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A Wondrous Evening

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Oh my goodness. It is such an amazing experience to see my friend, this lovely, talented person, perform on Broadway. I have to keep telling myself it’s just Jim – the guy from Texas who auditioned in front of my friend Rick and me for a place in the graduate acting program. The guy we accepted into the program, knowing he was the real deal. In a program such as ours, you spend hours and hours with the students, in class, onstage, in rehearsal rooms, at parties. By the time they graduate, you know them very, very well. That’s the nature of a professional actor training program. (And why I have so many former students as Facebook friends!) Jim’s class was the last class that I taught at the University of San Diego/Old Globe Theatre MFA program. That class traveled to London together in the winter of their last semester and I was the faculty advisor who got to go along. Everyone had different plane reservations on different airlines. Jim and I ended up traveling together on Virgin Atlantic and laughed ourselves silly. I am crazy about him.

Anyway, the enormity of his talent shines through in this production of Harvey. What a wonderful performance – honest, funny, sweet and true! Not one false note. While I was watching him, I had the realization that this was my friend Jim, but I could be watching him on any stage – the Old Globe, the MFA theater on campus – it just happened to be on Broadway. The entire cast was excellent and lovingly brought this wonderful old play to life again.

As seems to be the norm in my life, I had an adventure on the way to the performance. My bus, which normally would take about an hour and a half to get to Manhattan, took almost 3 and a half hours. Curtain was at 7 pm and at 6:30 the bus still hadn’t gone through the Lincoln Tunnel (which runs under the Hudson River to Manhattan.) I was in a panic. I had no idea what was holding us up but I was sure I was going to miss the curtain. I had Don call the box office and tell them to hold my ticket, I emailed Jim to tell him what was going on, and I sat there on the bus watching the minutes tick by. We finally got into the bus terminal at 6:50. The theater is 12 blocks away from the terminal. In the midst of 95 degree heat and rush hour in the Theater District, with not one available taxi in sight, I speed walked those 12 blocks, reached the theater and sat in my seat by 7:04 – just as the lights went down.

Whew!

It was worth it. I’m so proud of Jim. We had a wonderful time together after the show, chatting in his dressing room. I adore him.

Here’s where I realized just how popular he is: as we were getting ready to leave the theater, I saw a long barricade, stretching down the block. On one side of the barricade, 4 or 5 people deep, were fans waiting to see Jim. The line stretched down a long city block. They had been waiting in that heat for almost an hour; we had been talking away in his dressing room for quite a while. We said our goodbyes right before he hit the stage door and then I watched as cheers erupted when Jim followed me out the door. He has to sign autographs after every performance. And there were a lot of people there. His entire life has changed. But he hasn’t, thank goodness. He is still the same thoughtful, funny, serious, kind man I knew 12 years ago and know now. I’m proud to call him my friend.

Teaching can be enormously gratifying. Seeing my former students excel at what they do for a living, what I helped train them to do, is a blessing that fills my heart with joy.

Happy Friday.

Comments

  1. How marvelous! I just know Jim via Big Bang Theory. I’ve been a fan since episode one! He’s from Houston (me, too) and plays an east TX genius where I now live. How wonderful that he is the real deal!

    You done good, Claudia!

  3. Claudia…I love him! He is so talented!!! We have been watching Big Bang Theory since it began. I am not at all surprised to hear that he is just as genuine and lovable off screen.
    Glad you made the show! Traveling into and around NYC can be quite unpredictable. I have a dear friend in Jersey, and every time they go to the city, she has a story to tell!!!
    Hugs
    Kris

  4. He is one of my favourite actors and has been since the first episode of Big Bang. He deserves all the accolades he is getting now and I think you deserve to feel very proud for your part in his training. Teachers for good or bad are some of the most influential people in our lives and from getting to know you on your blog, I’m sure that you were one of those teachers that students look back on as great influences in their lives. J

  5. BAZZZINGA! I can’t wait to show your post to the boys. Jim Parsons is an incredible actor. I would LOVE to see him in his production of Harvey. Your adventure on the train really made me feel I was right there with you. Ciao Rita

  6. How exciting that you have played a part in this talented man’s life. Big Bang is one of the few shows that my husband and I watch together. We enjoy it so much and it never fails to lift our spirits and have us laughing. That’s what great entertainment will do! Jim Parsons is a gem.

