What do Carol Burnett, Blythe Danner & these ladies have in common? They all got their start in NYC while staying at the Rehearsal Club. And they are only a handful of the many Broadway “Good Girls” who found a home in the famed 20th Century theatrical residence in New York for aspiring actresses. Opening it’s doors in 1913 to provide a safe place for young women in the big city, it really became a home. Although it did close in 1979 due to the fiscal crisis, the Rehearsal Club is very much alive today thanks to the women who are dedicated to preserving it’s legacy. For more info, visit www.rehearsalclubnyc.com to join as a “Friend of the RC.”
Four of these talented ladies, Denise Pence, Rise Clemmer, Judy Jenson & Sunny Keyser, performed in the second Broadway Alumni Connection show. What an honor! We got to hear their story through no other means but an original song “Good Girls Only” composed by the late John Kroner in collaboration with Charles Liepart and choreographed by Eileen Casey. They brought down the house!
The stories these ladies share and the support they provided for each other certainly inspires my mission with the Broadway Alumni Connection. We need to know what came before us, what is happening now and be actively involved in our futures. We need to stay connected with each other. Not only was The Rehearsal Club the inspiration for the Edna Ferber’s play and film, Stage Door but the ladies of the club today have also inspired a new musical.
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