It was back in the very early '80s, when I was still in “the show business.” I was an extra in an AT&T commercial, which took place in a B’way theater, c1950. All us extras were dolled up in gorgeous period evening dress. We dressed backstage, crossed the front of the stage, walked down into the audience to take our places.
I was given a strapless satin ballgown, with “emerald” earrings and necklace; at the time, I had long hair which I wore back in an Evita-style chignon. As I walked across the stage in that get-up, the other theater-savvy extras began chanting, “Evita! Evita!” and I walked to the podium and mike stage center, held out my arms, and started singing, “It may seem funny, you’ll think it strange . . .” I got about one verse in before the director said, “OK, Patti, take your place.”
Hell, I never even saw the actual commercials (this was way before I had a VCR). The other segments took place in a 1920s movie theater, and at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial (that last segment was shot in Asbury Park, NJ, and the costumes were phenomenal).
