The Stuff of Dreams
Miriam Shor, who is currently starring as the recovering addict rock star daughter in Terrence McNally's Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams at Primary Stages, is no stranger to playing parts with attitude. Shor is perhaps best known for her turn in the New York and Los Angeles productions of the rock extravaganza Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She also appeared in award-winning film of the show. Her other theatrical credits include Merrily We Roll Along at the Sondheim Celebration at the Kennedy Center, the Signature Theatre Company's Book of Days and The Threepenny Opera at the Wilma Theatre. Here, Shor lets us in on what it's like to work with legends, her feelings about making a good impression and what the folks at Starbucks are thinking.
OK. So, three things you should know about me before reading this: 1. I'm prone to exaggeration. 2. I'm prone to exaggeration. 3. I NEVER exaggerate. Now, when they asked me to write about my experience working on Terrence McNally's new play Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams, I immediately thought, "Oh my God! Absolutely not! Delve into the intricate details and intimacies involved in the rehearsal process, not to mention the emotional exhaustion of previews? Expose the raw, tortured souls of the artists to the salty intellect of Broadway.com's voracious readers? Good God, no!" But then I thought, "Umm…OK."
So, where to start? The first day of rehearsal I arrived 37 and a half seconds late as usual. I find it sends just the right message. "I'm so busy and important I could barely make it on time. However, I'm so dedicated to my craft that despite the copious engagements, conference calls and autograph signings--here I am!" After greeting every single person in the room with an open mouth kiss, including the interns. Especially the interns, I flung my Givenchy fur-lined cape modestly aside and led the room in several rounds of yogic breathing. A note about the cape: I find this also sends a positive message, "I'm daring, dashing, with a unique kind of old-school charm." Also capes make people think of superheroes.
I'm writing this at Starbuck's, and the people next to me have just interjected that this may not be the best way to approach this article. They do agree with me about the cape, though. I've thanked them for their insight and informed them that the Frappucinos they're drinking have a higher caloric value than five Big Macs put together. Just thought they might want to know. Anyway, maybe they are right. But how do you describe working with Terrence McNally? Nathan Lane? Marian Seldes for Christ's sake? I've taken to calling her Your Royal Majesty, if that gives you any inkling of my level of worship. Actually I make it a point to give nicknames to all my castmates. Nathan "Box Office" Lane, R.E. "Home School" Rodgers, Alison "Joe" Fraser, Darren "Southern Comfort" Pettie, Michael "Friends Romans" Countryman. Friends worried I might feel a bit intimidated working with such great actors, but I assured them that throwing up before rehearsals was actually a very helpful exercise found in Edith Skinner's Voice For the Actor. Then there's Michael Morris, one of the best directors I've ever worked with. If the first time Mr. Morris flashes his humongous baby blues at you, you don't go a bit weak in the knees, there is something physiologically wrong with you and you should seek immediate medical attention. Plus, the man's a genius. In fact, he's so brilliant, I've almost completely forgiven him for being British.
Here's the thing, Terrence McNally has written a beautiful piece of theater about the theater. Starring in it are actors I've revered for years and actors I've come to revere throughout this whole process. So you see, for me, this is the stuff of dreams. I get together with a bunch of people I don't know, and I fall in love with them. We put on our little play, and hopefully it touches people. And that's all I believe Terrence is saying. It's a little thing, and it's everything.