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The Tony Award-winning performance of actress Lillias White in "The Life" is meaningful to West Virginia University at Parkersburg President Chris Gilmer.
Gilmer said he was at the Barrymore Theatre on Broadway in New York City in 1997 when he watched White play the role of Sonja in Cy Coleman's musical "The Life." She sang "The Oldest Profession" in this show on the Broadway stage.
White's performance is the best performance Gilmer has seen on Broadway and "The Life" is the best show on Broadway he has seen, Gilmer said.
The show's song "Use What You Got" stuck with Gilmer.
"The show put a lesson in my mind," Gilmer said this week. A lesson Gilmer has presented to others in speeches across the country for the past 20 years.
To Gilmer, a line in "Use What You Got" involves a passion for education, the importance of a talented staff and student success and the short time, or one moment, that educators have to make a positive difference in a student's life.
"I have been a fan of Lillias White ever since," Gilmer said.
Gilmer will be meeting White for the first time next month as she will be the headliner and guest lecturer at "Think Tank 2019" for the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students hosted by West Virginia University at Parkersburg Nov. 7-9.
Area residents will have an opportunity to see White give a "Cabaret performance" at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Smoot Theatre. She will sing Broadway show tunes and songs from the Great American Songbook at the Smoot, Gilmer said.
Admission is free thanks to sponsorships from the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Foundation, the Erickson Foundation and Ntiva. To reserve general admission tickets contact the Smoot Theatre at 304-422-7529 or go online at smoottheatre.com.
White also will provide a lecture titled "Move Mountains: Rising Up with Lillias White" at 11 a.m. Nov. 9 at the Smoot Theatre. This is free to the general public. Gilmer hopes that high school and college students will attend White's lecture.
White will discuss her path to success. "I hope her story will inspire others," Gilmer said.
White, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., made her Broadway debut in "Barnum" in 1981 and has performed in Broadway shows "Dreamgirls," "Cats," "Chicago," "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and others. Her concert performances include "Funny Girl," "Hair" and "South Pacific."
White has appeared in concert at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Her one-woman show "From Brooklyn to Broadway" has been presented internationally.
College presidents and deans, business and civil rights leaders from 15 states will be attending the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students conference in Parkersburg, which is open to the public. "Rise Up" is the theme for Think Tank 2019. Gilmer is the founder of the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students.
The Parkersburg High School A Cappella Choir will be singing the song "Rise Up" at the opening session of the Think Tank at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8 in the WVU-P Theater.
Student Ambassadors from WVU-P will be attending and participating in the Think Tank.
"A student voice is needed," Gilmer said.