So, at most high schools there is one person who is the STAR of all of the plays and musicals. Typically, that person goes on to live a normal respectable life like my friend Mark, who is the mayor of Bothell. He’s a Republican, but I still think he’s pretty swell. I’m not sure he’s respectable, being a Republican politician, but he’s swell nonetheless.
He starred in most of the productions from my sophomore year until my senior year (Brigadoon, anyone?) and then went off to become a lawyer and future baby-kisser and glad-handler.
But my freshman year we had the other kind of theater star. The kind who really believes that it is in his or her bones and wants to stick with it. Wants to star in a big Broadway show and see their name in lights three feet tall.
Noah Racey was such a person and, guess what! He did it!
A couple of years ago, he starred on Broadway in a show called Never Gonna Dance. It was based on a Fred Astaire movie (Swing Time, I think) and as soon as I found out, I bought tickets for myself and my friend Dana (who also went to Roosevelt, at the same time) to go see it.
He was marvelous, I mean just a wonderfully athletic and smooth dancer and a consummate leading man. Like Fred Astaire, if he’d been better looking.
We stood at the stage door after the show, with my old yearbook in hand and got his signature. Frankly, I am exactly that kind of nerd.
I think that he was actually quite touched. That winter was a terribly cold one which killed a lot of Broadway shows prematurely, including his, and we were at one of the final performances. He seemed to have a lot of fun showing his co-stars the photos of him starring in our high school musical – 42nd Street, I think.
Any hoo, he’s back on the big white way now. He’s in a show called Curtains, which is starring David Hyde Pierce, of Frasier fame. It's gotten some buzz, and the weather (constant rain notwithstanding) is okay, so hopefully it will stay open for a good long while.
Dana and I have our tickets! We’re going next Thursday! I dug out this old picture of him – do you think I should bring it for him to sign?
Woohoo! Tolot 1997!! Ah, the good old days...ps. I am not really stalking him, it’s a joke… I am just really happy for him and proud that someone I once knew is really making his dreams come true.
3 comments:
1. Woah...he's a MAN now!
2. Please tell me that tolot photo was 1991, not 1997.
3. Who IS his date?
Right, I meant 1987! Oops.
Yeah, he is all... man-like. Hee! It makes him very watchable onstage!
His date was, umm, I want to say Elizabeth something or rather. I would have to look in my year books. Sweet white shoes, right?
I have the honor(?) of having starred with him in a play at Roosevelt. We got to kiss!
His date was Lauren Wilson.
Allison, who are you?
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