It's the Bette Midler you may have never known.
- Tribute artist Jennica McCleary impersonate Bette Midler
- McCleary wrote "Dear Bette"
- The production focuses on Bette's early years
"Dear Bette" is a live stage production written by local performer and tribute artist Jennica McCleary. It focuses on the legendary diva's pre-Hollywood years - the stuff only true "Bette-heads" would know.
"I've been impersonating Bette for almost 10 years now, which seems so insane!" McCleary said. "I've always wanted to do this throwback."
McCleary's intrigued by Bette's lesser-exposed younger years.
"Bette was a Honalulu-born, little Jewish girl who was more than likely the only white girl in her class," she said. "She never fit in. She didn't belong. And she knew she wanted a big city. So she was an extra in the movie "Hawaii" starring Julie Andrews.
So Bette earned just enough money, McCleary said, to move to New York City to start doing underground theater, eventually landing the "Fiddler On The Roof" gig on Broadway.
"I love that I can give a "Bette-ducation" to the audience," she said. "I love when people say, 'You remind me so much of her.' But those people who had that experience [of seeing Bette] and know how much work I put into it and really recognize the little idiosyncrasies - it makes me so happy."
Oh, and you'll wind up staring at McCleary's arms.
"[Bett's] very flitty with her hands," she demoed. "I have very similar hands to her, so it works."
"Dear Bette" doesn't only focus on the early years. It also touches on the birth of the Divine Miss M.
There's only one more chance to catch the show: Monday, July 24 at 8 p.m. at The Abbey in downtown Orlando.