Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig

(And I ask myself, which of my two posts tonight is going to get the most comments?)

OK, so I watched A Steady Rain, which was an interesting little play, although I did wonder (along with, I imagine, everyone else in the universe) exactly what it was about this piece that attracted two major stars like Jackman and Craig to it.  And, in some ways, I wonder why it was that they were cast.  (Well, no, not really -- they were cast because they sell tickets.  Duh.)  But, honestly, you're casting two Chicago cops, so you immediately go for ... a Brit and an Aussie?  Really?  I think I might have found just a teensy bit easier to get into the play if I wasn't so distracted by, in no particular order: (1)  the actors' interesting take on what a lower-class Chicago accent actually sounds like; (2)  wondering if I heard that right, and that not only am I supposed to believe Hugh Jackman is a Chicago cop, but also that he's Italian-American -- how far do these people expect me to suspend disbelief; and (3)  the script clearly says that Jackman's character regularly beats the crap out of Craig's, and looking at the two of them next to each other ... sorry, no, just not seeing it ... Lord, do you see the biceps on that man?

Which leads us to the widely-reported post-show Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS auction.  Post-show, Jackman and Craig both unbutton their shirts (insert appropriate audience reaction here) revealing "wife-beaters" beneath, and explain that they're auctioning them off for BC/EFA.  For the low, low price of way too much money (look, autographed posters were $300), you'd get to go backstage, take pictures with them, and leave with both their wife-beaters, signed and dated.

(I was sitting in the mezzanine.  There was no bidding from up in the cheap seats -- the only time someone said anything was when an usher yelled at someone who was surreptitiously trying to snap a picture.)


I believe the funniest moment was when the bidding appeared stalled at $5000, so Jackman (who was pretty much auctioneer), said, "For $6000, you'll get to watch Daniel take his off."


Man, that $6000 bid came fast.


Ultimately, they sold 'em for $7000, and actually convinced the second-highest bidder to go to $7000 for a second set.


(As an aside, I totally respect the way they did this.  I went to an auction once where someone bid something like $1800 for a trip to Africa, and then they offered a second trip to the next-highest bidder, at the price of the second-highest bid.  Winning bidder went freakin' ballistic.  What happened at A Steady Rain was, when they had bids of $7000 and $6000, Craig went out into the audience to talk to one of them while Jackman spoke to the other and got them each to agree to the $7000 for two sets deal -- and I'm sure something was worked out regarding who got which shirt which was worn on stage.)


They also let anyone who had a spare $2000 to donate to go backstage for autographs and photo-ops; and for those of us who are not independently wealthy, they sold autographed Playbills for $60.  (Someone I know ... who doesn't read this journal ... just got a birthday present.)