*** Phil's appearance on Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio will reair on March 24th, check local listings for channell and time.
*** Journal from the set of Love, Liza

2-2-2001
*** Thanks to Lindsay of the PSH-OFF mailing list for submitting this blurb from Playbill.com:

Nichols' Seagull, with Streep and Kline, to Play Delacorte After All 02-FEB-2001

After reports that director Mike Nichols was looking at spaces such as Broadway's Booth Theatre, Off-Broadway's Promenade Theatre and non traditional industrial buildings, the New York Times said Feb. 2 that the production has landed back at its originally announced location: the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park.Like in many a past Nichols venture, the cast will be packed with marquis names from the lead roles to the most minor supporting part. As first reported by PBOL on March 6, 2000, Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline will head the cast as Arkadina and Trigorin. Also in the cast, said the Times, are Natalie Portman as Nina, Christopher Walken as Sorin, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Konstantin, John Goodman as Shamrayev, Allison Janney as Masha, Debra Monk as Polina, Stephen Spinella as Medvedyedo and Larry Pine as Dorn.Walken was missing from the stage for many years before returning in last year's surprise critical hit, James Joyce's The Dead. Janney, a theatre veteran now finding success on television's "The West Wing," last appeared on stage at the Delacorte as Kate in The Taming of the Shrew. Hoffman triumphed in a Broadway revival of True West last spring and recently directed Jesus Hopped the A Train, a success Off-Broadway. Monk, last seen on the New York stage in Lincoln Center Theater's The Time of the Cuckoo , will star in Thou Shalt Not, the new Susan Stroman-Harry Connick, Jr., musical this fall. Goodman starred at the Delacorte a couple seasons back in Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth. Spinella, too, knows the Delacorte, from acting there in Troilus and Cressida. Pine is currently starring at Primary Stages in Krisit.Nichols' predilection for stars is well known. His late-'80s staging at Lincoln Center Theater of Waiting for Godot starred Robin Williams and Steve Martin as Didi and Gogo. Several seasons later, he cast Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss and Glenn Close in Death and the Maiden on Broadway.*The new Seagull began with a recent reading of Chekhov's classic held in Mike Nichols' Manhattan apartment, starring Streep and Kline. Nichols, Streep and Kline have all been absent from the New York stage for some years. Though Nichols has "supervised" various plays, his last theatre assignment as director was Death and the Maiden. Streep, meanwhile, has been missing from the theatre for even longer. During the 1970s, she appeared in New York City stagings of The Cherry Orchard, Happy End and Taming of the Shrew. The winner of two Oscars, she was recently nominated for another for "Music of the Heart."Kline has been slightly more faithful to the boards. Since taking the Tony for The Pirates of Penzance, he has appeared in Hamlet at the Public and, most recently, Ivanov at Lincoln Center Theatre.The Seagull will begin performances in July or August of 2001.By Robert Simonson

*** Thanks to Deanna of the PSH-OFF mailing list for this link to another article on Sea Gull

*** Thanks to Jen for the following:

New York Times: On Stage and Off: 'Sea Gull' Among the Birds By JESSE MCKINLEY

If you're a Chekhov fan — or a Meryl Streep fan or a Christopher Walken fan or a John Goodman fan — you may want to start lining up now.

The Joseph Papp Public Theater has announced its final plans for this summer's all-star production of "The Sea Gull," directed by Mike Nichols, and after flirting with several alternative — and enclosed — stages, the theater has decided to stage the play at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park as originally planned. And while that may mean the occasional airplane or barking dog interfering with the phonics, it does have one undeniable advantage over an indoor production: tickets will be free.

That doesn't mean the play will be easy to get into, mind you. As usual, most prospective audience members — except V.I.P.'s and those darn members of the press — will have to queue up in front of the Papp Public Theater on Lafayette Street in the East Village to get tickets. And considering the array of big names involved, it is almost impossible to imagine a hotter ticket.

The final cast — and this may need a drumroll — is Ms. Streep (playing Arkadina), Kevin Kline (Trigorin), Natalie Portman (Nina), Mr. Walken (Sorin), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Konstantin), Mr. Goodman (Shamrayev), Allison Janney (Masha), Debra Monk (Polina), Stephen Spinella (Medvedyenko) and Larry Pine (Dorn). Most of the company members have played at the Public Theater and many have performed in the park. All the actors are working for $646 a week.

The announcement of the location comes after several months of debate among the creative team as to where to stage the production. Initial fears were that the atmosphere surrounding the 1,900-seat Delacorte, just off the park's Great Lawn, might prove too distracting to the actors trying to plow through Chekhov's classic tale of theatrical personalities and tragic love. Several options were considered, including a Broadway or large Off Broadway theater as well as nontraditional spaces like warehouses.

