Leguillou: (#68) The talented thespian (recently seen in Frankie and Johnny on Broadway) plays a "Woman in Love" at a self-help seminar.

Lou Liberatore: (#3) The Burn This Tony nominee plays Lou, one-half of a gay couple that asks Carrie to donate one of her "top-notch" eggs.

Jose Llana: (#50) In a non-speaking role, the Flower Drum Song star plays Damian, an effeminate hanger-on to fashion show producer Lynne Cameron (Margaret Cho).

Jodi Long: (#18) The Flower Drum Song star plays Patty Aston, an uptown lesbian that puts Charlotte in her place.

Spiro Malas: (#20) Mr. Big and Carrie run into The Most Happy Fella lead at a Greenwich Village Italian restaurant where he plays Carlo, the crooning maitre de.

Aasif Mandvi: (#56) Ali Hakim from Broadway's last Oklahoma!'s plays the Tekserve employee who breaks the news to Carrie that her laptop's motherboard is fried.

Sally Mayes: (#59) The recent Urban Cowboy standout plays a nurse in the abortion clinic where Miranda considers the fate of her unborn baby.

Anne Meara: (#68) The Broadway vet appears as Steve's Queens mother who insists that Miranda have their baby Brady baptized.

Rachel Miner: (#29) The up-and-comer (last seen in Blue Surge at the Public) plays Lauren Harris, a young, virginal protégé of Carrie.

Susan Misner: (#55) The former chorus girl (one of the "Cell Block Tango" ladies in the Chicago flick) plays a bartender named Shayna who hangs out with Aidan, to Carrie's dismay.

Matthew Morrison: (#16) The Hairspray heartthrob is a waiter at an outdoor café where Carrie dines alone.

Keira Naughton: (#13) The actress (last seen in Roses in December opposite dad, James) appears in a montage about the rules of breaking up.

Novella Nelson: (#12) The stage regular plays Madame Lordes, a sham fortune teller that Charlotte visits looking for answers.

Sean Palmer: (#70 and #74) Broadway's last Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever stars as Marcus, chorus boyfriend of Carrie's gay friend Stanford.

Amy Sedaris: (#68, #70 and #71) The offbeat comedienne (and Parker's Wonder of the World co-star) plays Courtney, a publishing exec who helps guide Carrie's book publishing debut.

Marian Seldes: (#12) The theatrical legend guest stars as Mr. Big's mother, who Big begrudgingly introduces Carrie to after she spies on them in church.

Marilyn Sokol: (#14) The Jewish comedienne and stage vet is celebrated psychologist Dr. Velma Rubin, who treats Samantha and her not so well-hung boyfriend.

Phyllis Somerville: (#5) The stage pro (memorably seen in The Spitfire Grill) plays Gertrude Morgan, wife of Charlotte's painter friend (see Charles Keating, above).

Jodi Stevens: (#25) The Urban Cowboy gal appears in a montage about playing games to make a relationship work.

Jane Summerhays: (#46) The musical theater regular is Claire Anne, a sexual Southern broad who befriends Samanatha but is ultimately too wild even for her!

Mary Testa: (#72) The 42nd Street cut-up plays a brassy singer aggressively performing "All that Jazz" at a cabaret club.

Missed some of these cameos? The Seasons One (Episodes 1-12), Two (13-30), Three (31-48) and Four (49-66) of Sex and the City are available on VHS and DVD. And find out more about at Hollywood.com's special microsite dedicated to the show.

That's it for now. Keep those e-mails coming--I'll take some letters in next week's column. Talk to you then.

Paul Wontorek
Editor-in-Chief

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