Shelly Goldstein!
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| Shelly Goldstein |
"And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you
make." - Lennon-McCartney
Happy Friday!
This has been the most amazing week. If you've been following my blogs, you know! Monday night, going to the premier of Noel and Company's Design For Living starring Keith Merrill with Mary Ellen Ashley, going to The Persian Room Gala on Tuesday night, The book signing event on Wednesday night, Leslie Uggams last night, and today I'm writing about a true renaissance woman. I don't think there is anything that Shelly Goldstein cannot do. I just wished she was on the east coast!
Living in Chicago, her parents took her to the touring companies of every
show that came to town.
She was fortunate, they started her very early. Shelly's Mom also fed her every Broadway album in her collection. She vividly remembers listening to FUNNY GIRL with her mom who did a wicked impression of Barbra/Fanny's singing and Yiddish-isms. They sang along to everything from PETER PAN with Mary Martin to MAME, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, OLIVER and, of course, GYPSY.
Those musicals she sang along to with her Mother remain her favorites to this day.
She was fortunate, they started her very early. Shelly's Mom also fed her every Broadway album in her collection. She vividly remembers listening to FUNNY GIRL with her mom who did a wicked impression of Barbra/Fanny's singing and Yiddish-isms. They sang along to everything from PETER PAN with Mary Martin to MAME, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, OLIVER and, of course, GYPSY.
Those musicals she sang along to with her Mother remain her favorites to this day.
The experience that changed Shelly's life forever was seeing her first musical actually on Broadway, with a school group. It was PIPPIN. She doesn't think she exhaled for the entire show. Shelly fell madly in love with Bob Fosse and their entire group waited by the stage door to get glimpses of John Rubenstein and Ben Vereen. While they were waiting, an important man rushed by the stage door. Her friend, Andrea, ran up to him crying, "Mr. Fosse! Mr. Fosse!" He stopped, as if he'd been slapped. He looked at all our tiny little faces, glared at Andrea: "The name is PRINCE. Mr. Prince"...and strode off. Ooops!
Who
is your favorite entertainer, and why?
That's an
impossible question to answer. It's like which organ in your body is the single
most important. Lots of Groovy Girls are my soul and inspiration: Barbra, Judy,
Dusty, Liza, Cass, Carole, Aretha. I love them because they fused talent,
passion, humor and style. I love watching Emma Thompson bring a character to
life. Lily Tomlin onstage is a masterclass in not just humor, but humanity.
Woody Allen and Mel Brooks taught me so much and brought so much joy to my
life. If I could just hold an envelope bag with the style of Roz Russell I'd be
ecstatic. Or cast a glance with the intensity of Miss Hepburn. On the male
side, Colbert is a delight because of his wit, intelligence and absolute
commitment to his character. He's as vital and eternal as Jonathan Swift and
Mark Twain. Roger Daltrey embodies Rock and Roll for me. I've been madly in
love with him my entire life. Sidney Poitier fascinates me onscreen. And my
life wouldn't have been worth living without John, Paul, George and
Ringo.
What have
you learned about making your relationships in the industry more solid and
resourceful? Treat people with respect and give 200% to the job.
Be the person they want to hire again.
Your
thoughts on Arts in Education
It's everything. Absolutely everything.
I've written a big fund-raising gala for the past 3 years for a wonderful
organization in LA called Inner-City Arts. They do amazing work with children
in L.A. whose schools barely have walls, let alone theatre, music or drawing.
Studying their programs I've seen the stats which prove again and again that
students exposed to the Arts do significantly better in Reading comprehension,
vocabulary, math, science and, most importantly, critical thinking. Understanding
the question, not merely reciting the answer.
Arts education --
writing, drawing, acting, dancing, poetry, drawing, design -- is vital to every
child's development. A child must know there is more to life than rigid fact.
Imagination, the slightly skewed vision is what brings us John Lennon
and Stephen Sondheim and Steve Jobs. "Where there is no vision, the people
perish." We're seeing that play out right now. That must be reversed.
Have you
ever felt like you were born in the wrong era? What other period of time do you
relate to and why?
My Groovy Girls show is all about my desire to have
been a part of that fantastic era - roughly 1964-1972. Carnaby Street.
