Although she might be best known as Cagney of Cagney & Lacey, in recent years Sharon Gless has tackled the kind of roles any actress would envy: the outspoken Debbie Novotny on Queer as Folk, Madeline Westen on Burn Notice, and an Emmy-nominated guest stint on Nip/Tuck. But for her next big role, she’s on stage at Z Space, in what will no doubt be a memorable role: A Round-Heeled Woman. Sharon graciously took time out of her day to tell us more about a project that’s close to her heart and long in the making.
So I guess let’s start at the beginning. How did this story first come your way?
My husband and I had a huge fight one Sunday. Eight, almost nine years ago. And he stormed off to his office and I stormed off to my desk in the kitchen. He reads the New York Times from cover to cover. So he comes back to my desk, and he hands me the New York Times and says “if you had any balls, you’d go after that.” And he walked off!
I looked at it. It was an article in the New York Times about this woman named Jane Juska and this book she wrote about having all these men. I hadn’t even read the book, I called up my lawyer the next morning, and said “get it for me”. I loved her interview . She’s very articulate, and made the article very interesting.
It took me a year to get this. After several months going back and forth, [my husband] Barney said, “Call your lawyer up and say you want to do a TV series with it, that’s what you should do with it”. Have an adventure each week with a fabulous leading man. A different one each week. So I called up my lawer and said I’m going to do it as a TV series. They liked that. They thought I had the power to do that.
Well, it turns out I didn’t. But I got it. It was mine. Anyways, we tried everything. I took it to Rosie O’Donnell, who’s produced on stage, and she said “it’s fantastic…but I don’t ever want to produce again. But you’re a fool to let it go, because if you do, someone’s going to snatch that up. You keep it and you do it, and when you get tired of playing it, I want to play it.” So I thought, this is good feedback. I’m still on the right track.
And every year and a half, I had to re-up the option. When I look back, I thought it would’ve been so easy to sell it. Anyway, Barney and I had gone off to Italy, and we took a side trip to London on our way back to see Simon Moore and Jane Prowse (the writers responsible for the stage adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery). Barney gave them a copy of A Round-Heeled Woman, and said, “we think there’s something to this. Let us know what you think.”
Simon said “I love it, but I’m in over my head”. Never heard from Jane. Six months go by, and I get this fabulous call from Jane Prowse: “Sharon, I’m so sorry. I’ve gotten married since I saw you, and I’ve been around the world on my honeymoon. While I was going around the world, I read A Round-Heeled Woman. Not only is it fantastic, please – may I write it?”
So she goes to Brian Eastman, who produced Misery, so he knew my work, and Brian loved it. He saw the potential in it. And so two months later I sat down again with them, with Brian and Jane, and Brian says,
“Sharon, I don’t think this is meant to open in the West End immediately. It’s so American.” So he listed all these towns: “No…no… no… no… San Francisco? San Francisco.. yeah.. San Francisco. San Francisco is very cool”.
Well, we couldn’t sell it in San Francisco! But the team went around, to speak to theatres that they felt were appropriate, and as part of that, they met [director] Chris Smith. I couldn’t be happier. He’s the right director for this piece. And now we’re opening here at Z Space, and we can’t believe it.
What’s exciting is Jane Juska, the real woman, she lives in Berkeley. The only person more nervous than myself is Jane. My greatest joy in this entire process will be to introduce Jane Juska to that audience. She had such a journey, and she’s so brave. I hope we do it well.
It’s interesting how when an actor more known for film or television does stage, the first question people usually ask is “Why this role?”. But it sounds like the better question here is, “Why NOT this role?”.
I think the problem is because nobody wants to hear about a woman my age who has sex. But it’s more than just that. It’s more than just Jane getting laid. It’s not just that. It’s the whole journey of this woman’s self-discovery, but primarily her courage to take out this ad and say “this is what I want.”
She’s in therapy throughout, and we do it on stage, we run through it every time she gets hurt or burned or humiliated… and it is. Some of it is a humiliating ride. I went to hear Jane Juska speak at the 92nd Street Y. We’d never met, but she knew I was there, and one woman said “Ms. Juska, why did you humiliate yourself like this?” And Jane looked right at her and said “I had not been touched in 30 years.” Imagine someone not being touched in 30 years. I mean, shaking hands, yes, but still – “ I’m going to be 67, and I’m not going to die without experiencing this pleasure.”
You’re definitely known for creating memorable roles in a television, but with those you have the chance to really develop a character season after season. What’s your approach for stage, where you’re taking us through the entire life a character in just one night?
When you have the longevity of a TV series, it’s fun. The character grows and grows and grows. Whereas each night, here, we have one shot. Once I’m out there, I can’t yell cut. They say theatre is the most fun of all, but I was trained on film, so theatre’s scary for me. Most actors are trained for the stage, then they get a guest spot on a TV movie, and they can make some money, and they go on. My experience was exactly the opposite. I’ve done plays in the West End, but this is perhaps the most courageous thing I’ve ever done. Just like Jane Juska. This is the most courageous thing Sharon Gless has ever done.
And finally – you cite, LA, Toronto, and Miami as your favorite cities. Is there anything San Francisco can do to get an honorary mention on that list?
I have a home in Los Angeles – I’m born and raised, that’s my roots. And then my husband retired and moved to Miami, so that’s where I lived for 13 years. And I did Queer As Folk in Toronto for five years, and I just fell in love with it, and I kept my apartment there. So that’s where I spend my time. But to answer – that depends on how we’re received here in San Francisco. Ask me in March!
Well, San Francisco is lucky to have you, especially from knowing your amazing work on Queer as Folk, and I think a lot of people here will be excited to take this theatrical journey with you!
Thank you – we hope everyone will come and take the ride with us.
A Round-Heeled Woman opens January 5, 2010 at Z Space. Tickets available here or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Visit www.zspace.org for more information!
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