“It’s problematic,” my millennial co-star whispered grimly. “The misogyny in this musical.” “Which moment of misogyny?” I asked cautiously. We were sitting in the corner of the theater, on the first day of rehearsal for the current revival of
Scenes from an Acting Life
More Writing by Melissa
English Edition, expanded from her New York Times memoir published in January 2019 As first published in La Regle Du Jeu I can still hear Michel Legrand’s voice in my head: “Melissa! Hurry! Come!” This was morning at the
Transcendental Meditation is a demanding companion. I started TM just a year ago because, outwardly, enough people told me I should; and inwardly, because I knew I needed something deep within to slow down the speed of my mind
Mr. Stephen Sondheim recently came backstage after the final performance at the 92 Street Y Lyrics & Lyricists production of Wordplay, written and hosted by Ted Chapin, gracing us all with warmth and positivity. With due reverence and never taking his presence for
The first time I sang for Stephen Sondheim I was in the bath. Raul Esparza and I were doing Sunday in the Park with George at the Kennedy Center, and I played Dot, who is a painter’s model to
Being an actor is a hard life, and a strange life. But those of us who are musical theater actors cannot imagine our lives, cannot imagine the experience of being an actor at all, without the influence of Stephen