There Was A Girl Named Bernadette

I read online that today is the 60th birthday of Miss Bernadette Peters.

It isn't every day that a performer of this special a quality comes along and makes everyone fall in love with her. It is absolutely impossible NOT to fall in love with this unique and gorgeously talented woman. She has found work on tv, in the movies and, most famously, as one of Broadway's greatest stars.

She has talent, timing, beauty, warmth -- she is a star. She just, simply, has it all.

I have loved Bernadette Peters for a long time and when I was preparing to come to New York from Texas, I told people "I'm going to New York to photograph Bernadette Peters". It was the beacon that beckoned. I was going to photograph Bernadette Peters.

I have seen Miss Peters onstage in two Broadway shows - once in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN and once in GYPSY (which I saw twice, actually). We also saw her in the anniversary concerts of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and for INTO THE WOODS. We did not see Bernadette in the play - when we saw that the witch was being played by Phylicia Rashad. I have watched the video of SUNDAY IN THE PARK so many times it is committed to memory. It was a Tony worthy performance but the award that year went to another great actress whom we all love.

It was a gift from God that I was given the job of being the only photographer in the theater for the INTO THE WOODS concert; and though there were other photographers at the SUNDAY concert, it was my photos that ended up in the magazines. Sadly, these are the only pictures I have ever taken of this great beauty, this legendary talent. I was never able to get a one on one shoot with my idol. It's ok. These few photos are enough to keep my heart warm on cold winter nights.


I met Bernadette Peters once. Brady and I were running around, being silly, on his birthday. We were in the Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Center and, as we came down the escalator from the third floor to the second, the windows illuminated an enormous mane of red hair by a table covered with cookbooks. I said to Brady "It's Bernadette Peters! It's Bernadette Peters!" and we giggled and laughed and circled like seventh grade girls. I couldn't let the chance pass us by and, while Brady hid behind a pillar, I sidled up to Miss Bernadette Peters and said "May I whisper something in your ear?"

"Of course"

"My friend, Brady, and I were talking one day.."

"Is that him over there?" and she and I looked at the pillar and there was his own blonde mane, enormous eyes and bright grin peering out from behind it. "yes it is"

She smiled at him.

"He and I were talking about mind altering theater. Randomly, the very next day we went to TKTS and got tickets for GYPSY. We were in the fourth row. It was, indeed, mind altering theater. You were astounding in every way."

"Thank you."

And with that, we fled. No names. No handshakes. Just a quick bit of praise for a great lady.

Miss Bernadette Peters, wherever you are on this day, I hope you are being heaped, simply heaped, with birthday greetings. We who love you are so very glad that you were born.

The photos in the story are only three of the pics I did during the two Sondheim concerts mentioned in this story. What a thrill!