Do you know how every once in a while you meet someone who’s life force shines so bright you just want to be around them?
You MUST meet Shelly Burch.
Oh, sure… You might remember her as Delila, the popular femme-fatal from All My Children, and think that Shelly had an easy, no worries, TV star-type life.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. She’s been open and up-front about her struggles with addictions, career versus family and finding life’s purpose.
And rather than waste her energy trying to hide her past, Shelly has faced it head on, learned from it and has re-emerged stronger, more energetic and more passionate than ever before.
Not many in her business get a second chance. Most worry that as someone ages, opportunities wane. And that is true.
But Shelly didn’t come back for stardom or celebrity. She came back for the love of performing, for her passion for the arts and for her personal connection with Martin Charnin.
Charnin was one of the Jets in the original production of West Side Story but he’s best known as the lyricist from the hit musical Annie. And Shelly happened to be a member of the cast of Annie for two years.
Life’s journey pulled them apart for decades. Then, in 2004, like a message in a bottle floating up on a beach, Shelly called him on the phone. Martin was there to answer. He remembered her presence, personality and talent. He was eager to know if she still had “it.”
The more they worked together, the more they clicked. She had more “it” than ever before! Her life became the framework for a number of new songs, and they became the foundation for a one-woman show starring Shelly.
This Growing Bolder video was shot during rehearsal just days before the show’s debut. Shelly was spectacular and received rave reviews.
Most recently, she is featured on the 30th Anniversary double CD of Annie, and she reprised her role in Rogers &… in New York. Watch for her this fall along with Lanie Kazan, Saul Rubinek and Carmen Electra in the film Oy Vey, My Son Is Gay.
Also, look for her one-woman show, One More Song To Sing. As long as she wants to, Shelly Burch will always have one more song to sing!