Dawn explained that the grass-roots political organization -- which had hit a 2.5 million membership just that day -- was not planning demonstrations during the five-day Republican gathering in New York at the end of the month. "They'd [the Republicans] love nothing more than to get a picture of one kid throwing a trash can through a Gap window," she was saying when a voice from the audience began to forcefully object.

"No, no!" shouted a woman, who turned out to be the comedian Reno, from the middle of the orchestra seats. She stood up and looked around, exhorting the crowd to protest anyway. "We have to be out there! Be out on the streets on Sunday August 29! Get out there!" The actors on stage looked surprised, and a little uncomfortable.

Dawn moved quickly to reassure Reno that she believed in protest, but was merely trying to explain why MoveOn had not planned anything. "Yeah, that's cool, sure," said a calmer Reno, sitting down. But a few seats over, someone else piped up. "I'm from San Francisco," the man said by way of explanation. "And we need to do something to counterbalance that convention!"

People began to cheer, and Kushner took over. He said that while he supports the United For Peace And Justice march on Aug. 29, he is keenly aware of how the media will spin things. "Four more years of this guy is unthinkable," said Kushner, "but we need to think about how this is gonna play." The playwright suggested that Bush advisor Karl Rove chose to hold the RNC in a city "that has hated George Bush and which George Bush hates" precisely because he anticipates heated protest, which the party can convert into an "Elect John Kerry and madness and anarchy will follow" message.

"There's nothing to throw! We're on the West Side Highway for Christ's sake!" shouted Reno, in reference to the decision to relegate the march to a closed strip of highway.

"Maybe people could get naked," Clarkson suggested.

Another question from the audience -- "What is the left doing about Ralph Nader?" -- prompted both applause and vitriolic hissing from the crowd. "We don't have the luxury of voting for a third party," responded Dawn, and someone in the crowd shouted, "What third party? They wouldn't nominate him!"

As most of the crowd headed upstairs for a much-needed drink, Falco was headed out the door with her date. She told Salon that she had attended the event "because this is about as important as it gets." Asked if she was freaked out or thrilled by all the post-performance yelling, she said, "It was a combination of the two. I haven't been this close to this. I have seen it in movies, read it in books, but not in my life has it been like this." But she's ready to embrace it.

"I'll go where they tell me," she said of her upcoming campaign activities.

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