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From Buffy/Angel (US) Magazine (#29 Feb/Mar 2007)

James Marsters and Friends

by Abbie Bernstein

If you couldn't make it along to the recent James Marsters and Friends Convention, have no fear - because Buffy & Angel Magazine was there to get all the news, gossip and pictures. Now it's your chance to find out exactly what happened during this special event.

Held on the docked ocean liner Queen Mary in Long Beach, California on Sept. 8-10 2006, 'James Marsters and Friends' is a lively gathering.

The event begins with a private party and concert for premium ticket holders. Saturday morning, Steve Himber, James' manager who is co-producing the event with James, greets all of the attendees and introduces the guests.

James, dressed in a tuxedo for a special photo session (many of the attendees are also formally attired) welcomes everyone to the Queen Mary and says not to hold back in the question and answer sessions.

Buffy/Angel writer/producer David Fury, who has won Emmys for his work on both Lost and 24, says at his panel that what might have often looked like foreshadowing on Buffy and Angel was the writers realizing there was a p[lot thread from a previous episode that could be woven into the current story. "The stories dictated when we would pull something from the past."

If there had been a sixth season of Angel and/or an eighth season of Buffy, what would David have wanted to see? "We had talked about Season Six of Angel being post-apocolyptic," he reveals. "I knew on a TV budget, it would look like Dark Angel. Buffy ended on such the right note that I'd almost hate to see that continue. I don't know where you'd go from there."

Speaking of Buffy, why didn't Spkie go back to the Slayer when he became corporeal again? "He left her as a hero - he wants to cherish that, that Buffy thinks he's a great hero. [He's afraid she'd say], 'When you died, I thought you were cool, but now you're just needy.'"

Steve DeKnight, the writer/producer/director who's worked with James on Buffy, Angel and Smallville, does the next panel with Smallville casting director Dee Dee Bradley. Dee Dee reveals that James did not audition for his role as Brainiac: "The producers had loved him for years - it was offered to him."

"[Producer] Al [Gough] said, 'We're thinking of casting James Marsters,'" Steve elaborates. "I said, 'Sign the papers now.' James loves being there [on set]. He loves what he does and it really shows."

Steve talks about the differences between writing for Buffy and Angel and for Smallville. "On Buffy and Angel, it was a lot more bohemian," he explains. "We used to have these arguments about who'd win in a fight, astronauts or cavemen? And they'd be quite heated. On Smallville, it's a lot more serious - though we do have those moments."

After lunch, James takes the stage, and answers a series of probing questions from attendees. Does James believe in love at first sight? "Yes, I do. You spend the next 18 months figuring out if your instinct was right."

What does James know now that he wishes he knew at age 25? "That I was a good person. As I've gotten older, I've become more confident with myself." How would James describe his real speaking voice? "California relaxed. I used my own voice for Simon [James' character in Amber Benson's film Chance], but he was a goofy guy." How does James think Spike would have reacted had the vampire been turned into a puppet? "I think he would have been more mad about it [than Angel was]. I don't think he would've tried to get the job done - I think he would have sulked. He might have tried to hit somebody, which would've been funny."

As for that reference to Spike and Angel having been "intimate" one time, James says, "I said the line and [thought], 'I'm going to hear about this....' I guess [the writers] figured, 120 years, you try everything once." James observes of Angel, "He was cute."

What were James' favorite stunts he performed on Buffy and Angel? "The stunts were my favorite part of both experiences. It would be the wire gag [in Angel's 'Destiny']. And lighing my hand on fire on Buffy [in 'Lover's Walk'] - no one knew how bad I got hurt, but they trusted me to do it."

Speaking of lovers on Buffy, James can't help but wonder if someone as generally vicious as Spike would, in real life, have been able to be good to a partner. "We were showing a man who was meant to be evil, but was really nice to his girlfriend at all times. Are we telling the truth here?" he ponders.

Next up, Kevin Sorbo greets the crowd before going up on deck to do photos and autographs. He's been here before, in 1987. "I did a fashion show choreographed by Adrian Paul [Highlander]," he reveals.

Mercedes McNab is accompanied by her small, well-behaved dog, Hercules. What were the worst and best parts of playing Harmony? "Having to wear heels all the time sucked," Mercedes replies. "The best part was making people laugh."

What would have happened to Harmony if Angel had continued? "I would've had to pick a side and stick to it," Mercedes said.

Popular Buffy writer/producer Jane Espenson talks about what she's been doing lately - an episode of Battlestar Galactica and a pilot with Andy Richter, Andy Barker P.I., and an original fantasy pilot.

