George Marcy!
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| George Marcy |
“Beauty travels on light feet!” Goethe.
Every body has the right to be who they are, what they want to be, to
live love whomever they choose as long as you don’t hurt the other guy. Live my
friend, love and be happy.
George Marcy
Happy Wednesday!
For someone who is not a dancer, I seem to be caught up in the world of dance. I am excited by all the research on Hello, Dolly!
Yesterday on my way to Lincoln Center to spend an afternoon perusing press clippings, I ran into author/dancer Ronald Young, who appeared in the original company of Hello, Dolly! First audition in New York right out of Oklahoma and he is working in Broadway's biggest hit for the next two years...until he left the company for Mame.
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| George Marcy |
He has a new memoir on his life as a Broadway dancer called, The Only Boy Who Danced. GET THIS BOOK! I cannot put it down. Ron, if you see this, I want to do a blog feature on you. Ron is in town for an event for Dancers Over 40 on March 12th.
That will be hosted by Carol Lawrence (who I am interviewing tomorrow!).
Carol as you know was the original Maria in West Side Story. Also in that cast was the marvelous George Marcy. I always love seeing this man around town. His exuberance for life is extraordinary and contagious. I am so excited to be celebrating George with you today.
Three to Make Ready was the first Broadway show George saw. A revival of
Billion Dollar Baby was the first (tho it was at a Cafe theatre) show George
was in. The first Broadway show he did on Broadway was 'TOP
BANANA' a musical about Burlesque. Working with the old masters (Phil
Silvers, Rose Marie, Kaye Ballard, and some old great comics, Joey and
Herbie Faye from burlesque) was an education.He made the movie as the
featured dancer.
He knew nothing about musical comedy except he wanted to be
a dancer/singer on Broadway.
But it didn’t matter.
It was Broadway, show biz.
He
loved it so much that nothing could be wrong.
He saw all the glamor, the
beauty of it all.
And he knew it didn’t come easy that it all required a
tremendous amount of study and hard work to be on that stage. He was a little
frightened by it all, but that’s what he desired, that was his world.
As a child he
was learning to play the violin and he was a good study. He was brought
up in Home for Boys and Girls who had no parents or were not able to take care
of their children.
It was the depression and times were rough. His folks passed
away at the early age of 7 and 9 (a year and 3 months apart) but he remembers his
mother playing some Italian opera, not too much. At the Home called Highland
Heights he had the opportunity to learn to play the Violin and he took it. He
got to play second violin in the orchestra. Also had a few lessons on the drum
and fife. They used to send him to Woosley Hall in New Haven, CT when the
Symphony Orchestra’s used to play. He was very young and traveled himself and was
scared to death in getting home as it was so dark and he had to walk all the
way which was a couple of miles. He knew he was getting a good education but
sometimes as children do, he dozed off at times. But he 
looked forward to it
all. Violins lessons every Monday night. He played in the High School Symphony
Orchestra, second violin that is. He wasn’t good enough, according to him, to
play first violin. But he was there right in the middle of it all.
looked forward to it
all. Violins lessons every Monday night. He played in the High School Symphony
Orchestra, second violin that is. He wasn’t good enough, according to him, to
play first violin. But he was there right in the middle of it all.
George had
art appreciation and studied music. He was an alto.
First
professional job? He thinks it was a revival of Billion Dollar Baby at Monte Proser’s Café theatre with Carol
Bruce, Bob Fosse, Sheila Bond.
His thoughts
on Arts in Education. It’s plus all the
way through. To have that under your belt one only becomes more creative, with
great understanding of what they can do. Your inner self becomes alive and no
matter what you do having that as a base of knowledge you have the strongest
foundation one can have. You also get a great sense of security as a performer
having all that in you.
Have you ever felt
like you were born in the wrong era? What other period of time do you relate to
and why? Yeah! I always felt I was ahead of my time. I sometimes think I still
am. But I can relate to the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s. The beginning of the Jazz Age.
But even then I feel I could have been a bit much. Scared to death but I was
outrageous, very open and free, so hungry .
Your
thoughts on Carol Channing (All my blogs focus on Carol Channing’s Foundation
For The Arts)
You are
talking of one of the greatest icons in Musical Comedy.
