Celebrity Traffic Jam

Every now and again, working a second job at the Guthrie box office isn't so bad.

Don't get me wrong. My co-workers are fun. I need the extra money. And it's nice to get a little free theater out of it.

But always having one job or another or both every day of the week can wear you down sometimes.

However, the other night was kind of fun.

I just got trained to work at the window, processing tickets and dealing with people face to face and not just on the phone.

And Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance, who are the leads in the next Guthrie mainstage production, His Girl Friday, came to see the current mainstage show, She Loves Me.

I didn't wait on them. Courtney Vance came to another window, and Angela Bassett came in by the stage door so there was less chance of a fuss. But they both came out into the lobby at intermission and they were clearly enjoying the show. It's funny, but I always expect people to be taller for some reason. For me, the camera doesn't add ten pounds, it adds three feet. They're both such imposing presences on screen, I guess I pictured giants in my head or something. Weird. He's a handsome man, and she, well, I'm still gay and everything but she is just stunning. They were both just out to see a show, no big deal. But she just glows. She's lovely. And it's even more apparent when she smiles. They're just a sweet couple. Makes me look forward to His Girl Friday all the more.

The person I did get to wait on was John Guare.

I just turn around and there he is saying, "Ticket for John Guare?"

It's nice that we have to turn our back to the window to pick the tickets out of the rack because it gives one a chance to have whatever momentary freak out one needs to get out of their system before turning back to face the customer.

This man's writing has seriously influenced the way I write, the way I think about theater and what it's capable of. "Landscape of the Body" and "Six Degrees of Separation" are two of my top ten plays of all time (right next to a couple from Chekhov, Shakespeare and Tony Kushner). This man has written incredibly funny and powerful work and managed to make a life for himself in the theater. It's all very inspiring.

But what do you say, really? You've got about ten seconds and then it's on to the next customer in line.

"Here's your ticket. Enjoy the show."

I hope he did.

(For more of my writing - plays, past blog entries and more - visit www.matthewaeverett.com)