I chatted with actor Vince Kelleyabout his career and his portrayal of Blanche in “The Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue” Tour
Background:
I’m from the Detroit area. I started when I was pretty young. About seven years old. I went to school in New York for Musical Theater. I did some touring for a while and then moved back home to teach. Then the producers of this show came along and asked if I wanted to go back on the road. I felt I was told old so I declined. But here we are, three years later.
What was your first acting experience?
My aunt (she was my uncle’s girlfriend at the time in High School) was doing “The Sound Of Music.” One of the little boys dropped out, so she asked my mom if I could take over. My mom was thrilled because it was time that she would have to herself ::laughs:: I did it and I absolutely loved it. I wanted to do more. The next year they were doing a show that I couldn’t do because they didn’t have a 8 year old. So I told my mom that she had to find something for me ::laughs:: So she found acting classes for me.
You mentioned being on the road. How crazy can that life be?
It can be pre-tty grueling. When I first hit the road, I was 19. Everyone else was over 21 so they could do whatever they want. It was pretty isolating. I almost quit but the tour manager just told me to finish out the contract because you never know what’s down the pike.
With this tour, we have family dinners once a week. We’re always planning to make stops between cities if we find a nice vintage store or something. We do everything together and it’s super super fun.
Did you grow up with “The Golden Girls?”
I did. I’m older than the other boys. The show and I both debuted in 1985. So when the show was on the air, I was five, six, seven years old. I used to watch it with my Grandmother. I used to call it the “Old Lady Show.” I didn’t understand any of the jokes but she laughed so hard, so I figured it must be funny.
What is your favorite episode and why?
“Journey To The Center Of Attention.” The one where Blanche takes a downtrodden Dorothy to The Rusty Anchor and Dorothy sucks the attention away from Blanche. This was the producers attempt to keep Bea Arthur happy. She wasn’t thrilled with the direction of the show at that time so they built an episode around her singing. I love seeing a different side of Blanche in that episode. She’s very insecure. You get to see Rue McClanahan play the opposite of what she’s been playing for years at that point.
What is it like playing Blanche?
It’s a dream. She has the best clothes! She loves being the butt of a joke because it means she’s the center of attention.
How long does it take you to get Full Blanche?
Maybe like 45 minutes. We give ourselves two hours though. I spend the rest of the time curating playlists for us to listen to while we’re waiting.
What is the plot of “Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue?”
This takes place in 2025, as if the show never went off the air. Except it moved from network television to HBO MAX, so we can say some more adult things. Sophia has a ankle monitor, for selling some illegal things to her pals at Shady Pines. Merely for medicinal purposes of course. Blanche and Rose have developed a hook up app for seniors. Dorothy meets a man on the app, who happens to be Sophia’s prosecuting attorney. Hilarity ensues.
What has been the response?
It’s really been fun. People love these characters. A big part of our success is that everyone in the show and production has the utmost respect for the show. We have sourced vintage costumes that the Golden Girls have worn on screen. We want to approach it as Shakespearean as possible but then say the most ridiculous shit.
Are you excited about bringing the show to Baltimore?
Here’s the thing. Baltimore is the birthplace of this show. I hired some acting friends from Detroit. I told them we’re going to Baltimore and do a weekend of shows and that’s it. We threw together this little set and our stupid little script and CRUSHED IT. Jaws were in the floor. The producers said they wanted to expand the tour and started booking more cities.. It’s a full circle moment for us.
“The Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue” hits Baltimore on March 22nd!