It was 1987 when Catherine Russell first stepped on stage in off-Broadway’s Perfect Crime, and shortly thereafter, in 1988, George Lee Andrews performed in the New York premier of The Phantom of the Opera.
- To put that in perspective:
- Ronald Reagan was president.
- The Dow was at 2,100.
- A gallon of gas cost $1.08.
Today, both actors are still there when the curtain goes up on their respective shows. Russell has performed in all but four of Perfect Crime’s nearly 8,800 shows. Andrews has played opera house manager Monsieur Andre for 11 years, and played the other manager, for the rest of the run.
These professionals tell similar stories when it comes to the challenges of maintaining their motivation in these long-running roles.
Finding Something New
“I try to find something new every night,” said Russell, who plays a manipulative psychiatrist suspected of murder. Something “new” might be a nuanced reaction of her character to another character in the play. It might be a motivation for action the audience doesn’t yet suspect will take place.
“When I come out on stage, I tell myself, ‘Be alive in this moment,’” Andrews said. “‘Make this moment as powerful and as strong as it can be.’”
Indeed, each show is new, he said. There are always new performers or understudies to which each character must learn to react in proper timing. And for most of the audience, the show is new to them, and that night’s performance will be all they see.
Ups and Downs
Of course, over such a long haul, there are highs and lows. There are mental, physical, and emotional challenges to overcome.
Andrews likened it to a marriage. “You approach it the same way,” he said. “You focus on the positives and minimize the negatives.”
Russell has actually gone directly on stage after a full day of teaching, performed in the first act, and gone sound asleep in her dressing room at intermission. Andrews recently had to take time for knee surgery.
And Andrews has realized there are seasons when he has to overcome challenges to his motivation, and it often happens in the winter.
For both actors, recognizing the challenges, being able to see them coming, helps them deal with them and continue to deliver solid performances.
A Love Affair
Perhaps the best motivation is that both love what they’re doing. It’s with an obvious spirit of gratitude that Andrews speaks of Phantom. During the show’s record-breaking run, he’s put two kids through school, been able to live with his wife and kids in the city, and even bought a little lake house for family getaways.
Perfect Crime has given Russell steady work in a profession she loves and opened doors to teaching, theater management, and producing.
“When you love what you do, you have more energy,” Russell said. It’s clear she and Andrews both love what they do.