Write a commentHave any of you out there ever thought about stepping onto the stage of a community theater production?
Come on, be honest. There are a lot of you reading this who have thought about it now and then. It can be a little scary. It may seem like you might want to, but just can’t bring yourself around to actually doing it. And then there’s Mildred Grace: known to us now, as Millie.
Millie came to us “out of the blue” one night as we were rehearsing the comedy, “Always A Bridesmaid.” She had heard about the role of Sedalia Wingate and thought she would give it a shot. We told her it was just a small part and explained the character she would be portraying. She read a few lines cold turkey to the director, Paul McKinney. And the rest is history, as they say. She must have done a good job, because Paul asked her to take the part and she left with a script in hand and a smile on her face.
For the next few weeks, she studied the script, worked diligently during rehearsal learning her movements on the stage, laughed along with the other actresses she was playing with, and became the true-blue Sedalia. When the show opens April 5th at 7:00 pm in the CNY Arts Center, she will be “acting” out a dream.
By trade Millie is an early primary school teacher, an American Sign Language interpreter, and currently teaches at Onondaga Community College as an instructor in ASL. Because of her career choices facial expression, vocal inflection and voice changes were always an important part of her daily activities. On her free time, she enjoys storytelling, biking and golf. Millie has been married to her husband Bill for 40 years. They have a son and a daughter and 4 beautiful grandchildren. Millie and Bill have been long -time members of the CNY Arts Center. Let’s see Millie catches the “theater bug.”
Always A Bridesmaid runs April 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 on the Arts’ Scene stage in the CNY Arts Center, 121 Cayuga Street, Fulton, NY. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 315-598-2787 or going online at cnyartscenter.com. The comedy is presented through special arrangements with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
