Kathryn Leigh Scott often tells the story about how terrified she was when she had to do her first scene inside a coffin. She had a major freakout when she got into the casket. She claims to have blanked out, and the next thing she knew, she was cowering in a corner of the studio. They had to gently coax her back in to do the scene!
Here's an odd little coffin story I can share...
When I was in my late teens, I made my parents so "proud" by actually bringing home a coffin! I was in a production of 'Oliver!' as Mrs. Sowerberry, the undertaker's wife. The set designer, a good friend of mine, built this awesome purple-lined, black coffin for the scene. When the play was over I asked him if I could have the coffin and he happily agreed that I should have it since I was the "spookiest chick" he knew. He then had it put in his van and drove it to my parents' house! My poor mother. I can still recall the ashen expression of disbelief on her face as I insisted to her how "cool" it was! My dad just shook his head and made some joke about it. I kept it in my room against the wall for three or so years, until I moved out - right near my DS stuff!
When I moved out, my pals and I took the coffin and put it (and a couple of candelabras) in the basement of our new place - who says TV is a negative influence?
We'd drag it out for Halloween parties and stuff. Some besotted party-goer would inevitably pass out inside the coffin, and we'd usually find them sleeping in there much later that night. My friend, who built the coffin originally, wound up reclaiming it for another production later. After the show ended he was pretty busy striking the set and wound up forgetting the coffin there. I asked him if he could get it back a couple of days later, but it was too late. Someone had actually STOLEN my coffin! Seriously!
At any rate, it was pretty nasty by then after having been slept in by a variety of drunken party-goers, so I wasn't too bummed out about losing it. I had been considering having shelves put in it, and turning it into a bookcase or something though. Ah well. Guess I'll have to call my pal and ask him to build me another one some day.
~Penny Dreadful~
