Stedman Graham: Outside The Box

For some, writing ten books would constitute a career in itself. But for Stedman Graham, the release of his tenth book, Diversity: Leaders Not Labels, is just one item in a long list of achievements and career paths. Though perhaps most famous for being Oprah’s longtime partner, Graham’s occupations include bestselling author, CEO, educator, and community leader, to name a few.

In the new book, Graham calls upon Americans to break out of the labels imposed by society, and to allow their own individuality and talent to flourish. "We have this true melting pot in the world today," says Graham, "it is really happening." In such a diverse marketplace, Graham believes that people can succeed based on their talents and contributions, as long as they don’t let "the box" hold them back. "The box is the way people have been programmed and labeled, and also how much they have bought into the programs and labels," says Graham. "We have our routines, we do the same things every day. And the education system teaches us to memorize things, and take tests." The result, says Graham, is that "we have no way to grow."

Graham’s own life exposed him to many different lines of work, but it wasn’t until he was well into his career that he developed an understanding of business and the American free enterprise system. This education — through various mentors and reading lots of books — helped him break out of his own box, and paved the way to becoming CEO of his own consulting firm, S. Graham & Associates. "I wish I’d known about business and the American free enterprise system earlier," he says. "I didn’t really take advantage of the opportunities I had, because I didn’t have the knowledge I needed." But he concedes, "There is no right way. Everyone has their own life that gets them to a certain point."

The opportunities offered by America are unlike those anywhere else in the world, Graham believes. "In America, you can come here with absolutely nothing, but with hard work, dedication, and brain power, you can achieve major success. Millions of people have done it."

S. Graham & Associates works with many corporate clients, and also works to strengthen leaders, communities, and education systems in places as close to home as Whitesboro, NJ (where Graham grew up), and as far off as South Africa. "Community is important because it’s a support system for your growth," says Graham. "It keeps you safe, it provides opportunities, it feeds you, and gives you emotional support. We should always work to build community up. I’m very thankful that I can do that." (www.stedmangraham.com) — JJ Hall, opening photo by Vincent Knakal
Linda Evans — Legend Has It
Linda Evans was too shy as a teenager to give a book report in front of her class. Drama lessons not only built her confidence, they led to a career. But even now, at 64, two hit television shows behind her, the veteran actress continues to confront her fears.

Evans, who got her big break in 1965 as Audra Barkley on the TV show The Big Valley, has never appeared on a professional stage until now. She opens this month at the San Diego Civic Theatre, in the revival of Legends!, reuniting with Joan Collins, her old television rival in the long-running ABC prime time soap Dynasty. "I must say I was scared to death to do this because it was such an unknown to me," Evans says. "Film is not like the theatre, and it has been an incredible learning curve for me. I have tremendous respect for theatre actors, my God, doing something completely through without any ability to say, ’Excuse me, I don’t like the way that’s going.’"

While performing before a live audience night after night is a major departure for Evans, playing Collins’ bitter rival is not. Legends!, originally produced in 1986 with Mary Martin and Carol Channing, is a comedy about two fading — and feuding — divas who have loathed each other for decades, but who are now being wooed to star in a Broadway show. Evans says costume designer Nolan Miller persuaded her to read the play. "So I sat down one day and started to read it and laughed and laughed," Evans recalls. "And I thought, Oh my God, I think I’m going to do this. I mean it just stunned me. It was as if James Kirkwood [the late playwright] had written it for Joan and me."

Evans once again plays the good girl — her character, Leatrice, is not so far removed from Dynasty’s saintly Krystal. Collins, of course, plays the campy and conniving Sylvia, who’s reminiscent of that sexy — and very naughty — Alexis in that ’80s era of big hair and even bigger shoulder pads. While Evans says the characters in Legends! are more complex, the play is no stretch for Dynasty fans. "The audience can easily come in and accept us as being rivals," says Evans. "We don’t have to work too hard to have them think we can’t stand each other because of the characters we played — Krystal and Alexis. That was just a built-in nine-year battle."

That onscreen rivalry, according to Evans, did not extend offscreen. "This is the thing that always amazed me," she recalls. "I had known Joan before Dynasty. She had been to my house in Malibu. I was so thrilled when she got the part...we were considered two older women in those days to be doing the kind of show that we did. And to have the opportunity, we were excited for each other more than rivals. We wanted it to work for both of us because it worked for the show."

Evans, who appeared in the famous "Forty Isn’t Fatal" commercials for Clairol, became an unwitting trailblazer. She was 38 when she got the part in Dynasty, and well into her 40s by the time the show ended in 1989. "Women are living to be 80 to 90 years of age and that’s like 40 years after 50, for God’s sake. We’d better get a better attitude about aging," she says with a laugh. "I personally think that we, as human beings, become more valuable as we get older, instead of less. I mean the body may not be as perfect as when we’re 20 or 30 or 40, but we’re wise and we understand life...my life’s getting better instead of worse."

After Dynasty, Evans left Hollywood behind for Washington State, where she attended a spiritual school, embarking on an inward journey that continues today. "I had this wonderful realization that fame and fortune and things like that weren’t the answer. It was almost like, wow, is that all there is?" Evans, who was married twice and had a long relationship with the musician Yanni, now finds herself, to her surprise, single and content. "It’s just so fascinating to me to find out that you can really be happy on your own," she says with a delighted chuckle. "I mean this has just been a real shocker for me."

After touring with Yanni for nine years, Evans says the 30-week national tour for Legends! has not been difficult. "The sweet part of being on the road is the people you work with, you become like a family." At a recent stop in East Lansing, Michigan, for example, the cast and crew had brunch at the home of an understudy. Sweet, too, is the audience reaction, says Evans, even though the critics have not been kind to the play. "Every night people are excited and come with a very open mind and heart to see you and to enjoy what you’re doing. It’s been very dear."

But perhaps sweetest of all is how Evans, at 64, continues to challenge herself. It’s a theme she talks about with women as she lectures around the country on wellness issues. "Since we have such long lives, what are we going to do with ourselves after the children and grandchildren?" she asks. "What do you do with all those years? Can you reinvent yourself...express yourself?" Evans says theatre is probably the last thing she thought she’d ever do. "But I must say putting myself in a position of failing, of the unknown, something I didn’t know how to do, was so challenging that it has stimulated something in me. I’ve realized how important it is for us to do new things."

Legends! runs from January 9-14 at the San Diego Civic Theatre. Tickets are $19-75. (619/570-1100, www.broadwaysd.com)
— Andrea Naversen

 
 


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