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Nobody in the dressing room at Shear Madness knew that I was the co-producer. I just wanted to be a part of the cast and the camaraderie! -Marilyn Abrams
This is the story of a woman who has not only used her creative talents as a singer and an actress, but has gone outside her skillset and comfort zone to produce and market a theatre production. Meet Marilyn Abrams, the co-creator and co-producer of Shear Madness, the hilarious and endearing whodunit launched in Boston at the Charles Theatre way back in 1980. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running play in the history of theatre in the United States, the play has launched 50 production companies, been translated into 27 languages and seen by 12.5 million people around the world. Not bad for a play that was originally 4 pages long! Raised in the Bronx, New York, Marilyn always loved to act and sing. A student at the Bronx School of Science, she held her own, but never excelled in math or chemistry. One day at an assembly, Marilyn’s teachers discovered her love of the stage and created moments for her to shine. They also wrote glowing recommendations for Marilyn to attend Cornell where she continued to thrive. Marilyn met fellow actor Bruce Jordan playing summer stock in Lake George, New York and the two actors would go on to co-create and co-produce Shear Madness. This effort took time and patience, and originally, Marilyn was committed only to an 8 week run playing the role of Barbara deMarco. She soon realized that someone had to figure out how to sell tickets and market the play in order for it to succeed. Marilyn figured out early on that word of mouth, and relationships within the Boston area would eventually grow the production, and she was right. “We were told to give up, that nothing plays in Boston in the summertime. A little light bulb went off and we said: great, we’ll be the only show in town.” At one point, Marilyn got on a bike and dropped off playbills herself to every hotel in the city. As Shear Madness celebrates 40 years on stages worldwide, we celebrate the accomplishments of Marilyn Abrams: wife, mother, singer, actress, producer and force of nature! #storybehindhersuccess #shearmadness40 #whodunit #womenintheatre