CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — A Kent State University musical theater student got the surprise of a lifetime when a night watching one of her idols turned into a moment she will never forget.
Parker Lamy, a sophomore musical theater major, was attending Idina Menzel’s recent performance with the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center when she was invited from the audience to join the Broadway star on stage.
Menzel was performing “Take Me or Leave Me” from the musical Rent when she looked into the crowd for a duet partner. She spotted Lamy, brought her onto the stage, and introduced her to the audience before the two performed together.
“For me to suddenly be on stage next to one of my idols of all time, I've been obsessed with Wicked since I was so young,” Lamy said.
Lamy says the moment was made even more special because of the trust Menzel showed by giving her the opportunity.
“I felt so believed in. I felt believed in, for being given the chance to go up on stage and have that moment with her. It was really exciting,” she said.
The moment quickly spread beyond the Blossom crowd. Lamy says friends and family saw videos of the performance on social media before she even had the chance to tell them what happened.
After the show, Lamy got the chance to meet Menzel backstage alongside her fellow Kent State students.
The experience comes as Lamy continues building her own musical theater career. She is currently performing as Jean MacLaren in Porthouse Theatre’s production of Brigadoon, which runs through August 9.
For Lamy, a night that started as a chance to see a Broadway legend became a memory that will inspire her for years to come.
