I had skipped a few years, but somehow felt the urgency to go back. I vividly remember the excitement of the first Xena convention, yes, 14 years ago. My nephew Ricky and I went. We were treated to a private party for Kevin Smith, who played Ares. When Danielle Cormack (who played an Amazon in about 7 or so episodes) came into the party, as she and Kevin are friends and had appeared in several Kiwi productions together, Ricky warned her: You have no idea what it's like to face 5,000 fans. I don't think she believed him; she did a few hours later, as she looked dumbstruck on stage. Kevin seemed more at ease, and I was able to talk to him at the breakfast -- he was down-to-earth, non-threatening, a family man who really enjoyed talking to people. He was wearing a see-through shirt, and I commented on the fact that he obviously worked out.
We had no idea that Kevin would die some five years later, right after the last season of Xena wrapped, in an odd accident in China.
Well, the 5,000 fans have kind of disappeared, and now it's a hearty group of New Zealand, Australian, German and British fans, as well as Americans, maybe 700 of us, who gathered for this latest convention. The difference, of course, is that the room has a very comfortable feeling about it. It's just a very large living room.
There were some firsts. Tony Todd finally got to his first Xena convention, but it's not because he hasn't been working. It seems he's working more than ever. He's slated to appear in 24 soon. Jennifer Sky Band appeared before us many years ago when she was promoting Cleopatra 2525 -- I watched every episode, but I'm not sure why, all action and no meaning, but the three women attached are spectacular (i.e., Gina Torres, Victoria Pratt and Band). "I'm not in a band," she opened; it's just that she married a guy named Band. Who's in a rock band. She's now in her early 30's and has quit show biz. After Cleo, she came down with a rare liver disease, but was eventually cured, and is now writing a children's book about being sick. She looked kind of amazed to be there.
Another actress amazed to be there: Jacqueline Kim. Jacqueline is no longer acting as well, choosing instead to directing and writing. She is a particular fan favorite because of her iconic role as Lao Ma, an Asian mentor who taught Xena how to move. This was when Xena was a badass, still crippled, and knew no martial arts. She was only in two episodes, but we all remember them as our favorites.
The next day we were treated to Michael Hurst and Jennifer Ward-Lealand, the husband-wife team which works mainly in New Zealand in various stage and film projects. They kindly showed us a slide presentation of all the roles they had worked on, separately, in the last two years. They are amazingly productive. And they talked a little about how they split up parental housekeeping, how they keep their two kids while still doing all this performing. Michael directs more than acts, and sometimes directs himself.
We saw them later when Jennifer interviewed the Widow Twanky (Michael in drag). Michael was in two episodes of Hercules, not Xena, but we all recognize the character and applaud the Widow. She teaches Hercules and a young woman how to dance in a dance contest. Apparently the Widow Twanky is based on an old English music hall tradition. Well, he's, I mean she's, just hysterical. And a little consumed with herself.
And, gosh, we saw Michael again when he played his character in the Bitch Slap movie panel. I know, it's difficult to say such a title. But it looks to be in the tradition of Grindhouse and such sexploitation films. The panel included the two producers (who used to work on Xena), the three actresses who appear in the movie, and Michael. But halfway through the panel, a nun appeared and took the stage: it was Renee O'Connor (Gabrielle in Xena), in full habit. She plays Sister Bertrile in the movie. They showed a clip of Sister Batrile and Mother Superior (Lucy Lawless), and we ate it up. It's clearly slapstick.Other noted Xena celebrities to appear include Joe Lo Duca, who composed the music for Xena's six years as well as her last two concerts at the Roxy that very weekend, and Rob Tapert, Executive Producer of Xena. When Rob was asked, "Did you fall in love with Lucy at first glance?" He laughed, and replied that he saw her first on video when she was auditioning for a part on Hercules. So, "I fell in love with her at first video." When we told Lucy about it later, she said she had never heard that story!
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