Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life.Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life By Donna McKechnie Early life Donna McKechnie (born November 16, 1940) is a Tony Award-winning American musical theater dancer, singer. actress and choreographer. McKechnie was born in Pontiac, Michigan. She took beginner ballet classes at age five. with Greg Lawrence New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of : Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. , 2006. 304 pp. Illustrated. Hardcover, $25. The original Cassie in A Chores Line, Donna McKechnie was unforgettable as the spirited former Broadway star begging for a place in the ensemble. It turns out that not only did McKechnie's own school-of-hard-knocks experience feed into the role of Cassie, but it was also the source for other characters like Maggie and Sheila. After performing Cassie--and earning a Tony Award for it--McKechnie gained a reputation as a triple threat. But her long career was, emotionally and financially, a bumpy ride. Growing up in Michigan with a mother full of regrets and a lather shell-shocked from the war, McKechnie defied her parents and left home to dance. Later her grandfather would refer to her as the "black sheep black sheep n. 1. A sheep with black fleece. 2. A member of a family or other group who is considered undesirable or disreputable. " of the family. No wonder she had self-esteem issues! Her romantic relationships seemed off-center from the start, the biggest fiasco being her attempt at marriage with Chorus Line choreographer/director Michael Bennett. They had been close friends and collaborators during the creative process of Chorus Line in 1975. Their short-lived union (Bennett was bisexual and later died of AIDS) was almost as painful as her debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction bout with rheumatoid arthritis rheumatoid arthritis Chronic, progressive autoimmune disease causing connective-tissue inflammation, mostly in synovial joints. It can occur at any age, is more common in women, and has an unpredictable course. . One of the most affecting scenes in the book happens when she is learning the leading role in Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity from Gwen Verdon. After the first run-through, an exhausted McKechnie exchanges glances with Verdon, who declares triumphantly, "You did it!" McKechnie treasures this gift of a role from one of the all-time greats. Her appreciation of her fellow artists-and composers, musicians, and stage managers--shines throughout the book. With every page, she is saying she did not do it alone. Fittingly, Time Steps echoes the message of A Chorus Line: McKechnie is part of a line of dedicated and talented co-workers, in space and in time. The book is an eloquent tribute to the group chemistry that creates the magic of musicals.--Wendy Perron Per´ron n. 1. (Arch.) An out-of-door flight of steps, as in a garden, leading to a terrace or to an upper story; - usually applied to mediævel or later structures of some architectural pretensions. |
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