Third-grader welcomes Julie Andrews to Perpich arts center
By Elyse Kaner
Staff Writer
The Perpich Center for Arts Education was abuzz with excitement last week when iconic stage and film star Julie Andrews made a special visit to the school. Yes. That Julie Andrews of “Do, Re, Mi” and “Just a Spoonful of Sugar” fame.
Ben Schultz greets British film and stage star Julie Andrews in an assembly at Perpich Center for Arts Education. Schultz, a senior at the center, e-mailed Andrews for more than a year asking her to visit the school.
Looking as chipper as the young Maria Von Trapp and as stately as a “Princess Diaries” queen, Dame Andrews took the stage at an assembly May 12 in the Golden Valley school’s Black Box Theater and waxed eloquent on the importance of the arts in society today.
The arts are “the best common denominator for the proliferation of good in the world,” she said.
Andrews, on a national book tour with her latest children’s book “The Very Fairy Princess Takes the Stage,” blew into Perpich Center at the request of Ben Schultz a senior at the school from Isle.
Ben had been e-mailing Ms. Andrews and her manager back and forth since last year asking his favorite actress to grace the arts school with a visit. Andrews did not disappoint. As luck would have it, the Twin Cities was slated for her book tour this month, the lusty month of May. Perpich Center would fit nicely into her schedule.
The stars aligned for Ben and faster than you can say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” the British stage and film star, singer and actress was front and center at the arts school addressing an enthusiastic audience of young artists.
Ramsey flower girl
And Anoka County was well represented at the closed event. Most notably when Maggie Hayes, 8, a third-grader at Ramsey Elementary School, stepped forward and bestowed an armful of flowers to the royal highness of screen and stage.
“I was so excited because all of the people were looking at me,” Maggie said of the nearly 300 students and faculty members in the audience.
More eyes will no doubt be cast on Maggie next month (June 9-12) when she steps into the role of Gretel, the youngest Von Trapp family singer, in “The Sound of Music” at Anoka Senior High School.
Ms. Andrews, who immortalized the role of young postulate Maria turned governess in the same musical, in a quick exchange of words and flowers on stage at Perpich, whispered to Maggie that she would make a good Gretel.
She also asked when she was performing the show and if she was practicing.
Maggie, incidentally, has watched a video of the movie daily since she was cast in the Anoka production six weeks ago. She even watched it in the car on the way to meeting Ms. Andrews.
So how does a gal from Ramsey wind up becoming one who could be, perhaps, the most locally photographed flower girl since those who trailed Princess Kate in her wedding last month to Prince William?
It turns out Michelle Hayes, Maggie’s mom, is a choral teacher at Anoka High School. When she learned of Andrews’ visit to Perpich, she phoned old friend Mike Hiatt, former Anoka High band director, now on the faculty of Perpich Center.
Maggie Hayes, 8, a third-grader at Ramsey Elementary School greeted Ms. Andrews on stage with a bouquet of flowers. Here, she is pictured with her mother, Michelle Hayes, vocal director of Anoka High School, after Ms. Andrews’ visit to Perpich Center.
Would he be able to get her and her daughter in to see Julie Andrews? she asked. They would be happy to just sit somewhere off in a corner and watch.
Hiatt said because it was a closed event, it was not probable. But when Hayes mentioned that her daughter was playing Gretel in “The Sound of Music,” that was a different story. Hiatt passed on the information to the Perpich powers that be.
It was Sue Mackert, executive director of Perpich Center, who decided that Maggie should not miss the opportunity to see Ms. Andrews, according to Hayes.
Taking it one step further, the next day, Michelle received a call from the school asking if Maggie would like to present Ms. Andrews a bouquet of flowers on stage.
“When she walked in, I couldn’t take my eyes off her,” said Michelle, a vocalist in her own right, who was sitting on stage alongside her daughter. “She was classy and elegant and gracious and kind and clever and intelligent and supportive. She’s everything I’ve ever thought to the nth degree.”
Michelle soaked in the moment when her daughter (dad is Pete Hayes) not only handed Ms. Andrews the flowers, but shook her hand.
On their drive home, Maggie remarked that Julie Andrews “was the most beautiful woman in the world!” Michelle said.
A wonderful woman
Carolyn Dussault, a junior in the literary arts program at Perpich Center from Blaine, was quite taken with Andrew’s visit. She grew up watching the “The Princess Diaries,” “The Sound of Music” and “Mary Poppins.”
“I think she’s an utterly wonderful woman,” said Carolyn, who described Andrews as inspirational.
Despite their age differences, (Andrews is 75) they share the same philosophies.
“She’s really humble and modest and says she’s still learning; I think that’s amazing,” Carolyn said.
Although Cody McNallen, a senior from Coon Rapids attending Perpich Center, is not a dyed-in-the-wool fan of Ms. Andrews, he was still agog.
“I loved it!” he said, after her visit. “It really helps to more humanize actors for me,” he said, adding, “She is not just a face on a screen.”
She found a new voice
In her nearly 25 minutes on stage, Ms. Andrews took questions from her teen audience. What was it like working with her husband director Blake Edwards?
Edwards died in December Ms. Andrews said thanking the teen for her condolences. They were married for 41 years. The night before he was admitted to the hospital, they had celebrated their wedding anniversary.
She described Edwards as a phenomenal filmmaker with a stellar sense of humor.
“For instance, it’s very difficult to do a love scene in front of your husband,” Ms. Andrews said. “Especially when after one or two takes, he comes out and says, ‘well, that’s fine, darling, but I know you can do it better.’”
In answer to advice for aspiring actors, Andrews said to be prepared and do your best homework because you never know when your next opportunity will come.
Did she have any regrets? a teen asked.
“Hardly any,” said Andrews, who said she continues to learn all the time.
She told the students she misses singing very much. She has not sung since undergoing an operation 15 years ago that “robbed me of being able to sing.”
But she can still sing the low notes, she said.
“I can sing the hell out of ‘Old Man River,’” she said. Laughter rang throughout the audience.
About a dozen years ago, she began writing a series of popular children’s books, “The Very Fairy Princess,” with her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. To date, they’ve written 23 books together.
One day as she was bemoaning the loss of her singing voice to Hamilton, her daughter said, “Mom, you’ve just found a new way of using your voice through these books,” she said.
Another student asked how to keep the arts strong in public schools.
Vote for people who believe in and are passionate about the arts, Ms. Andrews said.
Ultimately, the question about performance jitters came up.
“I’m still nervous and excited to be able to do something that gives pleasure,” Ms. Andrews said. She adds an afterthought. “Nervous? Always. I think it’s pretty healthy.”
In closing, similar to her stage entrance, the audience again saluted her with a rousing standing ovation. Ms. Andrews took leave of the stage, but not without first saying she would like to come back and visit the Perpich campus some day.
Wouldn’t it be loverly?
Elyse Kaner is at elyse.kaner@ecm-inc.com
I’ve met Julie Andrews at a charity event where her daughters were. It was wonderful and I was even made happier when she asked me to take a picture of her with her daughters. I made wallet size pictures for Julie Andrews’ family and left them at her office. I haven’t said much about this other than to my brother and very close friends. She was so so NICE. I so much wish that she and her daughter Emma could come to my college and speak to our education department where “us” future teachers could listen to both of them. I love the arts and soon our college is going to do a ground breaking for a new music center.
I retired from the Army Band in Los Angeles and now I live in the Lake Tahoe area in Nevada. Yes, the arts are very inportant and please please vote for those who support it in the schools.
Thank you for your time.
Anya