In January, I interviewed Donna Murphy during BroadwayCon for Entertainment Tonight. This was a sit down one-on-one inside the press room about her joining Hello, Dolly! for one performance a week. Donna spoke from the heart about joining the cast and stepping into the role not as Bette Midler's understudy, but her alternate. You have to read the piece to see why.
At the end of the interview, we took a photo together. The next morning, I woke up and she had posted it on Twitter ( No wonder I couldn't find it on my phone, Donna had it!)
Fast forward to this past week, when I went on a Tuesday to see Donna as Dolly. She was amazing. Her facial expressions could be seen all the way up in the balcony where I sat. It was so wonderful to finally see her in that famous red gown and go down that grand staircase in Act II. Her monologues to Ephraim were so powerful and I couldn't help but get chills watching. I didn't want the night to end. This show just makes me so happy. You have to her see as the iconic matchmaker!
(PS - Here's a pic from when I met her for the first time backstage in June 2011 after People in the Picture)
After the show, I went backstage to say, "hello." While I waited for her on stage, I watched as friends and families greeted other cast members in the show. David Hyde Pierce came out, Melanie Moore, Jessica Lee Goldyn ( who I have my photo with after A Chorus Line) and Jennifer Simard. I didn't get a chance to schmooze with any of them. But a few people were acting out their parts in Fiddler on the Roof from when it was on Broadway last season.
Donna and I chatted for a few moments but I won't reveal what we talked about! I also got to meet Donna's assistant, Michele. She is such a sweetheart!
I took a few photos from behind the scenes of the Shubert Theater.
The same theater I stood backstage at in 2003 when Gypsy was housed there.
I went home humming the tunes. What a great night!