  7. What a blessing for you pretty lady. I love stories like this, especially you being his teacher….how fabulous and lovely.

    Hugs,
    Meri

  12. Oh my gosh, Claudia – what WONDERFUL photos of you and Jim!! I’m so glad you had a fantastic evening – and that you got there in the nick of time so you didn’t miss a single second of the play!!… Donna

  15. I can just imagine how relieved you were to make it to your seat in time. He amazes me on the Big Bang theory when he spouts off some of his lines. We didn’t watch it from the beginning, but my daughter has now watched every episode of it! It is such a fun show. The picture is great and a real treasure for you. Sounds like you had a fun life teaching.

  17. You look just so thrilled on those pics with Jim, Claudia! I don’t know how you managed that walk in that horrible heat. You must have a very, very good heart and excellent blood pressure. I have never watched his show but I am now tempted to try it. He seems like a wonderful person. I hope the drive back was better than the drive to New York!

    New York, New York, I wonder if I’ll ever see you.

    Have a lovely day!

  19. That is so nice Claudia. I have heard you mention Jim before, he is so hilariously funny. I love the Jimmy Stewart film “Harvey” and if I could picture anyone else doing the part justice it would be Jim Parsons. So lovely you could connect again.

  20. That is AWESOME !!! Yall BOTH have the best smiles! He is so talented. We watched the episode last night where he goes on “vacation” to work in the biology lab! HILARIOUS ! Hugs oxo

  22. We are HUGE fans of Big Bang Theory in our household. Jim Parsons is so incredibly talented and has to deliver some pretty impressive dialogue on that show.
    What a great picture to remember a wonderful evening.

  23. What an exciting evening for you both! I’m glad you didn’t miss anything. He is so talented…I bet he will be terrific in Harvey.

  24. He is such a talented guy…I just love him. He would be wonderful in Harvey. So glad that you made it to the theater…speed walking in that heat…Wow!
    Balisha

  26. What a wonderful night! I know you were in a panic getting there but hey life needs a little excitement;) Not quite on this level, but I am still friends with girls I met when they were 3! I had them in my pre-school class, last one I taught as a matter of fact. And they are turning 21 this week!! They are brilliant and beautiful people that I was lucky to share with their parents until they were about 11 and no longer needed Miss Lisa to stay with them. It has been great to reconnect and see them. They are the only students I have had I still know where they are.
    I am glad you and Jim can still keep in touch and see each other on occasion. That is just great. I love his Sheldon, and think so much more of him because you confirm he is the great person I hope he is.
    I am so glad you had last night and I do hope you get to see him perform more and more over the coming years.
    Hugs, Lisa

  27. Thanks for sharing your adventure. This post has done so much for me – and you thought it was all about you. My son (entering his senior year at Texas A&M) was so impressed that I read a blog written by someone who taught Jim Parsons. Not impressed enough to start following you or me but hey, for a minute or two – one of us was cool. O.K., it was you.

  30. What a legacy! All teachers leave one, but theatre teachers contribute to something that will spread joy far beyond their classrooms. ‘Go’ Jim! And ‘Go’ you xxx

  32. Harvey is one of my all time favorite movies. I’ll bet Jim is just wonderful in it. I’m so excited for you cause you got to be there for this. I know you were just swelling with pride cause of him being one of your former students. I haven’t watched Big Bang Theory from the start but I don’t miss it now.Jim’s character is a scream and never ceases to make me laugh.

  33. How wonderful is that?!

    And here I only recently started watching The Big Bang Theory, and just yesterday mentioned “Sheldon” in my post.

    I love his character. It’s the only reason I’ve become such a huge fan of the show. I wish Netflix would add the series to Instant Watch because I have so much to catch up on.

    Kristin

  35. My jaw just hit the floor, my mouth is hanging open still! I’m sitting here with Chili asleep at my feet, reading along and then … BAZINGA (sorry, I HAD to do that), I’m yelling at Chili “look Chili, it’s Sheldon!!!!” BBT has been my favorite since day one. Such a talented group of actors, but Jim is my favorite! He has “that Texas thing” perfected! When Laurie Metcalf came on as his mom, I kept telling Eddie “that is soooo real; I grew up with families like that” (hell, I probably grew up IN a family like that, but don’t tell anyone).
    Thanks for posting about your visit, it was a wonderful surprise!

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