Elaine Stritch interview, special Mother's Day for 30 Rock, Thursday, May 6

By April MacIntyre May 5, 2010, 17:54 GMT

Jack and mum Colleen, courtesy of NBC

Jack's mum Colleen Donaghy is back for a special Mother's Day "30 Rock" this Thursday at 9:30 ET on NBC.

Elaine Stritch reprises her role as Jack Donaghy’s (Alec Baldwin) mother Colleen, a role which earned her an Emmy Award in 2007, as well as two additional Emmy nominations, on NBC’s award-winning comedy series “30 Rock.”

Detroit native Stritch is a Broadway baby, a legend in musical comedy who went from standing by for Ethel Merman in “Call Me Madam” to her Tony-nominated performance in the recent revival of Edward Albee’s “A Delicate Balance.” 

Her Broadway credits include “Angel” in the “Wings, Pal Joey, On Your Toes,” “Bus Stop,” “Goldilocks,” “Sail Away” (which she performed in both New York and London, and just recently in concert at Carnegie Hall to celebrate Noel Coward’s centennial), “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (following Uta Hagen in the role of Martha), “Company” and “Show Boat.” In London’s West End, she starred in Neil Simon’s “The Gingerbread Lady” and Tennessee Williams’ “Small Craft Warnings.”

Other stage credits include the concert version of both “Follies” and “Company” at Lincoln Center and her appearance in A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” with Jason Robards. Most recently, she starred in “Endgame at BAM with John Turturro and her one-woman show “Elaine Stritch at Liberty,” which won the Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show.

Stritch has numerous films under her belt and was recently featured in “Monster-In-Law” with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez and “Romance and Cigarettes with James Gandolfini and Susan Sarandon.

Stritch was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the miniseries “An Inconvenient Woman” written by Dominick Dunne and won an Emmy Award for her recurring role on “Law & Order.”

Nominated for a record 17 Emmy nominations in 2008, “30 Rock” earned seven 2008 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series for the second consecutive year and ties the record for most comedy Emmys in a single season. 

Elaine Stritch spoke to reporters the other day about her role on "30 Rock."

Stritch on what Jack has planned for Colleen on Mother’s Day:

Elaine Stritch: Well just another stab at trying to get her to stay out of his life. And he’s involved in a lot of romantic bullshit. And she tries to straighten him out. And I don’t think he wants her to try to straighten him out.

But as it turns out he’s very grateful because she - she’s very straight-forward with him. And they really have a wonderful relationship. And they really love each other very, very deeply, I’m sure of that, not to get too serious about 30 Rock.

But, you know, real comedy comes out of reality, you know? I always say if you can’t give a reason for the banana peel being in the alley, then don’t have the comic trip over - slide over it. Do you understand what I mean?

First explain how the banana peel got there quickly. And then there’s a reason for all the comedy. And that’s good in 30 Rock because they usually do that.

Stritch on what awards mean to her:

Elaine Stritch: A great deal because it demands attention.  I work very hard and I don’t always get quick approval. I don’t have a great talent for explaining myself in acting because I can’t explain it. So it’s very hard for me to explain it to you. And I should have to.

So when I suddenly see that I’m approved by my peers and people like me and I win prizes, my God, who doesn’t want to do that? You know, lying up a storm if they tell you oh no, that doesn’t mean anything to me.

Stritch on the idea of hosting Saturday Night Live"

Elaine Stritch: Well it would scare the out of me. But I dig challenges, you know. I just did an evening at Sondheim. So I have a feeling I could do anything if I got through that, you know?

Stritch on fans' expectations of her characters when they stop her on the street:

Elaine Stritch: I don’t know what they expect when they stop me on the street. They think I’m insane. But they believe me. So maybe life is just insane.
But they seem to think that I’m unusual. And I love that. And I’m dangerous. My favorite review of all time was when - I remember telling Tina this and she knew exactly what I was talking about.

Stritch on the difference between performing on a live TV show versus 30 Rock, which does not have an audience?

Elaine Stritch: Oh I love the studio audience because I’m in the theater and laughs feed me, keep me going, make me understand the humor that I’m playing more. And you get better with each performance.
But I do love a live audience. But I get along, you know, it’s like that song, I get along without you very well except. And then you get a long list of expects. But it’s okay. It’s okay.  If you’re an actor, you learn how to deal with these problems of not having the live audience as opposed to having the live audience.
You play your part. You focus. You try to concentrate and mean what you say and say what you mean. And the laughs will come, I - trust me. They will come.  When you start trying to make people laugh you’re in big trouble.