HELLO DOLLY - MY WALK-ON ROLE!

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My walk-on role in HELLO DOLLY at the 5th Avenue Theatre!

The critics agree -- I was a hit!

At last year’s 5th Avenue Theatre Gala, I bid for and won a walk on role in HELLO DOLLY. I was really excited, but it seemed like it was so far away for so long. Finally HELLO DOLLY opened on March 12 and my walk on was imminent!

The whole walk-on experience is amazing and so professionally handled. First, you pick your date and then you have to send them your measurements (gulp). Then as you get closer, you have your costume fitting! I tried on a petticoat, a day coat, a collar ruffle and some wonderful Mary Poppinesque lace up boots.

The evening of March 27 had arrived. At 7pm I was greeted at the stage door by a photographer and Lonnie Angle, who is the Special Projects Managaer at the 5th Avenue Theatre (and trust me, I’m a special project!). The photographer started snapping shots and didn’t stop until I was in full costume!

First Lonnie showed me the show bricks! Every show that has played at the 5th Avenue Theatre has a personalized brick in the wall! It’s really amazing to see these artistic, amazing bricks (Sweeney Todd was my favorite). Then it was off to my dressing room – it even had a gold star with my name on it on the door! Yes, I had my own dressing room while Cornelius, Barnaby and Ambrose all had to share one, not to mention all the female interns squished into one dressing room! C’est la vie!

My dressing room was adorned with flowers, copies of my bio, a HELLO DOLLY poster signed by the cast, and a 5th Avenue chocolate bar! I was joined by my daughter Myrna, who was a performance intern for the show (squished into the aforementioned intern dressing room!).

First I got into my costume, and chose a hat. I chose the beige gloves and the beige hat with the feathers to go with my beige costume (don’t pull focus!). Then it was off for tech talk! This was really, really fun and interesting. Not only did I get more pics take of me onstage, but I got to see how “the magic” happens backstage. The whole backstage is like a puzzle. To move a set piece, another set piece has to move first. And then there’s the stuff hanging from the celing. And by “stuff” I mean Irene Malloy’s hat shop! Large set pieces are dangling securely and have to be lowered and raised as needed. I saw the train on which I (and many others) would be riding for “Put on Your Sunday Clothes”. The train would be pulled and pushed by the stage crew – ouch!.The people who work backstage are truly the hardest working people in showbiz!

A quick rehearsal with  my wrangler (cast member Karen Skrinde) and I was done with my tech talk!

Just before the show started I was lucky enough to have my picture taken with lots of cast members – Pat Cashman (Horace Vandergelder), Krystle Armstrong (Ermengarde), Mo Brady (Barnaby Tucker), Rich Gray (Rudolph), just to name a few! Then it was off to make up and wig! I even have pictures of me in my flattering wig cap! I wore an auburn wig, and my hat. I was ready for my grand entrance.

The walk on role occurred in the reprise of the “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” number, as the train arrives. I waited in the wing during the first part of that number, which was thrilling. I was so close to the cast who were singing their hearts out! Then it was time! Cast members Ty Willis and Karen Skrinde guided me across the stage and onto the train where I proceeded to wave my arm off, and throw a thousand kisses as the train made its way across the stage! The lights! The music! It was thrilling!

Then it was back to my dressing room to de-costume and de-wig! Before you could say “holy cabooses” I was seated next to my husband and daughter Trinity in the theatre watching the rest of the show, which included my daughter Myrna who performed in a blonde wig in “Before The Parade Passes By”!

Thanks to Lonnie, cast and crew of HELLO DOLLY for giving me a magical night I’ll never forget!

Next year’s walk on roles were auctioned off at the 5th Avenue Gala on April 18, 2009. Up next? Another starring walk-on role in ON THE TOWN!


By Suzy Conn on May 7, 2009 8:36 AM | | Comments (0)


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