----- Original Message -----

From: ooshowho

To: faywray@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2002 5:00 PM

Subject: [FayWray] NYC Artist's take on Kong, Lange, Wray, McKay...& The Great White Way

HI KONG/FAY FANS... CHECK OUT THE 'ARTIST'S TAKE' FOLDER IN THE PICS
GALLERY FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING STORY.


NYC ARTIST'S TAKE ON KONG, LANGE, WRAY, MCKAY… 
       and the GREAT WHITE WAY
                 

Fay Wray looks down at the huge, poster-sized publicity still and a
look of amusement falls over her amazing face. The still itself is a
classic black and white shot from the original 1933 King Kong,
showing Fay haplessly in the clutch of the giant ape as he battles a
huge winged dinosaur.
"Having been one of my favorites, that was the one I chose to have
her sign." Stever recalls.
"It's been framed and up on my wall for nearly a year now and I still
have to pinch myself."

Having worked as unit Production Manager for the last year and a half
on the upcoming epic documentary film Broadway; The Golden Age,
Michael Stever has been pinching himself on a regular basis.

The eagerly anticipated documentary is the brainchild of esteemed
Director/Producer Rick McKay, who's been steeped in the film since
it's inception nearly 4 years ago. McKay has taken on the exhaustive
task of documenting an era that has seen an enormous amount of change
over the last 40 years or so.
In the film, McKay interviews a staggering number of New York
Theatre's biggest names.
Many argue that while theatre continues to evolve and profit, it's
gradually loosing some of what made it special in the first place.
One woman who's literally seen it all is Fay Wray.  Few people
actually know that years ago in the early 30's, Fay herself starred
in several short lived Broadway plays. One of them even co-starred a
then unknown Archibald Leach, who would later burn his own impression
into celluloid history as Cary Grant.
In her interview with McKay, Fay talks candidly about the connection
between Hollywood and Broadway. "There was a sort of unspoken
language or feeling, that the theatre was the place where acting was
understood. It couldn't really come from anywhere else. It couldn't
be alive, a person couldn't be an actor or and actress unless they
had come from the theatre, or were on their way back to the theatre
again. The whole point about the theatre, was that it had a
mesmerizing feeling for me, but ultimately I didn't feel comfortable
there."

Having worked extensively in the theatre himself for over 15 years,
Stever strongly believes it's the best training ground for actors. 
He harbors concerns however for it's future.

"Many in this film argue that the Corporate presence in New York
theatre is slowly chipping away at some of its more fundamental
principles." (One being that theatre has always been intended for
everyone.)
"How can that mentality exist when you're paying nearly 100 bucks a
ticket? It's way too rare nowadays that you find a quality new show
that unearths new theatrical ground, while still adhering to more
traditional theatre values.  Fortunately hit shows like Urinetown;
The Musical and it's primary producer The Araca Group are proving
that it's still possible."

Long before Broadway tickets became so costly, Stever was in his
hometown of Sacramento California living and breathing anything King
Kong. "My 1st experience with Fay, her amazing scream, and that
behemoth Gorilla came as I'm sure it did for many, on TV. I was
literally hypnotized watching her being lashed to that altar. Then,
watching her screaming and thrashing violently as Kong carries her
off into the jungle was simply icing on the cake. Finally, seeing
Kong brutally shot from atop the Empire State Building triggered
something in me at that moment, and I've never been the same since."

Stever's first response was to somehow recreate this amazing
cinematic moment himself.
"I grabbed my parents 16mm movie camera and went to town. I stripped
my Planet Of The Apes doll of it's clothes and generously bulked him
up with plenty of brown Play Dough, suddenly I had my Kong. Next, I
needed a skyscraper, and had one after simply painting some windows
on a round, plastic garbage can. The plane was easy enough with a
small plastic plane and some string. I was off and running, a budding
filmmaker in training at 8 years old.  My Kong fetish only increased
after that."

"For years I'd snatch up anything on Kong and Fay Wray I could get my
hands on. But it wasn't until 1976 that a newcomer to the world of
King Kong ignited my imagination. A certain unknown blond named
Jessica Lange burst onto the scene, and at 13, came during a time of
budding sexual intrigue and discovery.  I was smitten with Jessica
Lange from the first moment I laid eyes on her, and can't tell you
how amazing it's been to watch her blossom as an actor. I truly
believe she's one of the finest actors of this generation."

College years found Michael pursuing studies in writing,
communications, and media production.
Since then, he has come to officially call New York City his home and
has racked up some pretty impressive theatrical and TV credits of his
own.  Past credits include the role of Joe Hardy in NETwork's
National Tour of Damn Yankees, Diesel in a Berlin-based Broadway
production of West Side Story, Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic And Old
Lace opposite theatre legends Betty Garrett and Carole Cook, shows at
the prestigious Papermill Playhouse, The Radio City Christmas
Spectacular, not to mention a hilarious fight scene opposite the
notorious Traci Lords in an episode of the Sci-Fi series Super
Force.  Along with performing, Stever has also been sharpening his
writing skills on several feature length screenplays, 2 of which are
collaborations with actress Morgan Brittany whom many remember as the
villainous Katherine Wentworth on the hit TV series Dallas. Currently
he is finishing his first play, a dark tale of Vampirism in 16th
Century Romania.

"To this day the women of King Kong continue to ignite something
unexplainable within me.  I've yet to meet Jessica Lange, but have
faith it's only a matter of time. Since September 11th, I often
wonder how she and the crew of the 1976 King Kong remake have fared
since the twin towers and so many innocent lives disappeared." Stever
recalls making it to the top of the twin towers only once, during his
1st week in Manhattan nearly 8 years ago. "I never actually made it
to the roof, but did make it to the indoor observation deck of tower
2, where low and behold sat a huge mural of Jessica sitting in Kong's
paw.
I remember vividly looking at it for the longest time, and feeling
the most horrible sensation in the pit of my stomach, like something
in me knew I'd never make it up there again. Sure enough, I never
went back up there, and now it's gone.  Even now, more than 6 months
later I can hardly explain the ache I feel at the loss, especially
for the surviving family members and loved ones.  Never in my wildest
dreams did I ever foresee something so horrible happening here while
living in this great city.  But then again, I never thought I'd have
the good fortune to actually get to know Fay Wray." As of this
writing, Fay is still alive and kicking at 95 and shows no signs of
stopping. "Us New Yorker's are damn lucky to still have her and the
Empire State Building, let's hope they both stay with us for a long
time to come."

MICHAEL STEVER








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