By TIFFANY RAZZANO
"I knew what my future was going to be." Roberts said. She found herself a role as part of the original cast of the "Our Gang" series, which later became the "Little Rascals," and came home with $15 that day. When she showed her mother the money, her mother went to Paramount to make sure her daughter wasn't lying. Roberts has been working on stage and screen ever since, most notably originating the role of Laurey in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Broadway hit "Oklahoma!."
Now, Roberts, who lives in Rockville Centre, remains very active. She will be heading to Illinois' Little Theatre at the end of May to once again take on the role of Heidi Schiller as she did in the 2002 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," for the theater's 50th anniversary. She also is working on a book chronicling her many years in the entertainment industry. Called "Stage Right," to be published by St. Catherine of Sienna, the book will be released this fall.
Roberts hopes the book will guide young people who are now interested in making theater their career. "I want the young people out there to know that if they're going to embrace a career of any kind, especially theater, they need to be qualified; they need to be prepared," she said. "It's not a question of jiggling your hips and showing your belly button. You have to know the craft and be ready to make sacrifices and work hard. The message I want to convey is that you don't have to be compromised. You can do what's good, right and traditional."
Having worked with local high schools, including those in Freeport and Oceanside, Roberts says today's young people need direction. "They need a lot of help today," she said. "They're misdirected, especially by the media. It's just awful what they're told... I call it "Stage Right" because it's what you use on stage. There's only one way to approach the stage and it's the right way."
Roberts made her Broadway debut in Sunny River, by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein. Hammerstein took a liking to her and cast her in "Oklahoma!" the following year. A new type of musical at the time, as well as the first to sell a soundtrack of the original cast recording, the show made theater history. "It was a new type of musical because we introduced a story line," Roberts said. "It was the true story about the people of Oklahoma and the development of the west. We were all supposed to be farmhands. It was entirely new. Up to that point, theater had been "Ziegfeld's Follies" and musical comedies and this was a real true story with music. Every lyric and every line furthered the plot."
Throughout her 60-plus year career, Roberts also starred on Broadway in "Marinka," "Are You With It?" and "High Button Shoes." She worked for the Schuberts for a period of time, traveling throughout the United States with a number of musicals. She also performed at various regional theaters across the country and has made numerous stage, television and film appearances over the years.
Comments about this story? TRazzano@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 221.
