Geneva alum gets chance to play 'one of the nicest kids in town'

Ellyn and Dan McGrath of Geneva were supportive, but had their fingers crossed, when their daughter, Erin, decided five years ago to major in musical theater at the University of Michigan.

After and living for a year in New York City, Erin has accomplished something that is paying dividends for that parental support, while alleviating the concern.

You wouldn't have spotted Erin on stage at the Paramount Theater last month in the production of "Hairspray," but the 23-year-old singer/dancer landed a part in the cast a short time after the show left this area.

McGrath, a 2002 graduate of Rosary High School, will now play the role of "Tammy" with the "Hairspray" national touring company out of New York, starting with a 10-day stay in Phoenix, Ariz. As Tammy, she plays one of the "nicest kids in town" who dance on the "Corny Collins Show" in the high-energy Broadway hit.

"We are really excited about this," Ellyn said. "She auditioned for the part off and on for the past year. She kept busy with some work with the Omaha Symphony and she had a part in the "Guiding Light" soap opera, in addition to her waitressing job."

Rosary music director Tom Jesse had a feeling that McGrath could be on a bigger stage, after watching her progress in Rosary and Marmion musicals during her high school career.

"She has that ability to draw you in, and that's just wonderful to see in a young performer," said Jesse, who has organized shows and musicals at Rosary for three years and at Marmion for 10 years prior to becoming the full-time music director at Rosary this year.

"Erin had roles in 'Annie Get Your Gun' at Rosary and then again in 'Bye Bye Birdie' at Marmion her senior year," Jesse said.

With "Hairspray" on a national stage added to that list, there's no telling what Playbill will carry the name of Erin McGrath next.

Portrait of a leader: I had not spoken to Stephanie Pace Marshall in several years, probably not since she left her job as Batavia school district superintendent to help launch the Illinois Math and Science Academy back in 1986.

But my chat with her for a story that appeared in the Daily Herald last Wednesday reminded me what a brilliant educator she has been.

And it was particularly nice to see that a former IMSA student, Lisa Gloria of Naperville, presented Marshall last Friday with an oil painting portrait.

Gloria, an artist and a graduate of IMSA's charter class, wanted to honor Marshall with her own portrait for the leadership she showed in starting IMSA and serving as its president until June of last year, when she stepped down.

Parental boo-boos: You have to admire organizations that present free community forums designed to help parents and their kids connect.

When the forum points out that no matter how hard we try to be good parents, we all make mistakes, it is something easy to relate to.

Amy MacDonald will point that out in her presentation, "Mistakes Even Good Parents Make" from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 28 at Geneva High School.

The public is invited to attend this presentation offered by the Geneva Coalition for Youth. Information is available by calling Angele Crosier at (630) 845-0373.

The skinny on warmers: OK, so at least we now know that a guy probably shouldn't be writing about candle warmers in the first place. I mentioned them last week as something I had never seen before, and asked if they were hard to clean. A female reader was quick to inform me that you don't actually put the candle itself in the warmer; you place the candle in its jar in the warmer. That way you can get the fragrance of the candle, without the flame, which is nice in an office or other places in which you shouldn't have flames going.

Another female reader told me about her "tart burner," in which you place a heavily-scented wax circle or square. When it melts, it gives off a pleasant aroma.

When my wife overheard me saying some readers were giving me the details about candle warmers, she wondered why I hadn't asked her in the first place. I should have known that most women know all about these types of items. I am guessing that I am not the only man who hasn't studied up on candle warmers.

dheun@sbcglobal.net