The difference in working with Joss Whedon vs. other showrunners, Jane says, is, "Joss would give you a story that was clearly going to work. [With] most showrunners, the 'breaking' [fleshing out details] is more collaborative and less final. Working with Joss was very satisfying - Battlestar Galactica is completely different, but also satisfying."

If there was one thing Jane could change on Buffy, she says she wouldn't have Spike talk about giving Buffy "what she deserves." "I think we made our task of redeeming Spike much harder than it had to be," she admits.

Tony Todd, who stars in Shadow Puppets with James, is up next. A veteran of everything from Broadway musicals to horror films (and Vyasa in Angel's "Shroud of Rahmon"), Tony says, "I think Shadow Puppets is an entity unto itself - it's a mystery thriller."

James, Jane, and Mercedes return as a group to do live commentary on Buffy's "Harsh Light of Day," with James and Jane both lauding Mercedes' performance.

Jane says, "We never expected Harmony to be so sympathetic. We thought she was just this irritating trollop, and then Mercedes came in and made her vulnerable and charming."

"I wanted the audience to be on Harmony's side," James says. "Spike was so nice to Dru - even when she picked the tall guy [Angel], he only hit her over the head once. He was clearly taking it out on Harmony."

James points out that the simple-looking jump through the hole in the floor, "was one of the most dangerous gags I ever did, because you have to go down fast, and if you catch your chin, you can break your neck." He praises Mercedes for doing the same stunt without flinching.

After a dinner break, James gives a crowd-pleasing 15-song concert, accompanying himselfon acoustic guitar. Most of the songs are his own compositions, in styles encompassing rock, pop, blues, folk and country.

Then it's the world premiere of 15 minutes of footage from Shadow Puppets, with James, Tony, writer/director Michael Winnick, producer Bob Crowe and actor Mark Winnick hosting. The clips are so intense that a couple of attendees bolt from the room. Micharl says later that he's very happy. "I'll take that response any time. We had a real audience riveted by the footage."

As for the convention, "It's awesome," Michael enthuses. "This has been a whole learning experience. It's the first time I've been to something like this. It's been a lot of fun and very interesting and everyone's been very friendly."

Tony is a convention veteran, but says, "This one seems to be more specialized. James Marsters has an incredible fan base and the devotion of the fans is amazing."

There's a showing of James' 2001 screen test for the role of Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis, with Patrick Stewart playing Picard opposite him, followed by a screening of Anthony Stewart Head's unaired pilot Him and Us.

Sunday morning, Steve DeKnight does a solo Q&A session. He's then joined onstage by Smallville creators/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar for a three-way commentary on the Smallville episode "Splinter."

"It was such a pleasure to be writing for James again," Steve says, "because from working on Buffy and Angel, I knew what James could do, which was everything."

"The cast loved working with [James]," says Miles.

Al adds, "One of the regrets we have is James never got any scenes with John Glover [Lionel Luthor]. But Brainiac can always pop back up."

Tony and Michael do a Shadow Puppets panel, where Tony says he prefers scenes with fellow performers to those with special effects. "I like working with other actors, because it's human, it's warm."

The film's theme was a hot topic on set, Michael notes. "A subject we talked about and that James was fascinated by - do your memories make you, or are you you?"

Jane, David and Steve DeKnight reunite for a writers panel, complete with a lot of teasing between the old friends. Someone asks if writing has changed them. "Im a complete son a b***h now," Steve avows.

David adds, "And you used to be taller."

Working on Buffy, Steve says, "It was like going back to being a 13-year-old boy. We had toys all over the office and talked about monsters all day."

The convention ends with a performance of John Godber's play Teechers, directed by Warren Davis, with James and actresses Lauren Maher and Amy Milano playing all of the characters in a comedy/drama about a working-class British school, where three students put on a show about school for their teacher. It's hilarious and heartbreaking, with all three players showing remarkable versatility.

Steve Himber says later, "I don't think that there was anyone who was not touched by the joy and enthusiasm and sheer talent that James and his co-stars possessed on that stage. He was in rare form with physical comedy and really enjoying himself."

$2,000.00 has been raised through auctions for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Steve thanks the fans and the James Marsters Live crew, who orchestrated the running of the event. "I feel like I'm in The Wizard of Oz when I come to these things," Steve says.

Asked later how 'James Marsters and Friends' went, Steve says, "It went beyond our expectations. I think one of the reasons was because of the intimacy of the crowd. Everyone was really kept busy throughout the entire event, James was able to give people more time than ever before, and I've never been innundated with thank-yous and 'please do it again.'"

For news of all James' future appearances, check out www.jamesmarsters.com and www.jamesmarsterslive.com

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