Broadway. Laurel Canyon. Lincoln Park. From "She Loves You" to
PIPPIN. The style, the theatre, the music, the FASHION -- but also the
optimism. Our national optimism got kicked in the gut around Watergate and
we've never fully recovered.
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| Sid Caesar |
I have one other dream - to have been in the writers room at CAESAR'S HOUR
(Not "Your Show of Shows" because Larry Gelbart didn't work on that
one) alongside Gelbart, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Carl Reiner, young Woody. These
guys are my comedy gods. I was good friends with Larry and he once told me,
"You'd have fit in fine in 'the room'". I cherish that.
Your
thoughts on Carol Channing (All my blogs focus on Carol Channing’s Foundation
For The Arts)
Last year I was lucky enough to meet Miss
Channing and her late husband, Harry. He and I talked about their foundation.
God Bless them for their work. I've had the good fortune to see Miss Channing
play Dolly twice. The performances were 25 years apart and she was brilliant in
both of them. That says it all. Her talent, her humor, her fortitude...The
woman is fantastic!
I’m
campaigning for Carol Channing to receive the 2012 Kennedy Center Honor in
2012. If you agree that she should receive this honor, can you say why you
think this should happen (See below on how YOU can help!) Carol Channing absolutely deserves the
Kennedy Center Honor. She is an icon who embodies the American Dream. Her work
ethic is unmatched. Her entire life has been dedicated to bringing joy to
millions, and enriching education for children. She is still going strong in
her 90s and is an absolute inspiration to all Americans. Why she hasn't yet
received the honor is a mystery.
Most
recent appearance
Sang the other night at Jim Caruso's CAST
PARTY at Hollywood new "Coterie" room, which singer Julie Garnye has
brilliantly brought to town.
Next
appearance
Will be performing in London, L.A. and
Chicago. Announcement to come, soon!
What
is your biggest success in Show Business?
Haven't
gotten there yet. As an actor, the biggest high was working alongside Sir
Derek Jacobi in THE RIDDLE. As a writer, working with Steve Martin was as good
as it gets.
What
was your lowest low and how did you surpass that?
When my Mother died. Still working on it. My husband makes every day more
positive and possible.
What
one change would you like to see in today’s industry?
Less sexism onscreen. Less sexism behind the scenes. (ESPECIALLY IN
COMEDY) Less agism. A 10 year ban on any sort of re-make of an old idea on TV,
screen or stage musical -- and an embrace of new, original ideas.
Are
you happy at the point you are right now in your career?
Happy, grateful, eager to do much, much more.
Do
you feel you have achieved what you set out to do?
I juggle lots of plates. I've done just about everything in show biz
except literally juggle plates. I still have lots more to do.
What do you
do to remain positive when life's hiccups get you down?
Think what my Mother would do then loudly
sing a showtune or appropriate 60s song.
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.
Plugging a show is much harder work than
doing a show. Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, phone calls, plastering neighborhoods
and hotels with flyers, go to open mics, talk to anyone who'll listen.
A genie pops
out of the lamp, he grants you three wishes. What are those wishes?
1) Cancer disappears
2) Marriage
Equality becomes legal
3) I get to bring my Mama back for one day and she
sits front row center as I debut at the Hollywood Bowl doing an evening of
songs from the Groovy Era, joined by my special guests: The Beatles, Dusty
Springfield, Judy and Liza who crown me, "The New Belter!"
How did you
get into this business?
I was
born.
What
is your favorite song?
"Someone to Watch Over Me". I sang
it to my husband at our wedding.
What
is the last stage show you saw. Local or professional.
Coco Peru's
spectacular, "There Comes a Time".
What do you do to prepare for
your performances?
Panic.
When do you know it’s time for a
Shelly Goldstein show?
When I wake up.
Do
you make a living at this or do you have a survival job? Other than one Xmas season selling musical
toothbrushes at Bullocks as an adult, I have always made my living in the
entertainment industry as a writer or performer.
What is
your favorite compliment?
"We
want you back."
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
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| with George Marcy and Carol Lawrence |
Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!
Tomorrow's blog will be... Remembering Robert Sherman
Thank you, to all the mentioned in this blog!
Here's to an INCREDIBLE tomorrow for ALL...with NO challenges!
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
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Thanks for this. Shelly Goldstein is uniquely gifted, funny as heck and a lovely person. Each performance leaves her audience on its feet cheering.
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