Broadway Star Reveals Her Dream Concert, Secret Skills and Miss Piggy Tie in Advance of Dallas Summer Musical Gala

For this year’s Dallas Summer Musical Gala, An Evening with the Best of Broadway is the most highly anticipated concert finale of the night. Presented by PNC, the event takes place this Friday, November 1 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. It will feature performances from Broadway star Kelli O’Hara and Glee actress Amber Riley.

Theatrical icon Chita Rivera (West Side Story) will host the musical evening, which is chaired by Helen & Brendan McGuire and Calvert Collins-Bratton & Vince Bratton.

Participation in the gala will support the nonprofit DSM and its mission to bring the very best of Broadway to North Texas, build appreciation of musical theatre among diverse audiences and foster meaningful arts experiences for children and families in the community. There will be a top culinary experience, a silent auction featuring luxury items, valet parking and meet-and-greet opportunities prior to and following the An Evening with the Best of Broadway performance.

Before the big event, we are spotlighting O’Hara who won a Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for The King and I in 2015. In advance of the gala, we emailed O’Hara PaperCity’s preferential treatment questionnaire. 

Tell me about your work: My work changes every single day. I imagine my work feels much different to those who receive it than it does me. I study words, music, humanity. I travel. I wait. I stress. I hope. I doubt. I fall. I fly. My work is an extension of my life. I don’t work to live. I live to work. ‘Cause most of the time, it doesn’t feel like work at all.

Where are you right at this moment: Getting my hair highlighted, sitting with silver foils under a heat lamp.

Style of residence: New England shingle house, classic, comfy

Pajamas or in the buff: Pajamas, whatever is crumpled in my jammie drawer. Usually a tank top and pants or shorts.

Early or late riser: Early, these days. I have small children.

Coffee or tea: Coffee, always.

Morning beauty/grooming ritual: I’m lucky if I brush my hair. Beauty and grooming go with my work. Kelli at home is au natural. 

Evening beauty/grooming ritual: If working, this answer could be several pages long. . . sometimes it’s a full face of makeup, pin-curled hair under wigs and costumes. Sometimes it’s my team, (Tanya Rae, who has done my makeup for 15 years, and Chad or Adam, who do my hair) getting me ready for an event. If at home, a mommy doesn’t need to be made up (: 

Go-to daytime ensemble: Jeans, T-shirt, boots, sweater, poncho, or blazer. Scarf. Hat.

Ideal evening look: Same. Unless I’m working. Then we are talking cocktail dresses, gowns, heels, etc.

One thing you always keep in mind when getting dressed: Do I look ridiculous?

Your happy place destination: Maine or anywhere with Greg and the kids.

The hotel you call your home-away-from-home: I don’t really have a place like that.

Travel bag: Nothing fancy. Whatever is easiest to grab and not still full from the trip I took yesterday.

Last person you cocktail’ed with and what was your poison: My best friends Becky (and her girlfriend, Emily) and Megan (and her husband, Chris) and Greg. We made a vodka pineapple mint drink for Megan’s birthday.

Dream concert: A duo night with Sutton Foster inspired by the “Julie/Carol at Carnegie Hall” evenings.

Store where you wish you had an unlimited charge account: Anthropologie maybe? Bergdorfs? 

Items currently on your coffee table: My wedding photo album and a photo box of our last family photo shoot. Remote controls. A large book on Leonard Bernstein and one on Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Notorious RGB).

Last movie you saw: School of Rock (my kids are obsessed). 

Hall pass for a dalliance: First of all, I had to look up the word dalliance. Second of all, none of your business. (But there are some good ones) (: 

Who would play you in the movie of your life (living or dead actor is fine): Miss Piggy

If you weren’t in your current profession what would you be doing: Hosting a travel food show and cooking and eating with people of all cultures.

Secret skill: Gymnastics. Or imitating people’s walks. 

Guilty pleasure: Braum’s Chocolate Ice Cream

Dallas Summer Musical’s An Evening with the Best of Broadway takes place at Music Hall at Fair Park at 8 pm on Friday, November 1. Tickets are available here.