Musicals

Next week two of my kids will kick up their heels in the stage show, "Hello Dolly".  I can't wait to see them shine on stage!!

When I was a tiny girl, one of the first movies I ever saw was 'Finian's Rainbow'.  I was three or four years old at the time, but I vividly remember how the movie drew me in, and the excitement of it all.  I especially took the the song, "Look to The Rainbow".  That is the moment my love for musical theater was born.  As I grew older, I was taken to the movie theater (at a similarly early age) to see The Sound of Music.  This movie touched me in a such a way that no other movie has.  I loved it instantly, and it is my favorite one to this day.

My aunt and uncle had an 8 track soundtrack to the The Sound of Music (movie) and I always listened to it when I visited them.  I learned the entire score by heart by the time I was 8 or 9 years old.  As I grew, I accumlated recordings of broadway musicals and movies.  I had Pippin, Man of La Mancha, Cabaret, The Sound of Music, Finian's Rainbow, A Chorus Line, South Pacific, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie...just to name a few...I preferred this music to anything on the popular charts.

Mom and Dad took us to see live theater as children at Buhl Summer Playhouse as well as professional theater at Kennelly's in Warren.  I remember seeing 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Oliver'.  I itched to be on the stage!! 

As an elementary student, Kennedy Christian High School would bring selections from their spring musical to our school as an assembly.  I recall seeing three girls, dancing in dated clothing, singing, 'Matchmaker' from Fiddler on the Roof.  I wanted to be on the stage, too!!!  It looked like so much fun.

I play the piano, and most of the music I own is showtunes!

I started acting and performing seriously when I was about 14 years old.  It began with a play in religious ed called 'The Singer'.  Surprisingly, I got the lead role when I auditioned.  I moved on to South pacific, where I didn't get cast, but worked on the costume committee.  (I was not in high school yet, which was a prerequisite for being cast.)  It turned out that I did not like doing costumes.  No surprise there.

From there, I went on to act in numerous musicals and non musical stage shows.  Not surprisingly, this is how I met John--we were both involved in the show, Can Can at Buhl Summer Playhouse, and that's where our love began!  We went on to act together in many shows, and were founding members of a mime troupe, Images.  When the group disbanded, we stayed together, studied mime (under former students of Marcel Marceau), and performed professionally for several years.  I taught Mime at the Valley Arts guild as well as at the Buhl Club.

When some of our kids started to show interest in the theater, it really didn't surprise me!  I knew a lot of stage mothers in my time, and vowed NEVER to be one.  So, I let the kids choose their own paths, and it led them to the stage!

Well, here's to Tony and Maria--Wishes for 'breaking a leg'!!!!

Love you both sooooooo much!

HUGSxxxAnnie