First Casting Ideas

Marcia Gay Harden could be Julia, and Claire Danes could be Claudie. Rachel Bilson could be Lauren. Bonnie could be a British actress (Emily Mortimer), no, that actress who plays Lars' sister-in-law in Lars and the Real Girl. Tracy would be played by Rachel Aniston or Jenna Elfman. Emma Thompson would be Clare. Chris would be played by Robert de Niro, Chazz Paminteri, or Al Pacino. Noelle would be played by Naomi Wyatt, and an English actress whose name I can't remember would play Eliz. Liz would be Emily Blunt, and a heavier Renee Zellweger could do Jennifer. Elizabeth Peña plays Valeria and Jada Pinkett Smith is Deborah.

This might be a better series than a movie, simply because life does go on at t he opera. If I had been around when SJ was there, I might have a better writing perspective, though I could just make it up. So SJ would be somebody smart, brunette, glasses wearing, medium-robust build, calm looking. Hmmm . . We need someone for Jessica, for Daryl, for José, Jennifer, Steven, Marilyn, Michael Brumage, Maureen, Rob . . .

Anecdotes: Diana Larsen and her desire for Rob to teach a master class to her little students; Mark Rucker and his endless demands, changes, need for help; Brenda and the airline; Mary, Ryan, and somebody; becoming aware of C & C; the holiday party; losing Tony Griffey; Tyrone's death; various parties; Barbara's moods; pets at the opera; dates with operaman; Brenda and Lauren, and so much more!

Screenplay

Beginning: The opera as it was. Who is telling this story? Is there voiceover or do we just see the narrator? Someone for Babs, Cris, etc. We could jump from person to person, but then we wouldn't have good character development and the audience wouldn't care about the characters. The cameos cold be short but meaningful. Who are the stars? I could be Emma. The story could be told from the pov of Jada, Cristine, and Claire. Jada would account for Elizabeth, Al, Naomi,
Claire would account for Faye Grant, Rachel Bilson, Emily Mortimer, and the uncast males.
Cristine would account for everyone else.

Open at front desk. Sunny day late August. Singers come in one by one, at different times thru-out day. We could show different people at the front desk when the singers come in.

It could have a static structure where a lot of what happened was in the lobby. Ticket sales, interactions, audition waiting room, yoga practice, photo shoots, putting up art inside and out, paint staging area.

Interior: Office

How to spend time

When you are a writer, you have to decide if you are going to talk to people you know or write about people you know. It is a lonely life. But if you are staying home anyway, writing is a productive way to pass time, and therapeutic too.

A new season

We start with Boheme. Two beautiful female singers, two very different looking leading men, a relatively younger character actor, an older character actor, the conductor and the director; the last is the one I know the least. So what will happen this year? Musetta is single and could hook up with one of her co-stars. Mimi is married and will stay with her husband. I can hang out with Ryan. The conductor brought a family; the director I don't know anything about. Not feeling much sexual tension in this group. Everyone is hooked up except Musetta.

Last year there was some POSA romance; who knows what will transpire this year?

Casting/Directing/Influence

Where is that post in which I discuss the dramatic tension at the opera? The one that is supposed to be the basis for the screenplay or series? What is going on so far? Rachel and Al are ongoing . . . Emile H. is a vegetarian . . . Minnie is big and tall . . . Rachel Adams is ambitious, acts privileged, is fun, talks a lot . . .Gael is the senior now, Señor Suave . . . Zellweger is pissy as usual, her bossy Zellweger self . . . Naomi is looking very sexy with her Brigitte Bardot hair . . . Guy from 30 Rock is an uptight snot . . . Kate Winslet is a comfort . . .

I have to not superimpose what I hear onto the people about whom I hear them. Let Shirley be Shirley no matter what anybody says . . . and that goes for everyone . . .

Erik is fun, Stanley Tucci could play him. Michael could be Philip Seymour Hoffman. Did I say James yet? James would be David Spade. Omigod, how much fun could this be?!!! I'm thinking The Devil Wears Prada meets Robert Altman-type cameothon. It would take a very influential, very up-and-coming director/producer . . . Sofia Coppola would be perfect.

Why?

Do you like opera? Have you been? If you think about it at all, what do you picture? The opera world is populated with beautiful women and sexy men. Pavarotti was "The Voice," but he was not "The Body." That would be Ryan MacPherson, maybe Arturo C-C or J.D. Florez, all modern opera singers. The fat lady isn't nearly as common as she was 50 years ago. Even the "old" opera singers--Beverly Sills, Marilyn Horne, Joan Sutherland--weren't fat.

So, it is time to think of the story to tell. It doesn't have to be a big story, just juicy and compelling. Clare is Emma Thompson and Chris is Al Pacino or that Mexican Xavier something, or Antonio Banderas or Javier Bardem. Pamela South can be Susan Sarandon? Angelica Huston? Jennifer Hammontree can be Cathy Bates or Renee Zellweger a younger version of her. Ginger can be Jennifer Goodwin or Cristine Ebersole. Lynne would be Cloris Leachman or Ellen Burstyn and Valeria would be Elizabeth Peña. Laura would be Meryl Streep or Hilary Swank, or too bad Lois Fletcher who played Nurse Ratchet isn't still around. She would be a perfect Laura.

It seems like I began to cast this movie in a different blog. Time to incorporate.

Would it not be great if I wanted to write so much that it threatened my job because I took so much time doing it? It would be a lot more rewarding than play Sl & MW for 2 hours a day. I would love to see things in a humorous way. Like when Claudie and Julia whisper after I have left the room. It's high school at Hampton Opera Center. How can I make that funny? Who would play them in a movie? Marcia Gay Harden could be Julia, and Claire Danes could be Claudie. Rachel Bilson could be Lauren. Bonnie could be a British actress, no, that actress who plays Lars' sister-in-law in Lars and the Real Girl. Tracy would be played by Rachel Aniston or Jenna Elfman. Chris would be played by Al pacino. Emma Thompson would be Clare. Noelle would be played by Naomi Wyatt, and an English actress whose name I can't remember would play Eliz. Liz would be Emily Blunt, and a heavier Renee Zellweger could do Jennifer. Elizabeth Peña plays Valeria and Jada Pinkett Smith is Deborah.

Volunteer Party

Volunteer Party

8/30/09 I like going to parties where I have duties; they keep me on the straight and narrow. We had a party like that today at Nostrana, a volunteer party. I took pictures and talked to people: volunteers, colleagues, et. al,.  I had a pretty good time, but I was aware that I was on duty. Some people are so grim, like JJ Leigh. She probably means well, but she is serious. Rachel is fun; Al is smitten; Jude is entertaining; Patty is good at her job. It turned out to be a pretty day. Minnie sang a forgettable song and then Dinah's aria from T in T. Gael sang Largo al factotum and Grenada. Babydoll stayed in the truck.

Mother gave me good advice re: the receptions. Send a note to Jada. Say we need a meeting, or tell her I want to do food. As it turns out, no more food for Jada. The English girl--Jane Leeves, Helena Bonham Carter, Sherry Lunghi, Emily Mortimer is taking over and has Cristine Ebersole working with her.