New 'Doctor Who' star to be named on BBC America Sunday

[Divernan]

34. I was privileged to see him on Broadway - back in 2006.

How the years fly by! He starred with Julianne Moore in their Broadway debuts in the world premiere of David Hare's The Vertical Hour at the Music Box Theatre.

I live in western Pennsylvania, but over the years have made trips into NYC to see some great talents perform "live". Antonio Banderas in Nine at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre; Maggie Smith in Lettice and Lovage (written specifically for her by Peter Shaffer, author of Equus and Amadeus) in 1990 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre; Diana Rigg as Medea, 1994; Raul Julia, WAY BACK in 1971, as the lovestruck Proteus in Two Gentlemen of Verona and, years later in Kiss of the Spiderwoman; Sting in a brief Broadway run as Mac the Knife in Threepenny Opera; Brian Dennehy in Death of a Salesman(1999); Sunday in the Park with George with Bernadette Peters/Mandy Patinkin; Chicago with Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Renking, Joel Grey and James Naughton; and others I've forgotten (as I advance in age). The best ensemble I ever saw was at New York's Public Theatre - Conversations at Tusculum, with Aidan Quinn, David Strathairn, & brian Dennehy. Some of the performances won Tonys; other productions got panned - but such a joy to see such talented performers giving their all.

And forgive the name dropping, but once in Manhattan, at the dimly lit Cafe des Artistes, my daughter and I enjoyed dinner sitting diagonally across from Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson. I was careful not to overtly stare, as per the strict instructions of my Manhattanite daughter! Anyway, for me at least, when I've seen a great actor/actress "live", it brings an extra degree of pleasure to see them on film - the same as seeing films shot at locations which you've personally visited.

On edit: How could I have forgotten seeing Christopher Plummer in the Scottish play?