Gina Wilhelm Actress – Putting “Grey Gardens” on Stage
There are three actresses playing two women over several decades in the musical “Grey Gardens,” which plays at Lyric Stage Company in Boston this month.
The play chronicles the experiences of Edith Bouvier Beale (Little Edie) and Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (her mother, big Edie), cousin and aunt to first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Already this year has seen an HBO movie about the Beales starring Drew Barrymore. This is in addition to the 1975 documentary about them, also titled “Grey Gardens.”
The title refers to the women’s estate, once staffed with servants, but which in the 70s was completely run-down, without electricity or running water.
All three actresses have done extensive research on the pair.
Leigh Barrett, who plays Big Edie in act I and then Little Edie in act II has the documentary on her iPod. She memorized lines from it to make sure she had the women’s cadences down.
She also studied “The Bouviers: Portrait of an American Family” by John H. Davis, Little Edie’s cousin.
Aimee Doherty, who plays a young Little Edie in act I with big dreams of becoming an actress, also studied Barrett’s performance to make sure she had the other actress’s mannerisms.
She says the most challenging part of the show is making sure that the audience believes that the “new” actresses in act II are the same person as in act I, just 30 years later.
Barrett admits, however, that the relationship between mother and daughter confuses her. “It’s like they were frozen in time.”
Sarah deLima, who plays Big Edie at age 79, says that the genius of the play is that at the end of show, the audience is divided.
On the one hand, they want Little Edie to leave the squalor of Grey Gardens and her mother’s oppression and to finally be free.
On the other hand, they want her to be safe with her mother; they are sure she’ll never make it out in the world.
Doherty agrees. “The end of this play kills me….Parts of this play are beautiful, and it is a love story between these two women, but it’s awfully, awfully sad.”
“Grey Gardens” runs May 8 through June 6 at Lyric Stage Company in Boston. Tickets are from from $29 to $54 and can be purchased by calling 617-585-5678.
MYGREYGARDENS says
From the perspective of having not only the original documentary to go by, but also having known “little” Edie personally, I can say that
the HBO film, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lang is certainly a perfect tribute to both the original documentary and these two wonderful woman.
I was told right after filming of the HBO film wrapped up in the fall of 2007, that I would be blown away at the last scene, where Edie sings Tea For Two at Reno Sweeny, and I was ! I had supplied the film company with the only recording in existence of Edie singing the tune, only this wasn’t from her actual performance at the club, but rather her singing it just for me at one of my many visits to Grey Gardens, more than 30 years ago. Drew sang it exactly, phrase for phrase as I have it on tape. Edie and I actually met that night at Reno Sweeny, and my relationship with Grey Gardens has now spanned over 3 decades. For our complete review, check out our blog at MyGreyGardens.com (HBO film review by Robb Brawn & Lee Arboreen), and be sure to check our Youtube video uploaded 4/18/09 the same day as the HBO film release. Click
GREY GARDENS PROMO to view the video
If you’re anywhere near the Philadelphia area, The Philadelphia Theatre company will be presenting Grey Gardens The Musical between May 22nd and June 28th. Check it out here: GREY GARDENS PHILLY