Gathering for the Broadway Blessing

Melissa Errico

By Lauren Yarger
About 200 people gathered Monday night at the Church of the Transfiguration for the 16th annual Broadway Blessing.

Melissa Errico (Amour; My Fair Lady) gave the theater reflection and Christiane Noll (Jekyll and Hyde, Chaplin; Ragtime) sang "Ordinary Miracles" by Marvin Hamlisch (lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman) accompanied by Ian Herman on piano.

Christiane Noll

Rich Swingle

Errico spoke emotionally about her heartbreak over having to pull out of a production of Stephen Sondheim's Passion at Classic Stage Company last spring when she had vocal cord surgery. She learned a lot during her time of silence (106 days of it to be exact). Actors have to recognize that they are athletes, that they can get hurt, that they need to take care of themselves, she said. An excerpt from the Olympic-themed, one-man play Beyond the Chariots about Olympian Eric Liddell, which was performed by actor/author Rich Swingle before Errico's comments, was a perfect segue, she said. (The wife of former pro tennis player Patrick McEnroe and sister-in-law of John, she knows all about athletic discipline).

During her time out of the show and in silence she focused on family, friends, spirituality (she is the product of Quaker schooling), exercise, charities and writing about her experience on a blog: http://melissaerrico.com/blog-1/.

The Broadway Blessing Choir

"These things rushed in when I was down," she said. Things don't always go the way you want them to, she said and actor/friend Patrick Page (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) reminded her to use the experience and all she'd been through in creating her next role.

"I can't wait to meet her," he told her.

That echoes advise once given to her by Marian Seldes when a very young Melissa asked the legendary actress what she should do to become an actress.

Stella Almblade Project Dance

"Live!" the legendary stage actress told her.

Errico concluded by quoting Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George:

"Stop worrying where you're going. Move on.

If you can know where you're going, You've gone.

Just keep moving on."

Also appearing at the interfaith service were Stella Almblade from Project Dance, who performed "Walk on Water" choreographed by Randall Flinn to "Storm" by Lifehouse (she wowed the audience not only with the beautiful dance, but with her ability to continue uninterrupted despite some glitches in the music tape). The Broadway Blessing Choir was under the direction of Dr. Claudia Dumschat, organist and choirmaster at Church of the Transfiguration.

Rabbi Hausman  and the Right Rev. St. John

The Right Rev. Andrew St. John, rector of the church, and Rabbi Jill Hausman of the Actors' Temple participated in the service and The Rev. Mitties DeChamplain of St. Clement's Episcopal Church gave the blessing.

Maj. Carl Ruthberg and Retta Blaney

Hosted in recent years at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Blessing moved this year to The Little Church Around the Corner, Transfiguration's nickname, home of the Episcopal Actors' Guild which co-hosted the event and a reception which followed. The Broadway Blessing is founded and directed by Retta Blaney. She writes about theater and religion on her blog Upon the Sacred Stage and is the author of Working on the Inside:  The Spiritual Life Through the Eyes of Actors.