And I guess she could also be quite a handful. I was a young music director getting started in Boston, subbing in occasionally for the long-running sit-down production of Nunsense at the Charles Playhouse (this would have been 1990/91-ish), and they were bringing Kazan in to play Reverend Mother for a few weeks. At the time, I was living with a friend in the show, and she would regale me with awful rehearsal stories. Seems she was being the diva of all divas. To top that, the music director at the time actually called me to say unfortunately not to expect any subbing opportunities while Kazan was in the show, feeling that Kazan was such a wildcard that she would simply fly off the handle if she had to deal with a change in the band. I could truly believe that.
I don't think I went to see her in the show. If I did, I've blocked it out. :-(
(We did, however, have Pat Carroll and Alice Ghostley in that same role - both were terrific, and great ladies. I know I played when Ghostley was in the show, and I'm pretty sure I played for Carroll as well.) |
