South Orange’s own Kelly Bishop, Tony Award-winner and well-known actress, Wednesday introduced the movie Dirty Dancing at Flood’s Hill.
“Enjoy your evening in the Catskills,” said Bishop. The movie, in which Bishop has a starring role as Baby’s mother, is set in a fictional New York State resort.
The free movie showing is part of SOPAC and South Orange’s “Moonlit Movies” series.
Bishop told the audience that she was originally cast for another, much smaller role in the movie. When she arrived on the set, said Bishop, “they asked if I would be willing to play the mother.” She considered the possibility. “Jerry Orbach told me to do it,” she said. “I did and it was fun.” Bishop said she and the cast never imagined that Dirty Dancing would become a cult classic. “I’m thrilled that you love it,” she told the enthusiastic audience at Flood’s Hill.
Bishop is best known for her roles as Emily Gilmore on the series Gilmore Girls, and as the mother of Jennifer Grey’s character in the film Dirty Dancing. Bishop created the role of Sheila in A Chorus Line, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.
Throngs of fans stood in line to pose with Bishop and to speak to her. Many confided that Dirty Dancing was a favorite movie, while Gilmore Girls fans came out in force (and wearing t-shirts representing the show). A fan confided to Bishop that she saved months of allowance to buy a ticket to A Chorus Line.
Village President Sheena Collum, who hosted the event, expressed her excitement and gratitude. “It’s a thrill to have Kelly Bishop here with us tonight and to watch this wonderful movie as a community.”
Click on any image below to see a slideshow of photos from the evening.
