On December. 11, 2008, NYC’s ‘Roundabout Theatre’ debuted a classic musical play, called Pal Joey. Within that play were several talented and exciting actors. Among them; Martha Plimpton (yes, of Goonies fame) as Gladys Bumps, a Broadway newcomer named Matthew Risch (portraying lead, Joey Evans), and Miss Stockard Channing (whom I am certain you recall from many of my other postings in various parts of the web), as the lovely vixen Vera Simpson.

Having never been to a play on Broadway (or in this case off Broadway, because the venue was just slightly smaller to accomodate the size of an audience that is considered to be a Broadway play), let alone the city of New York, I decided that my desire to see Stockard Channing live and in person far outweighed my anxiety and fear of a huge, unknown, strange place. So, I bought a few tickets, with every intent of going to this fascinating city, and becoming more experienced and worldly, and… meeting my favorite star. Yes, that was the goal of the entire trip, to meet Stockard Channing. Though the play is no longer, my experience that night was so gratifying, I must relate one of the greatest nights of my life. So, here goes…

Do not allow the title of this blog to mislead you, Joey was most definitely not a pal of mine. In fact, Joey wasn’t even a pal of himself! He was a cad with big dreams, a wild imagination, smooth moves, fancy dance steps, and most importantly good looks. Oh, he was also a smooth talker, too, because that was how he got most of what he wanted. What Joey wanted, you see, was to own his very own nightclub in the fab 40’s in Chicago. Since Joey was such a cad and basically a jerk, he has burned many bridges in his young life. In fact, the very first scene in the play is Joey being thrown out of a club. Due to this, he finds it difficult to both find-and keep- jobs, even with his smooth steppin moves. He does find a job, as an entertainer in a night-club, where he runs into a former friend (girl-friend, perhaps), turned foe, fast talking, street-wise, aging dancer, Gladys Bumps. While Joey imagines that this could be a new start for him, he screws it up again! This time, after a performance, he engages in a little risque conversation with a wealthy older woman (Vera Simpson), in which he makes a few over the line sexual comments toward her that causes her to storm out of the slum establishment where he is employed. The ‘proprietor’ of the club fires Joey for running the most prestigeous customer from the club. In pursuit of keeping his job, he chases after Vera, making her promise to return, because he made a deal with his boss that if she returned, he would regain his job. Meanwhile, he has also met and is romancing a sweet simple girl, Linda English (played by newcomer Jenny Fellner).

Joey the cad becomes Vera’s lover, while her husband is in absence, and begins weidling her money all over town. He pretends to love Vera, encased in her swanky mansion between satin sheets, and pretends to be falling for Ms. English, who is stuck working for a tailor’s shop where Joey’s sexy, older lover furnishes him a new wardrobe for the club that he will be opening on Vera’s dime.

It’s a classic love triangle, though nobody is really in love with anyone. Vera and Linda eventually catch on to Joey’s game, and plot against him, leaving him in ruins, and right back where he started, as the play draws to a close.

Now, Stockard Channing is 65 years…young. But one certainly wouldn’t know that looking at her, in fact, people argue that if mentioned to them. She is beautiful, her figure is svelte, her waist slim, her decollatage overflowing, her acting abilities are impeccable. In short, the woman is amazing. She is a five foot 3 (if that) powerhouse that has a presence of some sort of immortal stage goddess. She sings, and though that is not her specialty, the woman can do it quite well. Her voice does not waver, her pitch flows with the instrumental music, and she hits her notes quite on cue. Personally, I love it when she sings (I hope for it in all of her performances, but sadly, do not always get rewarded with it). She very perfectly brings to life Vera Simpson, and quickly endears her to the audience. She is, after all a victim. Albeit tantalizingly or smartly dressed, but a victim nontheless.

Stockard Channing is just plain amazing.

After the show, during which I sat, mesmerized and awed by Channing’s amazing talent, my cousin and I slipped out a back door and raced to where we would, in fact meet Stockard Channing. I was fortunate enough to get her autograph, get my picture taken with her (for posterity’s sake), and hug her like a foolish little stalker. It was quite frankly, amazing. For me, not likely so much for her (how humbling for me).

After I got home, with my prized autographed playbill clutched tightly to my side during my trek, I gathered a few small momento’s (another playbill, a copy of the 8×10 photo of she and I together, a West Wing DVD insert), along with a small token of my affection, and a very short, but sweet nicely written letter of thanks, and mailed them along with a self addressed postage paid envelope to the Roundabout theatre to Miss Channing requesting those items to be autographed. A month later, I was shaking with excitement as I opened the envelope that she sent back to me, with all of my items autographed. That was nearly a year ago, and I still shiver with excitement of the thought of that magical weekend, and the once in a life time opportunity that Pal Joey afforded me with.

Man, I love New York. But, I love Stockard Channing more.