Man or Mouse?

Jeter on my Mind….

As I find myself in the year of our lord two thousand and eight a funny little man seems to be at every turn. On December 31, 2007 not feeling well at the start of the New Year, I fell asleep watching Michael Jeter in the movie, The Green Mile. His performance as Dell (Eduard Delacroix) the Cajun on death row for molestation is one that is so layered and seamless that you struggle with the way you feel for the character, ultimately society would have you wanting to see him fry. However to me he seems broken like a child’s toy and I always end up rooting for him and Mr. Jingles regardless of how futile. Something about wanting to be forgiven, to make things better or different, to maybe have made other choices seems to rest behind his eyes.

That night I dreamed of mice and friends, or was that friends that were mice I can’t remember? Then while performing my morning ritual of coffee and playbill.com in my Jew cube. I’m reading Seth Rudetsky’s end of the year column when I stumble upon a Jeter reference while Seth was interviewing Tommy Tune (see below):

I asked him about that brilliant number he created for Michael Jeter in Grand Hotel. He said that they couldn't find someone to play the role of Kringelein and Tommy remembered seeing Michael play a door mouse opposite Meryl Streep in the Public Theater's Alice in Wonderland. He tracked him down and turns out Michael was working as a secretary in a law firm. Tommy brought him in and at the audition Michael Jeter told everybody that he didn't sing. Tommy wanted to know if that meant that he had never sung, or if he was literally tone deaf, so he had Michael match different pitches…which he was able to do. Tommy sat with him onstage and said he should sing something really simple for everyone and held his hand. He remembers Michael's hand shaking terribly as he sang, but he got through it. Of course, his acting in the audition scenes was brilliant and he was cast. But, Tommy forgot to ask him to dance. He said he likes to see how everyone can dance at an audition, just in case it's needed somewhere. Well, one day during rehearsals, Michael was holding himself on the bar (drinking bar, not ballet) and making his body do these crazy Raggedy Andy/spineless/no-bones-in-his-body moves. Tommy saw it, loved it and made it the basis for "We'll Take a Glass Together."



I can’t believe he wasn’t a dancer or singer!

In bold are the parts that struck me most….again with the mouse, secretary, never sang or danced in front of people. Needless to say the clip gives me goose bumps and fills me with such joy and optimism that I can barely contain the tuna sandwich I had for lunch.

Jeter had gone to school for medicine and switch to acting and became a character actor of the finest order. I just keep thinking about him winning the Tony for Grand Hotel and performing that number night after night. Then I find myself crying for no apparent reason other than the world seems a little dimmer with out him.

Showtime is running Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit on Friday Night, I have a date to watch my “mousey” friend kick up a fuss.

Remember kids joy is where you find it. So if your life is lacking and you need just that little something extra to help you through your day and remind you why you're here in the first place take a look around. You just might find an enormous heart wrapped in a tiny package.