Mon, Aug 12, 1985
Spalding Gray discusses his experiences working as a professional theater actor while sitting at a desk or table in the same manner as many of his filmed and theatrically released monologues. Each play's name is written on a little card that he has on a stand on the table. Some of the productions were very avant garde and had directors with strange ideas. In one, he was ostensibly cast in a major role, but then another actor was cast to play him, playing that role. Meanwhile, he stood backstage, saying things like, "peas and carrots.' to suggest a crowded setting. In another play, based on "The Tower of Babel" story from the Bible, he and the rest of the cast did a kind of monotone plainchant before, and while climbing on top of eachother to do make a human pyramid. The pyramid would collapse, then they walked away from eachother, each making a different silly noise. Somehow (he didn't know) they were booked at an elementary school in a small town in the South. They were arrested for (IIRC) "Making a fleshy pile," and other charges, and were legally forbidden to perform in that town again. He also mentions having known Dustin Hoffman and Henry Winkler before they were famous.