Local woman dances, sings on Broadway stage
Uniontown native Mia Price is dancing and singing on Broadway where she plays the role of Gertie in the revival of “Oklahoma!’ “It’s incredible, like a dream come true,’ said Price, while interviewed by phone from her New York apartment.
“Oklahoma!’ is playing at the Gershwin Theater and starring Patrick Wilson as Curly, Josefina Gabrielle as Laurey, Andrea Martin as Aunt Eller and Shuler Hensley as Jud Fry. Trevor Nunn directed and Susan Stroman choreographed the 2002 production, which opened March 21.
Talking about her part in the 2002 revival, Price said, “If you’ve seen the movie, I’m the one with the funny giggle. I’m a merchant’s daughter, one of the featured characters. I’m also dancing in the show. Most of the time I’m on stage doing scenes with the other leading characters. I’m also featured in the ballet.’
And she’s doing great work, according to her mother.
Paulette Price of Hopwood, who attended opening night with her boyfriend Rob Dandrea, said of the show, “It was wonderful. Everyone can recognize her by her laugh. She has one of the stupidest laughs. It goes on and on. I asked her ‘Where did you learn to do that?”
She added, “I got to go with Mia and her boyfriend to the opening night party and meet the producers and actors. It was fabulous.’
Price is also the daughter of Jim Price of Uniontown, and sister to Ami, who is also a performer living in New York; Kim of Uniontown who works at Meloni’s and is a hairdresser; Brooke of Uniontown who works for Auto Transport in Uniontown; and a new brother, James William Price, who was born April 16.
She is the great-granddaughter of William Freeman, who recently celebrated his 98th birthday; and granddaughter of the late Paul and Evie Seeman and the late Wendell and Janet Price, all of Uniontown.
Price is a 1988 graduate of Uniontown Area High School and 1993 graduate of Point Park College in Pittsburgh. Price studied dancing at Larraine Susa Dance Unlimited in Uniontown.
Her previous work experience includes a year in Tokyo with Dance Waves, a Florida-based company; doing stage work in Pittsburgh that includes Civic Light Opera; a national tour of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ as well as an NBC production called “Guilty Until Proven Innocent’ and the video for singer Shawn Colvin’s award-winning “Sunny Came Home.”
In addition, Price has been a member of the legendary Rockettes for five years. She performed two years with the Chicago company before moving to New York City in 1999. Her sister Ami is also a Rockette, performing last Christmas in Nashville, one of several expansion cities that the Rockettes have developed in recent years.
The production company for “Oklahoma!’ hired Price for the role of Gertie last October but rehearsals didn’t begin until January in London. So Price was able to do the Rockettes’ Christmas show in Radio City Music Hall again.
With the opening on Broadway in March, Price now does eight shows a week. They run Monday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m.
It’s a tough schedule but Price noted, “I’m used to the Radio City schedule (for the Rockettes) when we do a minimum of 12 shows and as many as 20 shows a week.’
Price enjoys working with the cast, including Martin who gained fame on television’s “SCTV.’
“It’s wonderful. Everyone is very kind,’ she said. “It’s great to be on stage with actors who have so much experience.’
Price is working “Oklahoma!’ on an open-ended contract.
“So long as the show sells tickets and as long as I’m content to be in the show, I can stay,’ she explained.
Asked about the audiences, Price said, “They’ve been great. Ticket sales are excellent. People seem to be responding.’
She added, “It’s pretty amazing to be performing lines and dancing to music that everyone knows so well.’
According to the Web site, Broadway.com, “Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s classic musical is set in the Oklahoma Territory in the early 1900s. ‘Oklahoma!’ is the story of farm girl Laurey and the two rivals for her affection: the cowboy Curly and Jud, the brooding farmhand. The masterpiece features the numbers ‘Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,’ ‘People Will Say We’re in Love,’ ‘The Surrey With the Fringe on Top’ and, of course, the title song, ‘Oklahoma.’
The 1943 musical was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration. The Oscar-winning 1955 movie also marked the film debut of Shirley Jones of nearby Smithton as Laurey.
In addition to her Broadway show, Price will appear Friday, May 10, in the CBS soap opera “The Guiding Light.’ According to her mother, Price will play an emergency room nurse who takes care of the character Rick Bauer. She is also slated to make another appearance in the same role, but that date is unscheduled as of yet.
Paulette Price noted, “Needless to say, I’m very proud of her.’