Opening Night

1/8/2026

Isn’t it curious that so many of us start and end our lives dependant on a bottle? “Myrtle” (Gena Rowlands) is one such creature. She’s an acclaimed actress who cannot function without her quota of Scotch. This hasn’t, as yet, impaired her ability or her popularity as she is about to take her next play to Broadway. Leaving rehearsals one evening in a heavy thunderstorm, her limo tragically collides with an adoring fan and for a while the guilt-ridden “Myrtle” keeps seeing “Nancy” (Laura Johnson) as if she were standing next to her, goading and provoking her. Her friend and mentor “Sarah” (Joan Blondell) is determined to try to help so suggests a spiritualist, but with their star becoming more and more flaky, producer “Manny” (Ben Gazzara) and her leading man (and ex) “Maurice” (John Cassav