Personal Narrative: Shirley Jones

As a dancer, I was the kid who went down to the mall and took tap and ballet, and I was very serious about it. I wanted to be a dancer. And then when I was in high school, I was in choir. And because of being in dance and being able to sing, I would audition for the big musical every year. So I was always in the big musical every year. I was always singing, dancing, and acting all through high school. And in college, I didn't major in theater, but I always had theater classes. I was always in plays on the side. So it was always there, but it was never a realistic career choice. And then, all of a sudden, it was. It was funny, when I lived in New York and I was on the soaps, my mom would come to visit me, and I would always take her to different plays all the …show more content…
It was great that she was in the film. Shirley Jones plays my mom--it's incredible. So no, we don't have any scenes together. Growing up, it was her and Julie Andrews when I was little--oh my gosh! Oklahoma! and Carousel--that was the Shirley Jones I really loved, the musical theater Shirley Jones. Of course, Partridge Family, but it was those characters. When I sat down and talked to her, it was like, "Oh my gosh!" I wish that I had had the chance to work with her, but at least I got to meet with her and talk with her. We would talk in the make-up trailer and go on and on and on. She's just an icon.

Yes, and I'm with you as far as the musicals go. I think the first thing I saw her in was Music Man. Then I saw Oklahoma! later. So then it was many years later when I heard about and watched Partridge Family. I had missed that show 'cause I grew up on all the musicals since I was a music person. {pause} Well, maybe they'll bring Shirley Jones back for a film, and you can be with her in another film.

I hope so. And that's the great thing about Hallmark. They have really great casts. They're getting a lot of really talented actors, and so I can only