Since far too often we only publicly say nice things about people when they are dead I’ve decided to randomly pick a Facebook friend every day and say something nice about them.
May 31, 2019
Today’s person: Julie Oda!
Julie was the funny, razor edged actor in a show we did together that asked her to play the full compliment of extremes a pregnant woman goes through which she did wonderfully, engagingly, irritatingly, passionately, seriously, and with a warmth and humanity that let everyone into the complex emotional stew that is bringing a new life into the world. And she’s a very nice person.
And within weeks of meeting Julie Oda I was kneeling behind her, kneading her breasts.
Lemme explain...
I was playing the financially and emotionally insecure husband to a pregnant independent businesswoman in Brooklyn in “Satellites” at the Aurora Theatre, cast opposite this serious fireball of theatre, Julie. Didn’t know her, had never seen her before, and we were the central couple. She was dynamic, nice, sweet, and I was supposed to be kinda pressuring her character to have sex in scene two. She’s sitting down and I, her emotionally supporting husband, am gently massaging her shoulders when I am overcome with the pent-up desire of a man whose beautiful, pregnant wife has been turning all her love and attention to her unborn child for months.
So I slowly work my way down to massaging her boobs. It was in the stage directions.
I’d been in my share of love scenes onstage, and always tried to make sure my partner was comfortable, but I’d never been called upon to get so handsy. I mean I know how to handle breasts - I think - but not professionally.
“Just go for it,” Julie said. So I did. What could have been an awkward encounter evert day was just stage business - at least that’s how she presented it. I don’t know if it was actually weird for her, but by being straightforward and professional she made it so okay that I didn’t even feel odd being introduced to her husband at opening.
Well, not too odd.