# I saw Max McLean! I'll never wash my eyes!



## BobVigneault (Nov 21, 2008)

I have to brag a bit about the wonderful date my wife and I had last Saturday.

I got tickets for my wife and I to see Max McLean in The Screwtape Letters at the Mercury Theater in Chicago. We got to the theater about 2 and a half hours early which left us plenty of time for eating.

The Mercury Theater is actually connected to Cullen's Pub which is a beautiful Irish pub with marvelous food but a bit loud. After we were seated amidst the noisy crowd and football blairing TVs, I saw there there was another bar room with tables between the one we were in and the theater. (The ticket window for the theater was actually in this much quieter bar room.)

I asked to move to the quiet room - it was just the two of us. I ordered the Meat Loaf (remember it's a fine Irish pub) and my wife got the fish and chips. The food was marvelous, some of the best I've had. We were discussing the kids and the program and my wife said, "Do you think we'll get to meet him?" I shrugged.

A minute later, Teresa looked to her right and said, "Oh my, Mr. McLean!!!" There he was looking at us. He walked over to the table and I jumped to my feet and told him what an honor it was to meet him. We shook hands and had a short visit about our families and the fine food. He said he had come in early to relax before the play. We wished blessings on one another and he went into the theater.

The show was tremendous. We sat in the 4th row. Any closer and he would have been spitting on us. Pretty intimate. It was the perfect date and quite a thrill.

If you get an opportunity to see the show, I highly recommend it.


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## Blue Tick (Nov 21, 2008)

Top of the morin' to ya!

Cool story Bob!


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## he beholds (Nov 21, 2008)

That is soooooooooooooooo cool! Do you have him reading the whole Bible, by any chance? I have a CD of him reading Romans, and I liked it a lot. I just asked my husband last night for the whole Bible on CD for festivus. 

I've never heard of him making this a play, though. Is it just in Chi-town?


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## BobVigneault (Nov 21, 2008)

I have him on DVD performing the Gospel of Mark and Genesis. I listen online when I want to hear him read the Bible.

I would like the 5 pack he's selling right now,

1. Sinners in the hands of an angry God
2. Pilgrims Progress
3. Here I Stand
4. The Conversion of Augustine 
5. The Method of Grace by Whitefield

The Screwtape play started in New York and then went to DC and now it's in Chicago. I've heard it may be nominated for a Tony and he loves doing it so it may continue to other venues.


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 21, 2008)

BobVigneault said:


> Any closer and he would have been spitting on us.



Oh, if only he had. That would have made the story even more remarkable.


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## Marrow Man (Nov 21, 2008)

I went to a Ligonier pastor's conference a few years ago, and Max McLean was there reading _The Screwtape Letters_ for us. This is when he was just getting read to do the production that's now playing in Chicago. He wasn't dressed up or anything, and he had the manuscript in front of him. He did about 1/3 to 1/2 of the book. The amazing thing is that he almost never looked down at the notes; he had pretty much the whole thing memorized at the time (as I'm sure he has now)!

There's something chilling about hearing that rich voice say, "My dear Screwtape" and "Your affectionate uncle, Wormwood"!


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## BobVigneault (Nov 21, 2008)

Seriously, there were four young people sitting in the very first row right below him. When he would end his letters he would say, " Your affectionate uncle, SCROOOOOOOOOO-TAY-P!" With great pressure behind the 'P'. With the sweat running down his face and the juices of dramatic verbal expression so fresh on his lips it literally sprayed out over these four people. We cringed each time he got to the 'P' and watched the shower which was slightly but dramatically backlit. It was a precious moment.

Pastor Tim, not a big deal but 'Wormwood' is the nephew. 




Semper Fidelis said:


> BobVigneault said:
> 
> 
> > Any closer and he would have been spitting on us.
> ...


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## Richard King (Nov 21, 2008)

Back envy! Back I say!!

Who among us will ever do what Bawb do?


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## Marrow Man (Nov 21, 2008)

BobVigneault said:


> Pastor Tim, not a big deal but 'Wormwood' is the nephew.



I thought about that after I posted. I always get that mixed up.




How do I do a blush emoticon?


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## turmeric (Nov 21, 2008)

Just think - a row closer and you wouldn't be able to wash your hair either! Now *that's* an ugly thought!


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## BobVigneault (Nov 21, 2008)

I DID shake his hand so I'm not washing my hand either, but that's a given.

I shook José Tartabull's (pinch hitter for the Red Sox back in 68) hand.

I shook the hand of most of the Cathedral Quartet.

I shook the hands of all the Go Fish Guys.

And the biggest of all.....

My wife's uncle shook hands with a fellow who as a young man shook the hand of President (to some) and tyrant (to others) Abraham Lincoln.

So, I shook the hand that shook the hand of a guy that shook Abraham Lincoln's. I could still have some of his cooties. Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. Boy howdy!!!


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## Blue Tick (Nov 21, 2008)

BobVigneault said:


> I DID shake his hand so I'm not washing my hand either, but that's a given.
> 
> I shook José Tartabull's (pinch hitter for the Red Sox back in 68) hand.
> 
> ...


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