1 Post tagged “tony walton” from Family

In the past four days Roxie Hart (Penny Worth) bought me guacamole and chenin blanc.  Velma Kelly (Carolyn Kirsh) gave me a rose.  I heard a letter sent by Julie Andrews.  Chita Rivera (star of too many broadway shows to name but notably West Side Story, Sweet Charity, and Chicago) bought me tea. I met the broadway producer and lighting designer Jules Fisher.  AND...I've held Tony Walton's Oscar for Lifetime Achievement! 

All this came to pass because of an email I received on February 27th.  The mesage was from Geraldine, a french doctoral student, who was looking for some help with interviews she planned to conduct in New York.  She didn't feel comfortable enough with English and wanted someone to serve as an interpreter.  I agreed, unaware of her topic, just wanting the opportunity to speak French and perhaps add interpreting experience as a line on my resume.  She later told me that her work was on the choreography of Bob Fosse.  I love dance so I was interested in the topic but I assumed she would just interview other academics who study dance. 

After nearly a month of communicating over email, Geraldine arrived in New York and we set a meeting time.  The night before, I stayed up lated watching clips of Fosse choreography on YouTube.  I had a basic familiarity with his work but I hadn't thought much about it.  Having studied different forms of social dance and having a budding interest in more formal dance, I found myself with a deeper appreciation for Fosse's choregraphy. 

So, I met with Geraldine for the lunch the next day to talk over how I could help before the first interview.  It was then that learned that she intended to interview the people who worked with Fosse, people like Chita Rivera and Tony Walton!  I was amazed but at the time the only names I really knew were Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdon, and of course Fosse.  And I also learned was a sweet person Geraldine is.  She brought me a bottle of Madame by Jean Paul Gaultier as a thank you gift and I hadn't even done anything yet!  (She is really lovely, she brought gifts for every person she interviewed AND their assistants!)

After our meeting we had the first interview with Penny Worth, the dancer/actress who played Roxie Hart in the touring version of Chicago (she was also in Annie, Damn Yankees and host of other performances).  She was extremely warm and friendly and told us wonderful stories about working with Bob Fosse.  After the interview, she invited us to an event hosted by the organization Dancers over 40.  The event was a tribute to choreographer Michael Kidd [Lil Abner, Guys and Dolls, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Bandwagon].  It was mesmerizing to hear the stories of dancers that worked with Kidd and how they see the dance/broadway world has changed over the years.  After the tribute, Penny introduced Geraldine to Carolyn Kirsch who co-starred with her as Velma Kelly in Chicago we also met another man (whose name I've forgotten...so sorry!) that was a broadway dancer and worked with Fosse in Pippin.

As unbelievable as that day was, the following interviews kept getting better!  We met with Chita Rivera who was so warm and open and full of energy.  The interview was just a short hour long and I felt to disappointed when it ended.  Her everyday speech is a performance, and she's a great storyteller.  Just hearing her speak makes me want to start a broadway career (ha, yeah right, like that's even possible for me!)  And after the interview she and her lovely assistant Rosie both gave us huge hugs.

Tony Walton was the most friendly and inviting person that we've met with the far.  I, unfortunately, arrived slightly late for this interview.  We were meeting in Mr. Walton's home (probably the most beautiful apartment I've ever been in) and when I had arrived there Geraldine had already taken a host of silly photos with Mr. Walton's Oscar!  When I entered, he immediately offered me coffee and set off to make it himself.  He was so gracious and engaged with both Geraldine

and I (and that's amazing to me...all of the interviewees took the time to ask me who I was and actively bring me into the conversation!  It was so nice and considerate of them.)  After the interview, we took photos with him (and I got to hold the Oscar too!) and he gave us each a big hug.  And he sent us onto the interview with Jules Fisher that he arranged for Geraldine during the interview (it's so wonderful that he...and Penny Worth did this also...took the time to help Geraldine by placing personal phone calls to people that could help her with her research!)  Jules Fisher was quite lovely as well, fitting the interview in on such short notice.

I was so impressed by the fact that these people, who have achieve so much and left a lasting mark on their profession, can be so humble and accessible.  Every person we met was warm and really engaged. One thing I have learned in accompanying Geraldine on these interviews is how much heart, dedication, and passion it takes to be truly great at something.  The people that she's interviewed are truly the greatest at what they do and the spirit, pain, and sacrifice that has gone into their work is so visible but even more than that is the love and passion for

what they do.  Every single person that I got to hear speak was a great inspiration (and also made me feel like a complete loser because really what have I done in 26 years!) 

I'd love to tell you all some of the great anecdotes I heard but you'll just have to wait and read them when Geraldine publishes her book!