By Seth Rudetsky
22 May 2007

This happens all the time. Rebecca Luker told me (if you're reading this, brava on the current Tony nomination!) that her agent said they didn't want to see her for Marion Paroo in The Music Man, but she begged him to get her an audition anyway. Of course, she wound up getting the part and getting a Tony nomination. Thank goodness she pushed. Also, Terrence Mann wanted to play Javert in Les Miz, but they would only see him for the role of Enjolras. He told me at a Chatterbox that he gave in and went to the audition for Enjolras, but wore all black, slicked his hair back and sang a serious, heavy song. Terry said that during his audition, he saw the composer behind the table look at the person next to him and mouth "Enjolras?" while shaking his head. Then he pointed to Terry's picture, nodded and mouthed, "Javert"! Terry got the part and a Tony nomination. Actors take note: If you feel that you're right for a role, push until you get an audition. You'll probably get the part and get a Tony nomination — or be blacklisted from every major casting director's rolodex.

Wednesday was a day of panic. I really wanted a Tony nominee for my Thursday Chatterbox but kept putting off calling anybody because I knew everybody'd be so busy. I decided to call Legally Blonde's Laura Bell Bundy at 1:45 before the Wednesday matinee and had my whole schmooze pre-planned to leave on her cell phone. Well, instead a message I got a high-pitched "Hello?"! I was flummoxed and said, "Why are you answering the phone instead of getting into a fierce lace front wig?!" Instead of hanging up, she graciously agreed to do the interview, and she was adorable. She has such a great personality, and although we differ in age (Let's just say May-December . . . of the following year), we both have reflux! I asked her why reflux seems to be so prevalent now, and she thinks it's because of Starbucks coffee. It is crazily strong. I have to pour a ton of half-and-half into my Tall half caf just to change it from black to black-ish.

Laura Bell also talked about doing the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless when she was a kid, and her understudies were Natalie Portman and Britney Spears. That's a lot of star power sitting backstage and being bitter. Laura Bell assured that they were "super nice and not bitter," and I assured her that the Brooklyn Bridge is for sale. She also said that she turned down two pilots to do Legally Blonde, and I say brava! I love someone who puts Broadway above TV. It seems that so many people do Broadway just to get to TV. To do what, I ask? An amazing episode of "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place"?

This weekend I saw Deuce with my mother. The whole time I kept looking at Angela Lansbury thinking, "She used to sing 'Open a New Window' eight times a week. So cool!" It was pretty amazing to see her with Marian Seldes. There's a moment in the show where Michael Mulheren references them and says we won't see women like this again. It seemed like such an homage to their talent and history that I immediately started crying. And then tried to mask it because I knew my mother would be mad at me for not carrying around those portable Kleenex tissue packets.

OK, one more bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. As the "hilarious" refrigerator magnet says, "My Diet Starts Tomorrow."

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(Seth Rudetsky is the host of "Seth's Big Fat Broadway" on SIRIUS Satellite Radio and the author of "The Q Guide to Broadway." He has played piano in the orchestras of 15 Broadway musicals, and he can be contacted by visiting www.sethsbroadwaychatterbox.com.)

Marian Seldes and Angela Lansbury in Deuce.
photo by Joan Marcus

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