MELINDA IS GILB MAE WEST
by lisa lipsey
he sexy, savvy, cutting-edge, unapologetic, often censored and now legendary, Mae West, was a force to be reckoned with over her 83 years as a talented actress, writer and a director. No doe-eyed, sugar-sweet
platinum there. We love her story, we love her sentiments; “I made myself plati- num, but I was born a dirty blonde.” “Before Madonna... There was Mae West,” commented Dirty Blonde Director
Sean Murray in explaining the long-standing appeal of Mae West. “She was one of the first women to embrace her sexuality and leverage it to further her career. She was a feminist, a gay rights activist and a star with a capital S.” Nominated for five Tony Awards in 2000, the fun and funnyDirty Blonde, chron-
icles West’s colorful career, from her beginnings in vaudeville to her legendary status as one of the silver screen’s greatest bombshells. Playwright Claudia Shear thickened the plot: Come meet Jo, an aspiring ac-
tress, who admires Mae West’s determination to beat the odds. On her annual pil- grimage to West’s gravesite, Jo bumps into Charlie, a film librarian and Mae West devotee, who met his aging idol at her Hollywood apartment as a
teenager.These two shy fans end up finding their own self-confidence and even romance in their shared love of this entertainment icon. But not before there is cross-dressing, an appearance by W.C. Fields and a body building musical number! In true Cygnet style, it is sounding like a wild romp! And front and center to the action is San Diego’s own Melinda Gilb playing Mae West.
Are you a natural blonde or aDirty Blonde? No, I’m not a blonde at all; I’m only blonde in plays. Oh,and for a brief second in
the 1980s. I’m naturally auburn. Well now I am gray, ‘causeI am old. Would Mae say blondes have more fun? I don’t know. I would say no. But there’s something about them that catches the
eye, the lightness. How bright they are in the sun or spotlight,that flash of light. Tell me about playing Mae. I love it! Mae West made it her own way. She was a toughcookie and she played
that role her whole life. The older she got, she became more of a recluse. She had to hide; I think she got tired of being that person. I think any actor, star, enter- tainer, has kind of a tortured life, she became this iconic platinum but she really was a dirty blonde. What drew you to this show? The role was offered to me. I was thrilled and then I got terrified.
Truly? I did, it’s a huge role, my good friend Kathy Najimy played this role at The Old
Globe and then took it over to Broadway. Kathy was so excellent, I felt inferior. When I chatted with her, she said, “Are you kidding me? You have to do it! It’s the
18 RAGE monthly | MAY 2012
SAN DIEGO’S OWN
perfect part for you.” My nerves are still there, I’m sure I’m going to be fine. There are no line recordings of how Mae West sounds, how she said the lines—like when I played Patsy Cline; I had access to great recordings. I might make a fool of myself; my version of Mae sort of sounds a little like Ethel Merman. Tell me about your cast mates. It’s a small three-member cast playing multiple roles. It includes Steve Gunder-
IN DIRTY BLONDE
son, my best friend in the whole world and David Bean who I recently worked with on The Great American Trailer Park Musical. I cannot believe that I have such incredible men to share the stage with and dare I say I’ve known [Director] Sean [Murray] for 30 years now? A little bird told me you grew up here in San Diego. Yes, I started acting in high school; I went to Granite Hills in El Cajon. I had one
of those teachers that made things happen for me. It was incredible; I went to a junior college and started working right away doing shows. I got my first equity job at 22 and went on tour for nine months. I went on to doSinging in the Rain on Broadway and then Off-Broadway. Then I wrote a show calledSuds, it went to New York and so did I. After they closed it, I came home—I was so happy to have a yard, drive my car, see the ocean and eat Mexican food. I worked that entire year and I’ve stayed put ever since, this is the best theatre town in America.
continued on page 20
‘Adame that knows the ropes isn’t likely to get tied up.’–Mae West
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