Six degrees of separation brought Mindy, a transplanted New Yorker, my way this week. She’s pretty, she’s Jewish, she’s a lesbian, and she’s coming back to NYC this month to launch her one woman show ‘I Sarah’ during gay pride week.
AskaNewYorker: So Mindy, why was a nice New York lesbian doing theatre in Oregon?
Mindy: I was an actress and a bartender all over New York for years, and back in the late 90’s this cabaret bar I was working in called 88’s closed, and I wound up going out to Oregon to get away and do some theatre, and I just kept doing show after show after show.
AskaNewYorker: And you’re coming back with a one woman show produced especially for you in our home town, playing who history calls the greatest actress that ever lived.
Mindy: I know and I’m very proud of that. Although a lot of people think I’m playing Sandra Bernhardt, the lesbian cabaret singer, instead of the turn of the century French actress Sarah Bernhardt. She knew her share of lesbians in her day. But she wasn’t one herself.
AskaNewYorker: How did you end up playing such a classic historical female role?
Mindy: Joe Zingo, whose theatre I’ve done a lot of shows for, approached me with this wonderful script and told me that I was the only actress he could imagine playing the role. I am one lucky girl. I get to come back to New York, my home town that I love, and bring this terrific show “I Sarah” by Robert Cabell, with me. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. And instead of telling all my friends in NYC, “I wish you could have seen me as…”, they can. Plus, I get to take this show all over the country. The tag line for the play is “I Sarah: The most incredible actress the world has ever known”. The most incredible life anyone has ever lived. I want people to say that about me someday.
AskaNewYorker: OK, I get the whole theatre thing, but now that you’re in your hometown, what’s the first thing you want to do as Mindy, not Sarah?
Mindy: I want good pastrami on rye with deli mustard a dill pickle with a Dr. Browns Cream soda, and then go off to Carmine’s for dinner.
AskaNewYorker: I guess you dress in long gowns as Sarah during the show but what do you like to run around in while you’re painting the town?
Mindy: I like cute jeans or pants with sexy fun tee shirts and sandals or boots. I also love to dress up.
AskaNewYorker: That’s an interesting design on your t-shirt, and you’re wearing some great jewelry. Can you tell us anything about them?
Mindy: I loved the t-shirt from the minute I saw it, but I don’t know if the design means anything in particular. My necklace, however, is a gift from my boss and her husband from a trip we all took together. We went to Maui, Hawaii for 18 days and they bought me this gorgeous black pearl necklace.
AskaNewYorker: Do you have any tattoos?
Mindy: No tattoos.
AskaNewYorker: Well, if you wanted to get one, what would it be and where would you put it?
Mindy: It would probably be a rose or a tulip, on my hip.
AskaNewYorker: Sarah Bernhardt was quit the animal lover. Do you have any pets?
Mindy: No, I don’t have any pets, but I do have my sock monkey Montgomery. I adore him, and I’ll bring him to New York with me. He also has a girlfriend named Mabel. My sister made her, and she’s good. I’ll bring her with me, too.
AskaNewYorker: What do you like to do at home when you kick off your slippers and just want to relax?
Mindy: Play basketball, watch Grays Anatomy, or workout.
AskaNewYorker: What’s your favorite junk food, and what kind of movies do you like to rent and watch?
Mindy: I don’t eat much junk food, and as for movies, I like any movie with Jennifer Aniston in it.
AskaNewYorker: If you could meet anyone in New York right now who would it be?
Mindy: If she is still in NYC after the TONYS, I would be honored to meet Oprah Winfrey. I also have always wanted to meet Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump. I want to walk up to Trump and say, “Your fired”!
