STAGES
Torsten Hillhouse, Marcy McGuigan, and Brenny Rabine
photos Richard Lovrich
A FAMILY SECRET
“I love Polly,”
Ellen Parker beams. She should. She
is Polly. Polly Wyeth, matriarch of the
complex California clan at the heart of Jon Robin Baitz’s Broadway smash
OTHER DESERT CITIES.
“She’s just a mother lioness,” Parker says. “Her whole life is her family.
She’s so smart. It’s really complicated for her though. It’s hard. This thing
that happens in her family twists her in a way, but I love her.”
“This thing” is a secret that’s been twisting the family just as much as
Polly for over 30 years. And when prodigal daughter Brooke flies in from
New York with news of her revealing new memoir, it threatens to break
the family even further.
“She’s very articulate and very funny,” Parker says about her charge. “She
does have, I guess, what you’d call a strong facade. And yet she’s very
honest. As much as she’s keeping this secret, she’s really terribly honest.”
Parker has played strong women before. In fact, she is best known for
an eight-year Emmy Award-winning run as Maureen Reardon Bauer on
CBS’ THE GUIDING LIGHT. She’s also been on Broadway in THE HEIDI
CHRONICLES, PLENTY, and EQUUS; and starred as Ethel Kennedy in the
1983 made-for-television mini-series KENNEDY.
But Polly is the kind of role she loves, something she can sink her teeth
into, like that lioness.
Acting on stage, she says, is very different than being a TV star.
Ellen Parker and Kevin McGuire
“I miss certain aspects of daytime very much,” she admits, with a
thoughtful pause. “I miss the friendships that develop over time and the
community that you have.”
“But, I don’t really miss daytime TV itself. It’s changed so much. It’s not
what it was at all when I was doing it, and I really am more of a theatre
person anyway. It’s a different rhythm; it’s a different set of muscles.
OTHER DESERT CITIES
It’s related to the stage, but so much of what you do in daytime is
instinctive, because you have to do it so fast. It’s just the opposite of
what happens to you when you do a play. You have got to go so far down,
so that when you do it over and over again it comes out of a place that’s
really solid; that’s not just the first thought that comes into your mind,
but the roots of the tree.”
Polly is rooted. That’s for sure.
Parker came to the role through curious circumstances.
In February, she attended the opening of old friend Michael Bush’s THE
COMPANY OF BIKEMAN: A 9/11 PLAY. They met while working together at
the Manhattan Theatre Club in the late 70s, while both were just making
their marks.
“I hugged him and said hello,” Parker says, “and he turned around and
said, ‘would you like to do Other Desert Cities in Albany?’ I said, ‘Call me.’”
Bush did, and she said yes. Oddly, it’s the first time they’ve worked
together. It’s also Parker’s first time at theREP, although she worked once
with the company’s founding artistic director, Bruce Bouchard, in the
wild and woolly James Joyce Memorial Liquid Theatre.
While Parker has spent her entire professional life in New York, she’s also
had Hudson Valley digs in Ulster County for over 20 years.
“I’m not ready to give up the city yet,” she says, “but Chichester is where
my heart is.”
Parker has strong local ties, too, through her family’s restaurants.
Many Capital Repertory Theatre subscribers will fondly remember dining
at the popular Saratoga County bistro Chez Sophie. Sophie Parker (who
died in 2001) was Ellen’s mother.
Looking back on sumptuous home-cooked meals, many based on
international cuisines, Parker sighs, remarking, “She had the ability to
taste something and know what was in it. She loved to cook. It was her
way of expressing love.”
Parker, who was born in Paris but grew up in Croton-on-Hudson, wore out
some shoes at Chez Sophie, which opened in Hadley just as she entered
college.
“I came home from school and worked as a waitress, and every night
after work we would go through what went wrong and what went right
and get ready for the next day. In the fall, I would go back to college
and then, when I actually graduated from college, I went on to become a
waitress in New York City because that’s what all actors did.”
While she’s in town with Other Desert Cities, Parker plans to visit her
brother Paul’s new Glens Falls restaurant, Rare Earth Wine Bar.
“I’m very connected to my family,” she says.
Just like Polly.
SEP 26 – OCT 19
STAGES
SPECIAL EVENTS
POE TO GO
October 14-31
This October we’re thrilled to bring back
PURE POE - a favorite of our area teachers.
This On-the-GO! production introduces
students to the inventor of the murder
mystery, Edgar Allan Poe, and his wonderful
tale THE RAVEN. Starring Wynn Harmon,
the originator of the eponymous role, this
is the perfect show for the season.
Three Stories from America’s Master Storyteller
To book a performance contact Katherine
Stephens, Education Program Manager.
518.382.3884 x168
[email protected].
MEMBERSHIP
Benjamin Mapp, Gizel Jimenez, Correy West and Justin Scott Brown
photos Richard Lovrich
Kate Hetteshimer, David Kenner, Greg Borucki
NEXT ACT!
BE THE FIRST
NEXT ACT! New Play Festival 3
November 1-3
Entering its 3rd year, NEXT ACT! has
brought 8 new shows to theREP and
PROCTORS, introducing us to new
playwrights, directors and actors.
• 300+ submissions
• 4 new plays
• 3 days of events & readings
NEXT ACT! is your chance to be part of the
artistic process!
Capitalrep.org for tickets and information
photo by Richard Lovrich
OTHER DESERT CITIES
STAGES SPONSOR
sentron associates
mail processing center
DID YOU KNOW?
ONLY
55%
Did you know that ticket income
pays for only 55% of the cost of
running theREP? YOUR SUPPORT
DOES THE REST. Become a member
today! Contact the Development
Office to find out how.
518.462.4531 x 169
GROUP SALES
GET THE GROUP
ADVANTAGE!
SAVE Gather your friends, clients,
colleagues or club members to form a
group and save!
EASY Our group policies make the buying
process virtually risk free!
• The best seats
• The best prices ...
... plus extended payment terms
and lots more fun!
518.382.3884 capitalrep.org/groups
Wynn Harmon
OPENING NIGHT
Tue Sep 30
Enjoy live jazz music from guitarist Bobbie
Vandetta before the show and meet the
cast at a post-show champagne and dessert
reception.
CHEF’S TABLE
Tue Oct 7
Enjoy live jazz music from Bobbie Vandetta
and light hors d’oeuvres before the show
courtesy of Yono’s/dp An American
Brasserie and La Serre Restaurant.
DISCUSSION NIGHTS
Oct 8 & Wed Oct 15
A post-show discussion with the cast.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES WITH MAGGIE
Sun Oct 19
This series features a pre-show “behind-thescenes” discussion with Producing Artistic
Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill. A light
continental breakfast begins at 12:30pm,
discussion 1-1:30pm and a 2pm curtain.
ON-THE-GO!