Staff Steps Lively To Heart Beat
About 30 women of various sizes and ages, some still in work clothes with I.D. cards clipped on, were set to practice a song-and-dance routine.
But first the show’s director offered a few words of inspiration. “You’re not hospital employees anymore,” said the upbeat, energetic Jaime Donegan. “You’re showgirls.”
The word seemed to echo.
Thus redefined, the spirited group of Sacred Heart Medical Center staffers began to shimmy and growl through “Hard-Hearted Hannah.”
Donegan, a visiting theater professional, stood in the middle of the medical complex’s Providence Auditorium with one forefinger pressed against his lips. He watched the willing amateurs sing and shake.
“I see some hospital employees,” he said loudly, managing to not sound mean.
Welcome to a rehearsal for Heart Follies ‘97. This year’s benefit show, a nostalgic mix of songs and skits, is called “Swingin’ at the Heart.”
There will be two performances Saturday at the Opera House. (Tickets are $6 and are available through G&B outlets, (325-SEAT.)
But before that, there’s work to be done. And the process of turning a bunch of nurses, nuns and dietitians into high-stepping strutters was well under way Thursday night.
It’s no small task. After all, the world of “Mr. Peterson is complaining of chest pains” is a long way from ” … five, six, seven AND …”
Cast members approached the practice session with a seriousness of purpose. Which isn’t to say they didn’t have fun.
“Shake your money-maker,” a smiling woman with long brown hair called to a friend during one hip-swinging number.
One can only imagine that some of these women’s patients and co-workers would have been wide-eyed if they had witnessed this.
Sure, it’s only G-rated burlesque. But how often do you see a lab tech do even a sanitized bump and grind?
To hear hospital people talk, one of the good things about Heart Follies is that it lets employees break out of the day-to-day mold and interact in a different way. Moreover, the event helps humanize a big, compartmentalized institution.
In a run-through of a number called “Strip Polka,” several of Sacred Heart’s top executives sang the praises of “Queenie the Cutie” and then, well, maybe you should just go see the show.
Some of those guys - a few fresh from a budget meeting and still wearing ties - proved that while they aren’t natural vaudevillians, they are adept at learning. Donegan had to say something only once.
Not all of these showbiz providers are big talents, of course. But their hearts are in the right place.
, DataTimes MEMO: Being There is a weekly feature that visits Inland Northwest gatherings.