Greetings from 33,992 feet. According to the map on the TV set in front of me, we're going 529 miles and we're somewhere over Colorado. I'm on what appears to be a spaceship but is actually a Virgin America plane. Everything on the flight is made of space-age plastic, and the lights above the cabin are purple. Seriously. It's amazing and is helping me prepare for my Jetsons: The Musical audition. I'm joking but cut to a corporate producer just read that and is now inquiring about the rights.

Listen to Seth's Podcast: Brief Encounters With Angela Lansbury and Urshevaid

I'm on part of a coast-to-coast Betty Buckley concert weekend. Last night was in Malibu, and tonight is on Long Island. This has been a week of crazily early plane trips. First, I flew to Toronto on Tuesday on a 7 AM flight. I did a really fun Master Class, tech and then Deconstructing Broadway, and the whole thing was presented by a young producer named Miranda Plant. She then sent me this review, and even though I try not to read reviews, it doesn't mean I can't post 'em in my column! http://www.twisitheatreblog.com/2010/10/reconstructing-seth-rudetsky.html

For dinner beforehand, I met up with Audra McDonald who was in Canada because her boyfriend, Will Swenson, is starring in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. He couldn't meet with us because his tech rehearsal was scheduled well into the night, but Audra and I had delicious sushi. We were both miffed, though, when I got "read" by the waiter. Here's the deal: Whenever I order sushi in New York, I always get shumai (dumplings), but I guess the Japanese restaurant in my neighborhood is special because after I ordered my sushi in Toronto, I then asked for shumai, and a. first he made me repeat myself and b. he then said, in no uncertain terms, "This isn't a dim sum restaurant." That statement was followed by silence and glaring. Suffice it to say, it immediately put the kibosh on me wondering whether I should order won ton soup and an egg roll. Anybody? Nobody.

	Fellow "Beasts" Robbie Benson and Terrence Mann
	photo by Krissie Fullerton

On Wednesday, I had a special Sirius/XM Live On Broadway show celebrating the 20th anniversary of the "Beauty and the Beast" film. I had an amazing array of performers on the show: the film's Paige O'Hara (Belle) and Robbie Benson (The Beast), plus Broadway folk Terrence Mann (The Beast), Gary Beach (Lumiere), Marc Kudisch (who was a Gaston) and Andrea Burns (Belle understudy and full-time broom). Turns out, Robbie Benson is the sweetest person ever. I'd never met him and was so impressed with his gentle demeanor. Yet when I asked him how they manipulated his voice to do the Beast's roar, he told me that it was all him and then he demonstrated it. Terrifying. And phlegmy.

Kudisch relayed the story about watching a Mrs. Potts, (the teapot) take a tumble during the show. Usually, when an actor falls during a show, they are mortified and then they pop right back up again. Well, unfortunately, the Tea Pot costume allows no leverage because one arm is a handle and one is a spout. So, all she could do once she was on the ground was roll back and forth. That's right, the audience got five minutes of a woman rolling around the stage. Well, at least the kids at that matinee got a sample of the kind of performance art I had to put with when I went to Oberlin.

Paige remembered performing on the Oscars the year the title song was nominated. She was backstage with Angela Lansbury who was going to introduce the song and right before, Angela told Paige that she was nervous. Paige was in shock that a woman with so many years in the business would be nervous. Angela then told her that because she had so many years in the business, she knew when you were supposed to be nervous, and now was one of the those times! But she followed that by telling Paige, "Although, if I had a voice like yours, I wouldn't be nervous at all." How sweet! And, speaking of Angela, Julie James (who produces the show) set up a "surprise" for me; a phone hook-up with Angela! She had hurt her foot so she couldn't be at the venue, but Julie arranged it so I could talk to her. It was so exciting! In theory. In actuality, this is pretty much what happened:

JULIE: Seth, you are now on the phone with Angela Lansbury!
SETH: Ah! So excited!
JULIE: Ms. Lansbury, is that you?
ANGELA LANSBURY: Yes!
Audience applauds
SETH: This is thrilling! I can't believe I'm actually on the phone with you!
Click Dial tone.

It was hi-larious. The phone connection cut out at the exact moment for full comedy. And it literally sounded like she hung up. Of course, I'm assuming it was "phone connection" problem. Hmm….The whole thing was actually filmed! Watch it here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG6v7U8pu6s

Robby Benson, Paige O'Hara, Gary Beach and Terrence Mann

photo by Krissie Fullerton