In the end, however, Mr. Nichols said the attractions of the park — the trees! the ducks! — outweighed the potential distractions.

"It's sensational for me and Bob Crowley," Mr. Nichols said of the set designer. "If we want people singing on the other side of a lake, there's a lake right there."

But what, pray tell, of the mighty metal birds?

"I figure if a plane goes over, a plane goes over," he said. "It would take missing an hour of Chekhov to really miss something."

*** From the sets of Love, Liza:

-- Michael writes: I am a studying actor from New Orleans. Today (1/30/01), I shot a film with Hoffman in New Orleans, entitled Love, Liza, also starring Kathy Bates and Jack Kehler. The director of the film is Todd Louisa, whom you may know as the male nanny from "Jerry Maguire". You remember, the one who loved jazz music. In the film, I didn't have a speaking role, but I was an extra and Hoffman's stand-in. It was a very exciting experience for me. I managed to get Hoffman to autograph a picture of himself, which I printed off of your website. A bit of info. about Hoffman: When he shot the scenes today, he NEVER got out of character. He hardly ever said a word unless he absolutely had to. His character in this film is somewhat troubled because of the tragic death of his wife. I felt sorry for the guy, he looked so miserable all day. He is a very interesting guy, and my new favorite actor. He really makes the craft an art. I told him how much of an inspiration he was to me. He just said, " Thanks. I appreciate that, man." What a guy!! Be sure to look for the movie. I'm not exactly sure when it will come out, but I would expect it would be in the fall or winter.

1-27-2001
*** Phil is currently filming Love, Liza in Alabama and Louisiana. I believe next he will be sojourning to Toronto and Atlantic City, NJ for the mid-March filming of Molony -- and unless he's really rushed, or shuttling between pictures, I would venture that Untitled P.T. Anderson Project (2001) will begin filming in late spring or early summer in L.A. -- costars currently only listed as Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. They're aiming for a Christmas 2001 release date for that one -- wonder when they're aiming for a title selection? *wink*

*** Reports from the sets of Love, Liza as follows:

-- Cheri writes: ...I have been an "Extra" in the new movie Love, Liza. I have met Philip & watched him film. My husband & brother are in the movie as well, they are running their boats, while Philip goes for a swim. It is very interesting to see them film. I heard that Kathy Bates will be in this movie as well, she is filming in New Orleans. I only heard that from local people, so I don't know that to be a fact.

-- Josh writes: I live in Mobile Alabama and my roommate's office building was use for Love, Lisa. Anyway I was an extra and helped out on the set some. Philip Seymour Hoffman was in 6 or 7 scenes shot today. If you don't know what the movie is about then I can let you in on some of it. Hoffman plays a man who's wife just committed suicide. Hoffman is a web designer who starts huffing gas while depressed about his wife and he gets hooked on it, and things go downhill from there. There is more to it than that but that's the just of it. Tomorrow they move the crew to shoot in New Orleans. Todd Louisa is so nice and such a everyday person. Hoffman seemed to be under some pressure or something but was very good at the scenes I saw.

Thanks so much to Josh and Cheri for sending us word! I esp. like knowing that Phil is playing a web designer!!!! *heehee** ::chortles to self:: And Kathy Bates? Bad *ass* yo!!! Kathy Bates rocks! Yay!

1-17-2001
*** Phil's "Inside the Actor's Studio" segment will be repeated on February 15th on Bravo!! Please check local listings for channell and time(s). [thanks to a 'Zoe Max' writing from Tara's address. I'm confused on this point. Sorry!]

*** Thanks to Ravkill for the following:

Here is a new bit of "news" now appearing at www.guerilla-film.com
Philip Seymour Hoffman's next flickPosted Thursday, January 4, 2001 by Anghus

Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the most renowned actors in the industry (yes, we'll forgive him for Twister) is to appear in a film scripted by his brother titled "Love, Liza". The film is about a man dealing with the loss of his wife, and the strange journey he takes trying to cope with this loss. The film is being directed by Todd Louisa, best known for his roles in Jerry Maguire and High Fidelity. Louisa directed the indie film "15 minute Hamlet" The film starts shooting in Alabama this February.

Todd Louisa was the cute little guy who loved Green Day in 'High Fidelity' and kind of looked like Moby and who was Jack Black's semi-sidekick yaknow? God damn, that boy is cute... *winks*

*** Eddie Izzard has been added to the Phil lookalikes section....