Talkback session after the matinee and my brother and faculty colleagues after the evening performance. Audiences were gasping, laughing nervously, exclaiming sotto voce about “fingerprints!” and “the key!“ and “Was that *supposed* to happen?” and “This is *good*!” @thepublicpgh #dialm #understudy (We knew well in advance Carolyn would be performing yesterday.)

My daughter informed me that during the talkback, I was absolutely not to raise my hand only to say, “I love you Carolyn, I’m so proud of you,” but I do confess that before the show I could not resist telling the lady next to me that my daughter is the understudy who was making her Pittsburgh Public Theater debut as the lead. The lady next to me told her friend in the row behind her, and word spread because at intermission and after the show I was practically mobbed with strangers congratulating me.