Sullivan Rolls Around In Young Frankenstein

I still remember seeing this great movie in the theatre when it was released...why do I keep coming close to revealing my age?  OK, I admit it...I am a huge Mel Brooks fan and was asked to speak to the lady who would be taking over the role of Inga in Young Frankenstein. I guess this puts me in the six degrees of Mel Brooks game now and it was more than a pleasure on my part to talk with Kelly Sullivan.

Sullivan's Broadway credits include the Tony Award-winning show Contact and Bells Are Ringing.  She appeared in and was the assistant director for Broadway Under the Stars, held annually at Bryant Park in NYC and broadcast live on CBS.  Her TV/Film credits includes "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," The Producers and the upcoming My Father's Will, Winter of Frozen Dreams and Greta (with Ellen Burstyn).  She most recently played Shelby in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Steel Magnolias.   She also has her own website at www.kelly-sullivan.com.

TJ:   You're playing Inga in Young Frankenstein! Congratulations!!

SULLIVAN:  Thanks!  It was such a wonderful gift. I am so grateful...I'm still pinching myself. It's so much fun. I love working in Stroman creations. I am having a blast up there. I just love it...I LOVE IT!!!

TJ:  What a nice job to have. Now, this is your first lead on Broadway?

SULLIVAN:  Yeah!!

TJ:  Did you go to an open audition for the role or what were the circumstances surrounding this?

SULLIVAN:  I was doing a production of Steel Magnolias at PaperMill and my agent called. They said I have an audition for Young Frankenstein for Inga. The day of the audition was the first day after my show came down at Papermill. So, I went to the audition and sang for Susan Stroman and Patrick Brady, the music director. They called me back a week later and Mel Brooks was there and a couple of other people in the room and Susan Stroman again. And a couple of weeks later, I came back a third time and I was auditioning with Roger Bart. It looked to me like there were 150 people in the room, when there was really only about 10. I mean all the people...the producers, all the people on board were there. I sang with Roger and a couple of weeks later, I got the job. It was just a special, magical moment for me.