Betty Buckley joins the show to discuss her deep connection to storytelling and the spiritual "calling" she first felt at eleven years old while watching the original Bob Fosse choreography in Pajama Game. She shares incredible stories from her early days in Texas, including her time as a teenage rodeo reporter and the persistent friction with her father regarding her pursuit of a career in show business. Betty also reflects on the power of the "11 O'clock Number," her legendary debut at Carnegie Hall, and why she firmly believes she is responsible for the modern usage of the word "dude".
The conversation dives into her yearly residency at Joe's Pub and her role as an artist in residence at Mercyhurst University, where she leads acting workshops. Betty offers her enthusiastic "blessing" to the new Cats: "The Jellicle Ball" production, noting how the original score remains a brilliant social statement in its new ballroom culture setting. From her childhood "super weapon" voice to her studies in comparative world religions, this episode is a masterclass in staying true to one’s essence while navigating a decades long iconic career.
Betty Buckley is a Tony Award winning actress and singer and a Theater Hall of Fame inductee. Her legendary career includes starring roles in Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Triumph of Love, 1776, and Pippin. On screen, she has appeared in films such as Carrie, Tender Mercies, and Split, as well as the hit television series Eight is Enough and Law and Order: SVU.
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- IG: @BLBuckley
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