You've Got To Be Carefully Taught - Part 2Regular Steve On Broadway readers may recall that last summer, I offered a tribute to Sonia Simonsen, the excellent teacher who not only taught music in my high school, but also directed me in my one big stage outing.
Well, look what has surfaced after over 32 years. Photos from the way back machine!
Courtesy of classmate Cynthia James DeVore, these are the only three photographs I have of my one and only musical effort back in high school. I portrayed Lt. Joe Cable in a production of South Pacific in 1977 at Homestead High School, Mequon, Wisconsin.
In the first photo, my expressionless face is looking at Pam McNeil Elgin as Bloody Mary. She's no doubt telling me about what a "sexy lieutellen" I am and how she'd like to hook me up with her daughter Liat.
Now, Pam could act!
In the second picture, my expression-less face is "respond-ing" to Michael Silhol as Cmdr. William Harbison.
Michael clearly had great chops as an actor. Just look at his face. And that pointed arm movement!
But given I have about the same look and body position as I did in the first photo, I'm not so sure about me! Although I do remember one night when the three of us in this particular scene cracked up laughing by a stage mishap.
The more obscured third photo is from my love scene with Liat.
At least it doesn't show me just gazing.
The final photo is not of me. It's of classmates Darrell Smith (Stewpot) and John Shanahan (Luther Billis).
That snapshot helps me bring this post full circle to current times. A week from Saturday, I'll be back in Las Vegas. I'm going to be in one of the final audiences for Bette Midler's The Showgirl Must Go On at The Colosseum in Caesar's Palace. I'm a huge, huge Bette Midler fan, but the real reason I'm going? It's to see Darrell Smith perform his keyboard magic as part of the Divine Miss M's band.
Darrell was one of my best friends in high school. In addition to being a great friend, I'll always remember him as one of the most gifted classmates I ever had. He wrote some of the most amazing music I ever heard, even way back in the day. To be honest, I could listen to him tinkling the ivories for hours on end. He was, and is, that good. He certainly taught me a thing or two about performing and timing.
You may not know Darrell Smith's name, but given some of the biggest names in entertainment he's played keyboards for, you really should. Now, next weekend, I'll get to hear him play live once again for only the second time since leaving high school -- my first chance to see him perform was during one of Cher's early "Farewell" concerts back in 1999.
It'll be great to see this old friend up on stage with one of our greatest contemporary entertainers. See you next weekend, Darrell!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).Labels: Bette Midler, Cher, Darrell Smith, Sonia Simonsen, South Pacific
You've Got To Be Carefully TaughtI've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you
- Wicked
There's nothing like a little trip down memory lane, particularly when it involves going home again. But it's always most rewarding when you stop and take in the landmarks of your life.
Less than two months ago,
I filled in some of the blanks on my own personal back story. In
my April post, I detailed how I became a bona fide theatre devotee after taking in a London production of
Annie 30 years ago. In addition to discussing my genuine excitement about that trip, I also alluded to my burgeoning theatre interest leading up to it:
Prior to this trip, I could probably count the number of times I had seen stage performances on both hands, and with one exception, they were all high school productions (Bye Bye Birdie, Don't Drink The Water, Fiddler On The Roof, Gypsy, Harvey, Oklahoma!, Romeo And Juliet, South Pacific and You Can't Take It With You). Mind you, I really enjoyed seeing each show, especially those under the expert direction of Homestead's musical director Sonia Simonsen, but they only hinted at the overall experience that professional theatre would afford.
Over the course of this past weekend, I returned home to
Mequon, Wisconsin for the reunion of the
Homestead High School's Class of '79. In addition to being able to see so many of the dear friends from my formative years, I was thrilled to see the one and only
Sonia Simonsen herself, a major landmark teacher and director in my life. Not only did she helm several of the shows listed above, but she also directed me in my one true stage role when I played Lieutenant Joe Cable in Homestead's 1977 production of
South Pacific.
Sonia has long since retired from teaching and now makes her home in Florida. But she made the trip to Mequon, and were we ever glad she did.
As you can see from the photo above, Sonia still has that unmistakable twinkle in her eye. She has managed to maintain that same incredible wit and outspoken tell-it-like-it-is vitality that her students came to respect, admire and love. And how could I not adore the woman who first opened my eyes to stage musicals and their mesmerizing capacity to tell moving stories? It was Sonia who directed the very first stage musical I ever saw --
Gypsy -- way back in the mid-70s at my then future high school.
Then is it any wonder that the musical I (and so many others) routinely rank as the best musical of all time is also my unequivocal, hands-down favorite? I had no idea until this past weekend that Sonia, an accomplished actress in her own right, has even portrayed Mama Rose. Would I have loved to see that! Fortunately, she sang a few lines for me, and I was spellbound.
Seeing Sonia was an absolute highlight of a weekend filled with extraordinary memories. Fortunately, it also provided me with a long overdue opportunity to express to her my deepest appreciation for first exposing me to the limitless magic and wonder of musical theatre. Without Sonia's influence and passion for the art form, both instrumental in shaping the person I've become, I have no doubt that my life could have been dramatically different.
Sonia, I know you read this blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the landmarks you have placed in my life. I know I'm who I am today because I knew you as a landmark teacher and director. I'm especially grateful to count you among my cherished friends.
Now, let's plan on seeing each other at a Broadway show!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Gypsy, Homestead High School, Mequon, Reunion, Sonia Simonsen, South Pacific, Wisconsin
You've Got To Be Carefully Taught - Part 2
In the second picture, my expression-less face is "respond-ing" to Michael Silhol as Cmdr. William Harbison.
The more obscured third photo is from my love scene with Liat.
The final photo is not of me. It's of classmates Darrell Smith (Stewpot) and John Shanahan (Luther Billis).
