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I hope will turn out good in rehearsal. Both
times I've done that the shows became decidedly
worse instead of better. In the case of
"Gentlewoman" (about which you asked) I had
turned down the script several months previous
saying that if they would cut out several tons
of allegory and get someone like Iva Claire
for the lead I would be glad to do it. I chose
"Ragged Army" instead because the part was so
completely different and mainly because of my
faith in the director. Rehearsals were postponed
for five weeks, the director walked out in disgust
and was replaced by a youth who had never
directed a show in his life and certainly never
should again- the two authors turned out to be
shell-locks, who treasured every word they had
penned and just knew their show was a hit
without any unnecessary tinkering. Result:- the
show ran two performances. Meanwhile the group
had approached me again with "Gentlewoman"
saying they had made the necessary cuts, that
Stella Adler was doing a wonderful job in the
lead and that - after trying out five leading
men in the part - they would pay the cost for
three weeks extra rehearsal if I agreed to do the part.
So, wanting to believe them very much, I signed.