Join ADSNY for a special multi-media event that chronicles the incredible true story of how one dancer in 1978 motivated her colleagues and friends to save Radio City Music Hall from imminent demolition. Using media clips from era, Rosemary Novellino-Mearns—the 1970s dance captain of Radio City Music Hall’s Ballet Company—will tell the amazing David and Goliath story of how she led the fight that saved the Showplace of the Nation.
In the mid-1970s, rumors of questionable behind-the-scenes changes alarmed hundreds of employees, but no one was prepared for the official announcement that the famed Radio City Music Hall was slated to close that April and be demolished shortly thereafter.
Rosemary refused to let this happen and quickly organized “The Showpeople’s Committee to Save Radio City Music Hall.” She motivated her fellow workers, friends, tens of thousands of Radio City fans around the world, cultural leaders, and politicians to support the cause. She became a champion in the use of local and national media to garner coverage. As a result of these efforts, the Art Deco palace was declared a National Historic Landmark, saving not only the building, but the jobs and livelihoods of Music Hall employees, who have continued to entertain millions since that fateful year.
This fact-filled, sometimes emotionally charged, and often humorous personal account of that preservation campaign will give us a backstage glimpse into the drama that unfolded. This unique illustrated talk is sure to fill quickly. Claim your spot today.
Rosemary Novellino-Mearns was a modest but determined young dancer from Glen Rock, New Jersey. She joined the Radio City Music Hall Ballet Company in 1966 and danced with the group for twelve years––eventually becoming its Dance Captain and Assistant to the legendary choreographer Peter Gennaro. She is the author of Saving Radio City Music Hall: A Dancer’s True Story.
