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Carole Mikita ReportingStar of stage and screen Molly Ringwald has arrived in Utah with the National Touring Company of "Sweet Charity". Carole Mikita visited with her and a young man who is the show's Utah connection.
His name is Ben Cameron and talk about living your dream, both he and Molly Ringwald remember being influenced by the magic of the theatre as children.
Molly Ringwald: "I think Charity Hope Valentine is one of those fantastic, iconic roles and it's something that's always been in the back of my mind for years. I think I saw the movie with Shirley Mmaclaine when I was about 10 years old."
She became a young star with film successes "Pretty in Pink", The Breakfast Club" and 'Sixteen Candles", and she won rave reveiws for her Broadway lead in 'Caberet', but Molly Ringwald fell in love with acting at age seven, watching her older sister play Helen Keller.
Molly Ringwald: "I remember thinking 'Wow, that's incredible', she was really amazing in it, she just completely transformed and I think that's when I really realized you could really be someone else."
Playing eight different roles in this show is Orem's Ben Cameron. He discovered theatre magic pretty early, too.
Ben Cameron: "I was the ripe old age of nine. I did a show at the Lehi Community Theatre, 'Little Lord Fauntleroy', and I was completely hooked from that point on."
Former teachers and friends have tickets to see him. His mom, he says, is 'over the moon.'
Ben Cameron: "I did a Caberet act in New York back in December; she flew out with a friend. She's flown all over. She came to see me in a show in Germany several years ago with my father. So she's out of her mind, she's coming every night this week actually."
Molly Ringwald's parents are, likewise, supportive, having seen the show three times. She says, taking 'Sweet Charity' to audiences who may otherwise not get to see Broadway shows is deeply satisfying.
Molly Ringwald: "You just get this level of appreciation that is really nice."
"Sweet Charity" opens tonight at the Capitol Theatre and it runs through Sunday, the 19th. Molly Ringwald has a film coming out on the Disney Channel at Thanksgiving titled "Molly: An American Girl" based on the American Girl doll series.
