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Edward Albee and Me
By Steven Fales | June 28, 2010
I was at an awards ceremony once where Edward Albee was receiving a life-time achievement award. After Elaine Stritch spoke (I worked with her once at a theatre in Connecticut–but that’s another blog entry!), I went up to Edward Albee’s table. It was that part of the evening where dessert is being served and before Edward Albee would receive his award. For those who don’t know he’s considered the greatest living American playwright. I went up to him with my Mormon audacity and interrupted his raspberry tort.
As if I were a missionary again I smiled, “Hello, Mr. Albee. Thank you for being so extraordinary. I’m a gay Mormon playwright.”
He looked up at me with a raised eyebrow and a look of near contempt, “How do you reconcile THAT?”
Without missing a beat I said, “I’m an Oxy-Mormon.”
He paused and then raised his other eyebrow with slightly less disdain and near approval, “Very good!”
I proceeded to tell him all about my show, Confessions of a Mormon Boy, opening in New York. He guaranteed me that he would be in London for my entire open-ended run. Well, not exactly. But I was glad to plug my show and meet him. And he seemed to be glad to get back to his dessert, survive another fan, accept yet another award, and get home.
I better start reading more of his plays! They didn’t teach Edward Albee at BYU. Or Tony Kushner. (Kushner is a whole other blog entry as well!)
Topics: Confessions of a Mormon Boy, Steven Fales | No Comments »