I studied with Helen for many years. She is a magnificent teacher, but even more thrilling as a performer.
Her Tony winning performance in the revival of No, No, Nannette was one of those performances that theaterlovers live for.
She is a delightful and funny lady.........Of course a number of years ago she started making "very serious money" as she put it, on Ryan's Hope, the soap opera. I believe she won 3 emmy awards for her very long run in that soap ( I believe it was over a dozen years)............Interestingly,,,,,,,,,
after the Tony win (she was simply glorious in this show) for her in the Broadway revival of No, No, Nannette in the 1970s (it opened around the same time as COMPANY) she continued in various tours and productions of Nannette for the following EIGHT years.............
She said in one of the productions towards the end of her association with the revival, they were down to doing the show with just a piano and a drum. It had a glorious full orchestra with twin Steinways and a beamingly, smiling conductor on Broadway.
Also, I believe just about 3 years ago Helen did a new revival of Nannette where she played the part of Sue (this is the "older" woman in the piece) and had the "star tap" to I WANT TO BE HAPPY that Ruby Keeler did as Sue in the 1970s revival.
When Martha Raye joined the revival cast on Broadway, replacing Tony winning Patsy Kelly as Pauline the maid, Martha Raye's charachter was expanded a bit and she was given, of course, top billing AND the star tap of I WANT TO BE HAPPY. (Ruby Keeler had left the production at this time)
In the few years that followed, Ms. Keeler rejoined the Nannette troop a couplea times, got her top billing and her star tap to I WANT TO BE HAPPY. However, when Ruby Keeler was not in the show, or for that matter when anyone else was playing Sue after Nannette left Broadway, Helen Gallagher's charachter of Lucille always performed the I WANT TO BE HAPPY "star tap."
This is a great OCR, with one of the most exciting overtures ever and Ms. Gallagher's divine rendition of "The Where Have My Hubby Gone Blues."
You will be thrilled taking class with her. Goodluck and enjoy!
"MAY YOUR LIFE BE AS BRIGHT AS BROADWAY AT NIGHT"