An entertainer
that very few can match. She was a brilliant comedienne a once in a lifetime
performer. You will never see the likes of her ever again. How lucky to be able
to be a witness to her during my life time. She was lovely, beautiful, funny,
genius, whatever, it
was all in one brilliant package. Need I say more? What? She should have
received the Kennedy Center Honor a long time ago. How can they let one of the
greatest entertainers of our time slip through their minds?
Most
recent appearance:
My most recent
appearance was about a 1 year and 1⁄2 ago when I did my One Man Show in
Cabaret.
Next
appearance:
Dancers Over
40/Broadway Cares Benefit, March 12, Alvin Ailey Theater, 8 p.m.
What
is your biggest success in Show Business
West Side Story, where I played Bernardo for over 850 performances.
Also that I was able to play Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie, El Gallo in The
Fantasticks and when Gower Champion saw WSS and asked me if I wanted to be the
standby for James Mitchell in Carnival as Marco. I got the chance to be on
stage with some of the greatest performers ever, to work with them, on the same
level. If that isn’t success what is it?
What
was your lowest low and how did you surpass that?
I don’t remember having a lowest low.
What
one change would you like to see in today’s industry?
I love Musical
theater and there was nothing wrong with tradition. I love the way the shows
were on the “Great White Way.” They had a sense of style, of comedy that lasted
through the years. It seems, not that I go to the theatre that much any more,
to have gotten that anyone, with any kind of presentation can get on Broadway.
I suppose it goes with the times. I am prejudice. I think you understand what I
mean....I loved it the way it was.
How
do you deal with receiving invitations from friends/colleagues to events that
are either too many or too costly to attend?
If I don’t
know them I ignore the invitation. Or sometimes I do go depending on what their
show is all about. My friends? I try to be there no matter what the cost is.
Are
you happy at the point you are right now in your career?
YES! And
excited about doing Broadway Baby at
the benefit for DO40/Broadway Cares event.
Do
you feel you have achieved what you set out to do?
Pretty much.
What
do you do to remain positive when life's hiccups get you down?
I say a little
prayer and thank God that I can still do what I love to do in life.
How
on earth do you reach theatregoers now that newspapers are obsolete and there
are so many channels on TV you can’t pick the right ones to advertise on and
with the web being so hit and miss. That’s
anybody’s guess. Word of mouth. Do what Judy Holiday did in one of her flicks.
Rent a huge poster, plaster it on Broadway, 7th avenue, Columbus center with
lights so that the people can see. lol
A
genie pops out of the lamp, he grants you three wishes. What are those wishes?
To be six feet
tall, thin and very rich.
If
you could travel anywhere in the world and spend some time there, where would
you choose, and what would you do?
I can adjust
to just about anywhere, but I would love to go back to Italy, Paris, London and
possible hit Scotland, Norway, Germany.
What
would you ask God if you could right now?
Grant me peace
and that I do a good performance on March 12.
What
is the last stage show you saw. Local or professional.
Follies!
If
you could change places with anyone in the world for 24 hours, who would that
be and why?
I never
thought I would want to change places with anyone. Joking around, I thought
Anita Eckberg, a six foot blond, looking that gorgeous, I would have anything
in the world I wanted. But I am happy with whom I am.
When do you know it’s time for a George
Marcy show?
The need to get on stage and to perform.
Do
you make a living at this or do you have a survival job?
I am retired
and no I do not have survival job.
What
is your favorite compliment?
You don’t look
your age!
Thank you, George, for the gifts you give to the world! I cannot wait to see you perform Broadway Baby on March 12th!
Thank you, George, for the gifts you give to the world! I cannot wait to see you perform Broadway Baby on March 12th!
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!
Tomorrow'sblog will be... My Exclusive Interview with Dawn Hampton!
Here's to an INCREDIBLE tomorrow for ALL...with NO challenges!
Now, GO OUT AND see Carol Channing: Larger Than Life now in theatres.
Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING and HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED DAY
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
This Blog is dedicated to ALL the Broadway Dancers Over 40, past, present, and future and the gifts they give to the world
Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!
Tomorrow'sblog will be... My Exclusive Interview with Dawn Hampton!
Thank you, to all the mentioned in this blog!
Now, GO OUT AND see Carol Channing: Larger Than Life now in theatres.
Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING and HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED DAY
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
This Blog is dedicated to ALL the Broadway Dancers Over 40, past, present, and future and the gifts they give to the world
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It is nice to see an article dedicated to this important topic. Thank you for sharing.
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