A Golden Memory
Posted the evening of the Golden Globes:I had one of those weird "a-ha" moments just now, when, while cleaning, a wonderful memory returned. One of the best nights of my life, EVER, happened in February 1993. I have been a fan of Stephen Sondheim as long as I can remember, so when I heard they were doing a one-night only, 20th anniversary original cast reunion performance of COMPANY at the Long Beach Terrace Theater, I immediately bought two tickets. My good friend at the time, Cheryl Dolins, was also a Sondheim fan, and we couldn't wait to go.Another friend, Gary Kalkin, called just after we'd bought the tickets, and invited me to the Golden Globes after-party; I was crushed at the conflict. He said to stop by afterward, if we could, and at least say hello.
Cheryl and I loved COMPANY, and I was amazed, watching Dean Jones perform "Being Alive", at how pitch perfect and emotionally charged his performance was, 20 years later. The entire cast was phenomenal, and goes down in history as my favorite night ever in a theater, bar none.Exhilarated, Cheryl and I rushed back to LA. Walking up the red carpet at the Beverly Hilton, there were a few photographers, trying to figure out if we were "someones" and, to us, we felt we were. When we got to the check in desk, the woman apologized, saying the party was just about over, but if we wanted to still go in for a quick drink, we could. Dejected to have gotten there so late, we still went it, looking for Gary. There were only about 12 people in the entire room. Aside from Gary, there was Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Al Pacino, and Rodney Dangerfield. Cheryl and I were completely beside ourselves, hovering with the others around the few platters of food left, but kept acting as if hanging out with this crowd was an everyday occurrence.
Cheryl and I have sadly lost touch, and Gary died of AIDS just a year or so later.I hadn't thought of this in years, but just did. That was exactly 20 years ago. Thank you, brain cells, for reminding me...
Just a few of the brilliant lyrics...
ROBERT:Phone rings,Door chimes,In comesCompany!No strings,Good times,Room hums,Company!Late nights,Quick bites,Party games,Deep talks,Long walks,Telephone calls.Thoughts shared,Souls bared,Private names,All thosePhotosUp on the walls--"With love.""With love" filling the days,"With love" seventy ways,"To Bobby with love"From all those good and crazy people, my friends!Those good and crazy people, my married friends!And that's what it's all about, isn't it?That's what it's really about,Really about!