Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

So, are you sick of hearing about the plays I went to and the famous people I've been meeting? If you are....I'd skip this blog post because last night Maggie and I went to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It was an all star cast (who I'll get to) and directed by Debbie Allen, who chose to make it an all black cast which I thought completely worked. I knew nothing about the play but it is about a family in the South who has come home to celebrate Big Daddy's birthday. However, everyone except Big Daddy and Big Mama know that Big Daddy is dying of cancer. Anyway, as it is Tennessee Williams, who I am convinced never believed that any sort of relationship could work or be healthy, the ending was unhappy and ambiguous. But the performances were fantastic. Adrian Lester played Brick, one of Big Daddy's sons. I know him from the TV show Hustle and two Kenneth Branaugh Shakespeare movies and I'm a huge fan of his, so it was really cool to see him. But the best performance of the night, no question, was Big Daddy who was played by James Earl Jones. Now, you think his voice is impressive as Darth Vader, but can you imagine how cool it is in a live theatre? Needless to say, it carries extremely well. He was fantastic and extremely funny (he even made Adrian Lester laugh when he wasn't supposed to, which just made the audience laugh even more). Of course, Maggie and I waited by the stage door after the show. Adrian Lester was really nice and talked with us for a little while and of course, we both got pictures with him. James Earl Jones only did autographs, no pictures. I was pretty disgusted with the people waiting with us because they had all brought pictures of Darth Vader for him to sign. However, it made him like me when I came up with my program. Okay, I know this is nerdy, but I had a really cool conversation with him and the best way to do it is this way:

Me: Hi. (Hand him program)

James Earl Jones (JEJ): Hello. Oh, you actually saw the show!

Me: Yes, of course. It was really good and I really enjoyed it.

JEJ: Good. Where are you from?

Me: The U.S.

JEJ: New York?

Me: No, Minnesota.

JEJ: Are you a student here?

Me: Yes.

JEJ: And are you studying theatre?

Me (Laughing a little): No, I wish. I'm actually studying English Literature.

JEJ: That's even better! It'll broaden your horizons. (Hands back program). Thank you for coming.

Me: Thank you!

So, as I said, sorry for being nerdy and doing the word by word conversation, but when James Earl Jones tells you that being an English Literature major is cool, you kinda have to brag a little. Now I have a fantastic response if anyone ever asks me why I would want to be an English major. I'll simply tell them that James Earl Jones told me it would broaden my horizons. :)