Stokes & Studs

Today, I was at THE luncheon in Chicago... if you're a part of the theatre community, that is...

At noon today in The Standard Club, The Actors Fund gave Chicago legend Studs Terkel their Medal of Honor for his tremendous body of work.

Studs spoke. He told hilarious stories - - many of which I hope will be in his forthcoming memoirs - - and at one point, he made me horse laugh when he said...

"Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne received an award in this room. And if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me."

He was smart and witty and charming and the room was FILLED with Chicago theatre heavy-hitters.

And one Tony-Award Winning heavy-hitter.

A Broadway star who flew into Chicago to present the medal to Studs.

The President of The Actors Fund - - Brian Stokes Mitchell

When I introduced myself to him as the Executive Director of Season of Concern, he thanked me for my work (SOC shares office space with the Chicago office of The Actors Fund and we award a large grant to them every year), and then he said it...

"Call me Stokes."

I immediately said, "My musical theatre friends are going to DIE when I tell them that I met you."

He said, "Well, I don't want them to die!!!"

What I wanted to say was, "My musical theatre friends will KILL THEMSELVES when I tell them that you asked me to call you Stokes."

Of course, he asks EVERYONE to call him Stokes, but that's beside the point.

He's my buddy, now. Stokes.

And he is handsome and warm and friendly and intelligent and a brilliant President for The Actors Fund. It was a thrill to meet him and to hear all of the wonderful Studs Terkel stories.

What a lovely way to start the week.

P.S. When I talked to Charissa after the luncheon and told her who I met, she said, "Stokes & Studs," to which I replied...

"Sounds like a gay bar in the West Village, doesn't it?"