The box office salesman only checked my ID, not my boyfriend's. I look really young (profile picture is Nov. 2010), but he does not.
Jessica Chastain should win some sort of special award for the courteousness she shows her fans. She went above and beyond the call of duty, interacting with fans, chatting up a storm and signing everything presented her, except in the case of one autograph whore who triple-dipped. She smiled at him and said "I already signed for you twice." I freakin' love her!
I asked her a couple of questions which prompted her to ask me if I was studying acting, and when I replied that I was she gave me considered, thoughtful advice. Among what she said was to keep on working as much as possible, even when I feel like important people aren't watching, because in her experience they often were, to her surprise.
How special - she was barraged by throngs of people, and still took time for meaningful conversation, as if it was just as important to her as it was to me. That reminds me of when I had a chance to talk with Marian Seldes in 2009, when I was too young to appreciate it to the degree I now do.
A man shouted out at her "You were better than Olivia!" and she replied to him that it was very kind of him to compliment her,
but that she greatly admires deHavilland's performance. She aced it! She managed to accept the compliment, but gently replace a put-down of another actress with reverence. Wow!
I understand other attendees' remarks about her vocal choices, but the performance was still electric and heartfelt. During her breakdown scene I heard a woman toward the front say, with a creak in her voice, "that's so sad!," several gasps from both genders, and I started to cry - and I only cry when acting is authentic and beyond the ordinary.
I would call this a 'can't miss' production.
Here is a woman who deserves all her success and is destined to go very far. I have never seen her perform at all until today, but will soon take a look at her film work.
2010
Feb. 28 - Looped, Feb. 28 - Next to Normal, March 4 - Hair, March 11 - A Little Night Music, March 24 - Time Stands Still, April 6 - La Cage Aux Folles, April 10 - Anyone Can Whistle (City Center), April 10 - Looped, May 9 - Enron, May 15 - A Little Night Music, May 15 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Little Night Music, June 20 - A Little Night Music, June 23 - Red, June 23 - Sondheim on Sondheim, July 13 - A Little Night Music, July 18 - The Grand Manner (Lincoln Center)