Lesbian Dancing After The Show: An Improviser's Non Improvised Life

I Have Arrived With Danny Glover

FRIDAY, JULY 08, 2005 "Read You Like a Book" Day Four

I get to the production office at 5:10. I'm the first one there.

I'm greeted by Judy and Jonathan. They think I'm a trooper at this point taking BART in and getting there so early. I lay down on the bed and rest. Another AD comes in later and asks me if I want breakfast...and he BRINGS IT TO ME IN BED.

Marianna and Victoria arrive and I get into costume. This day is the second day in the store for me in a new outfit. They put together a change of clothes and Victoria puts me in a ton of makeup that makes me look...well...fucking cute. I fountain my hair up and pin it up with a red lace bow on top.

And Danny Glover shows up with his niece and his grandson.

He is possibly The Nicest Man On The Planet. He comes into costuming and they just powder him down. His skin is perfect. That smile of his is bright. His eyes are just full of joy and love.

He Comes in. I say Hey Danny.

He says Hey Shaun...how you doing baby? and gives me the sweetest kiss ever.

I can't believe I'm about to work with the man who had me in tears when he was on "The Actors Studio."

He talks of his family and all sorts of wonderful conversation. He is just so easygoing and lovely.

We get ready and I hang for a bit. He shoots his first scene with Tony. I hang in production and deal with the Bank and My SAG Nightmare. They were coming to set to get the cashiers check. Like the mafia. I was expecting them to show up with a guy name Vito holding a baseball bat.

They call me onto set. They take pictures of me for continuity and I hang while they finish the last few angle takes with Amendola and Glover.

I really like the makeup artist, Victoria. She has been making me look awesome. She shows me my pictures for continuity and the one I had just taken did not EVEN LOOK LIKE ME. I just laugh and say I just want you to follow me the hell around.

I love looking at pictures and ask to see some of the other shots. Sometimes even the most gorgeous men and women actors can produce some really bad pictures. Thank god they are just continuity shots.

They stand me behind the counter and I'm introduced to the "Magic Book"...and a great mock front cover that is old and cryptic and says "The Illustrated Book of Failure."

First they shoot from my POV towards Glover. He gives me direct eye contact...he has that voice. He is such a giving scene partner. And that beautiful smile. We do one scene and Bob Z tells Danny to give that smile and slide out of camera shot.

The tape rolls...he says his line perfectly...and he gives the biggest smile in the world. Since it was shot over my shoulder I let out the biggest smile in the world it just tickled me so much...and he slid out of camera with that big old cheese eating smile and we just started busting up laughing.

Now its my turn for his POV. I did really super well. It did not take much...because Glover made me feel like we were the only ones in that bookstore.

At one point Bob says to Danny:

Zagone: So. Dontcha think she is beautiful?

Glover: (Smiles) She is indeed a beautiful girl. (looks at me) I'm sorry. A beautiful young woman.

Me: (hot red blushing...about to fall out) Well Danny...you sure ain't shabby yourself.

Take on Glover: Six. Takes on me: Six. We evened out. Just great, unbelievable surreal, wonderful times. I'm still glowing warm writing this now.

As long as I live. If I never do another film again. If something happened where I could never perform again...I will always have this one day to recount.

This is one of the happiest days of my life. Glover wraps. That's right. He had one day of shooting. He piles up an incredible collection of books and buys them. He says goodbye to me.

We finish shooting. Bob asks if I would like to shoot scene nine from the last shoot again. I say yes...but we are running low on time before the store has to open at ten. I would like to do that if he has the time. I want to show him that I can do that scene. I think Bob has regained a lot of confidence in my abilities.

I go across the street to my bank during break and before lunch to pull out a CRAP load of money. $1,440.00 to be exact. A cashier's check to The Screen Actors Guild. Can I give them a regular check? No. Can I give them a Visa Card? No. I paid extra to get that cashier's check. And now that time has passed, I borrowed that money from a very good friend.

A very good friend who happened to be on the production staff.

I fill out all the paperwork. I call up SAG San Francisco in the production office. It took me so much to not sound like a frightened bar owner from the 20's telling one of Al Capone's henchmen to pick up their "Protection Money".

They arrive and they get the Cashier's Check just before lunch. A woman in a too tight outfit got the check and informed me I needed to head to the Bush Office immediately after the day wrapped to get a package of SAG Crap. She would not take the other SAG Crap I just filled out. As though the transaction had to be passed off. SAG Crap...for SAG Crap.

Lunch was at an Italian Restaurant and immediately afterwards? I was released. I love it! Shoot some shit with Danny Glover...eat some incredible food...then off to the Bush Street SAG Office!

Can this feeling never go away? Please let this current feeling never go away. Well, at least the feeling before I head to the SAG Office.

I head out and stop downtown at the SAG office with my SAG Crap. I hear of news of more movies coming into San Francisco that later on meant for SAG SF Actors: "Paid Extra Work."

And there is my Mafia Connection being "all cool." Unfortunately not cool enough to be organized as my Social Security number in the system is wrong. They hurriedly fix that, then she disappears into an office and returns with a thick, monster package. Full of SAG Crap, a receipt with a Screen Actors Guild Card Number....

And a blue pin with theater masks. That says Screen Actors Guild.

Welcome to SAG. You have arrived. After doing theatre and performing for over twenty years I have arrived to paying dues every quarter.

It was the most obnoxious, offensive thing to come out of someone's face. I have finally...finally...*arrived*.

Wee. Sure, I said.

I wanted that feeling to stop.

* * *