“Would I mind? Only if I can get a copy,” teased Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett when asked if she would pose for a picture with her fellow Aussie, Ron Barassi, a football legend in their home country.
Mr. Barassi, Miss Blanchett and others from the land Down Under turned the Kennedy Center into a virtual Oz on Saturday night for the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of the Tennessee Williams’ classic “A Street Car Named Desire,” in which Miss Blanchett plays the lead role, Blanche DuBois, and also serves as artistic director.
The show was followed by a party hosted by the Australian Embassy, where Miss Blanchett and her co-star Joel Edgerton, who portrays the brutish Stanley Kowalski, and director Liv Ullmann were joined by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her husband, Martin; lobbyist power couple Tony and Heather Podesta, and other stars from political, media and diplomatic circles.
Australian Ambassador Dennis Richardson was a no-show, but his wife Betty, worked the room and raved about Miss Blanchett’s “brilliant” turn as the tormented Southern belle.
From what we overheard, Miss B’s “torment” may have been more than method acting.
The Oscar-winning star of “The Aviator” and “Elizabeth” intimated to some of her Aussie chums that toward the end of the play in a scene in which she has no shoes, a splinter lodged into her foot. Ouch! She admitted that she doubted she could make it to the end, but she soldiered on in pain, and even turned up at the after party close to midnight looking relaxed and wearing stilettos, to boot.
During her remarks to the crowd, Miss Blanchett, whose father was American, wished the gathering a happy Halloween and warmly thanked everyone for coming and celebrating Williams’ masterpiece, which she said “belongs to the world” and “crosses national boundaries.”
In addition to the performance being acted by an Australian cast, the play is directed by a Norwegian, Ms. Ullmann, a highly acclaimed actress, who was rumored to have been linked to former secretary of state and ladies man Henry A. Kissinger in the 1970s.
“No, we never dated,” she bristled when asked about their relationship. “To date means to kiss, right? No, we were just friends. We went to some events together, and I know his wife.”
Comic-style revelry
While the Aussies turned Halloween into a tribute to the arts, the holiday partying of a more traditional nature got an early start Friday night at the Dodge Mansion in Georgetown, where business tycoon and bachelor Bill Dean hosted his annual monster mash.
Mr. Dean, who runs the family business M.C. Dean Inc., a global engineering company based in Dulles, selected a cartoon and comic-strip theme for his soiree, complete with eight bars, two buffets, deejays, scantily clad bartenders, and ghoulish and funny decorations on all four (yes, four) floors of his manse.
We still aren’t sure if this includes the basement with the movie theater and the rooftop deck, but you get the picture.
A large Tweetie Bird hung over the pool, offering a winsome welcome to the nearly 400 guests, including Microstrategy Inc. chief Michael Saylor, who made an unconvincingly menacing Count Dracula.
You would think Bruce Wayne would be Mr. Dean’s costume of choice. After all, just like Batman’s alter ego, Mr. Dean is dashing, wealthy, with a big house and a family empire.
But, no, he decided to go against the grain and do a Heath Ledger version of the Joker.
Hey, even superhero hosts have a dark side.
Indeed, he estimates that he spent about “$75,000” on the event and security, but his largesse only went so far.
He took us into a room where, for safety purposes, he had hidden his prized pieces of artwork and furniture, even pointing to a “$100,000” painting he had tucked away from his guests.
Per civic ordinances, the music was muted by 11 p.m. and the party shut down by 1 a.m., which is when most young Washingtonians are just getting started, but we hear Mr. Dean arranged for attendees to keep on partying at nearby watering holes.
Outcast
So who could be the new Washington social pariah? Washington Redskins executive Vinny Cerrato could be a prime candidate.
Mr. Cerrato, the team’s general manager, has been blamed for the Skins’ pathetic losing streak, something he’s trying to take with grace and humor.
“This is the first time I have not been booed in like seven weeks,” he said at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel on Thursday night at a charity event for Kids Enjoy Exercise Now, a volunteer organization that helps youngsters with disabilities.
Mr. C was on hand to accept the Corporate Recognition Award for the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation, to tepid applause as he ascended the stage, and not without snarky comments coming from the crowd.
We heard one guest whisper to a friend, “I can’t believe that guy has the [nerve] to show his face here.”
When we asked how he’s keeping his head up these days, said, “I have not been out much because we have our bye-week, but obviously the fans are frustrated, but I just got great e-mails today.”
Things must be looking up because he offered 60 tickets to the charity for the upcoming Denver Broncos game.
Well, at least you have 60 friends in town now, Mr. C.
• To contact Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Glover, e-mail undercover@washingtontimes.com.
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