Once we were in NY, I did the typical work and audition routine. I studied acting at HB Studios, tap with Bob Audi and jazz with Phil Black. It was a great experience. I loved living in the city. There's something about the pace of the city that I respond to and that energizes me. I hope to live there again after my kids have grown up and moved away. I did some small workshops, backup vocals and voice overs and mostly, had a lot of fun. I actually played Jackie Kennedy in a workshop production of a show called "One Shining Moment."
After a few years, we decided that we wanted to have children and we wanted our parents to have grandchildren, so we moved back to LA. My daughter Jessica is now 17 and starting to prepare college applications. She wants to go to Boston. She's got a fabulous voice and is in madrigals at Beverly Hills High School. My son Andy is 12 and we will be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah in December. He's a real jock (which is something of a shock to my husband and I as we are such theater nuts.) In fact, Carla Manning's son is also into sports and we sometimes see each other at games. I am blessed to have great kids.
My husband Jake is truly my soul mate. He actually asked me to marry him on the first date. I laughed and told him he was crazy but I knew we would eventually marry. We've gone through some difficult times over the years in dealing with the loss of family members and ill health. My sister Linda was murdered in 1977. As you can imagine, that was an extremely traumatic time for everyone in my family. Jake's dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1981 and was in fact, on the 4th floor of Cedars while I was giving birth to Jessica on the 3rd floor. He passed away in 1982. My parents have also seen some very difficult times and they are both now in a nursing home. My mom has Parkinsons and my dad has a myriad of problems stemming from diabetes.
Our life though in spite of these things has been mostly great and I have very little to complain about in comparison to others. I've kept very active since becoming a mom. I have become a professional volunteer (a euphemism for not getting paid) active in PTA (Beverly Vista PTA President), I serve on several boards including my synagogue. I still sing at charity benefits and special functions and have done several large shows and concerts. In fact, I will be singing at the Riviera Country Club on the 8th for Bandeis. I've also tried my hand at writing and have written several spec scripts as well as short stories and a rock musical.
My husband is President of a division of King World Productions (Oprah, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, etc.) and travels a great deal. Fortunately, I often travel with him which is wonderful because I am getting a chance to explore Europe. We were in Florence and Venice in May and we look forward to going to Spain and perhaps, Africa next May. We share many interests but our overriding passion is musical theater. It's our dream to open a professional theater one day either in LA or in Manhattan. (Jake worked on Broadway in the late 70's for a producer named Norman Kean (lots of gruesome stories) and for director Gower Champion (now dead).
We bought a new house in January. It's a wonderful old Spanish (built in 1929) and filled with architectural elements that make the house very unique (handpainted ceilings, frescoes, etc.). Perhaps we can have the 35th reunion at my house. We should have it in great shape by that time.
That's about it. It's been an interesting 30 years filled with lots of high drama, excitement, bad times, good times, but never dull. I have been lucky.
I was lucky too to be a part of NG. When I look back at the pictures and stories, I can't tell you how grateful I am that Greg and Rick took the initiative to get this web site going. It really means a lot to me that I can share with my family an important part of my life just by pointing and clicking. It's also marvelous to hear from old friends and to read about their lives since NG, many of which are fascinating. Some of the pictures have been particularly moving and they bring back so many memories of the good times we all had together. I loved being a part of NG. What a ride!
Some random memories: The bus breaking down in Mexico and Scott Jacoby and I flying home. The Hollywood Bowl performance and fashion show from Broadway Dept. Stores..all I remember of the clothes were the polka dots. Catalina Island trips...needlepointing on the beach with Shirley Bluel. Don's expressions "catch the vision," "diarrhea of the mouth." .....Henry always being supportive.....trips to SF, Linda's VW, times spent with Shelley, Cathy, Henry, Linda, Karen, Chip, Raoul....the Ramona Bowl....some of us sleeping on the bus in Yosemite (?) because we were afraid of the bears and bugs..Robyn Rothstein and I terrified of the house we were assigned in Utah (because we heard them make some remark we believed to be anti-semetic-I actually remember the both of us pushing a chest of drawers in front of the door while we slept, just to be sure)......Ellen and Fashion Fabrics....Raoul and his uncle's Mexican Restaurant and the fountain in Griffith Park...Sue Fink and the West Los Angeles Madrigals....Judi Thomas and "Reeba my little Amoeba.." The McKay Brothers....the Mormon Church...performing in prison and "Love is Surrender."
So many wonderful memories.
Susan Weisbarth