BACKSTAGE WITH DEREK
We had a dear friend named J.J. Coyle and while he was multi-talented, he moonlighted in other jobs. As a member of the Dressers Union he would do various shows on Broadway.
"Breaking the Code," a play by Hugh Whitemore opened on Broadway in mid-November1987 starring the British Actor Derek Jacobi. He had appeared numerous times on Broadway, most notably in a production of "Cyrano de Bergerac," a few years earlier. For that productions, his dresser/assistance was J. J. and they hit it off. Derek even came to see a one-night only, one-man show that J.J. had written (and that's where we first met him). So it followed that Derek asked for
J. J to be on board for the "Code."
J. J. arranged for us to get house seats (good seats to be used at the producers discretion) and to come back stage after the performance to see Derek. It was a brilliant performance and quite demanding. Derek had to speak with a stammer as befitted his real life character, the British mathematician Alan Turin, responsible for solving the German Enigma code.
After the performance, we went backstage and J.J. ushered us in and indicated we should stand aside until the current visitors left.
And the current visitors were Bella Abzug in her customary hat and Shirley MacLaine.
Ms. MacLaine was speaking. "I was amazed at your stuttering. You did it to perfection. No mean feat."
Derek thanked her profusely and a few other words were exchanged. As the two visitors left they both eyed us up and down, most likely wondering if we were anybody they should know.
Once they were gone, Derek greeted us, saying how nice it was to see us again. (J.J. had undoubtedly reminded him of our previous meeting.)
I said something about his performance and the stammer. "So glad you got it," he laughed. "Evidently Shirley doesn't know the difference between a stammer and a stutter."
FYI. A stammer is a pause (as if looking for the right word) and a stutter is an audible attempt to say the word. Ba-ba-ba-Believe me.
A couple of weeks later, I received this photo via J. J. If the inscription is a little hard to read, it says "To LaRue, with love, Derek Jacobi." A genuinely kind man.. And what a talent!
"Breaking the Code," a play by Hugh Whitemore opened on Broadway in mid-November1987 starring the British Actor Derek Jacobi. He had appeared numerous times on Broadway, most notably in a production of "Cyrano de Bergerac," a few years earlier. For that productions, his dresser/assistance was J. J. and they hit it off. Derek even came to see a one-night only, one-man show that J.J. had written (and that's where we first met him). So it followed that Derek asked for
J. J to be on board for the "Code."
J. J. arranged for us to get house seats (good seats to be used at the producers discretion) and to come back stage after the performance to see Derek. It was a brilliant performance and quite demanding. Derek had to speak with a stammer as befitted his real life character, the British mathematician Alan Turin, responsible for solving the German Enigma code.
After the performance, we went backstage and J.J. ushered us in and indicated we should stand aside until the current visitors left.
And the current visitors were Bella Abzug in her customary hat and Shirley MacLaine.
Ms. MacLaine was speaking. "I was amazed at your stuttering. You did it to perfection. No mean feat."
Derek thanked her profusely and a few other words were exchanged. As the two visitors left they both eyed us up and down, most likely wondering if we were anybody they should know.
Once they were gone, Derek greeted us, saying how nice it was to see us again. (J.J. had undoubtedly reminded him of our previous meeting.)
I said something about his performance and the stammer. "So glad you got it," he laughed. "Evidently Shirley doesn't know the difference between a stammer and a stutter."
FYI. A stammer is a pause (as if looking for the right word) and a stutter is an audible attempt to say the word. Ba-ba-ba-Believe me.
A couple of weeks later, I received this photo via J. J. If the inscription is a little hard to read, it says "To LaRue, with love, Derek Jacobi." A genuinely kind man.. And what a talent!
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