Vagabonding: Barbara Bradshaw

Throughout the year, we’ll get to know the resident and visiting performers and artists who perform in and create our shows at Flat Rock Playhouse

Barbara Bradshow is a long time vagabond who has been in many, many shows at Flat Rock Playhouse. Her first experience on the rock was in 1976. Her latest will be Noises Off.

What are your hobbies?
When I was younger; I was an avid whitewater river runner and guide, a rock climber, and a passionate scuba diver…
Now? A good book under an umbrella on the beach where I live…sigh.

What is your nickname and what is the story behind it?
“Shiloh”…only one person can call me that. And “Babs”..Reserved solely for Mr Treadway.☺

Funniest mishap behind-the-scenes or onstage?
Oh dear,there are so many, but two that stand out from my FRP history are :

Peter Thomasson and I were doing MAGGIE’S GETTING MARRIED, playing a married couple wanting to rekindle the ‘spark’ in their marriage, among other things…we had been having set door woes all during the run and one night, in the middle of a scene about our “love life” complaints…the door finally just fell completely off the hinges with a loud crash…after a shocked beat I turned to Peter and said, “Having trouble keeping it up, dear?”..it was a LONG time before either the audience or Peter and I stopped laughing and we could go on.

The infamous night on stage during MOON OVER BUFFALO when an actor missed an entrance and after what seemed an eternity, I said to Scott Treadway, “ I’ll be right back!” and ran OFF the stage to find the missing actor, leaving Scott on stage totally ALONE. He proceeded to do a stand up mime routine and he was, of course, brilliant. But he has never let me forget it. ☺

Name one thing about yourself that most people don’t know.
My birth certificate says “Sleepy Hollow Chicken Ranch”….yep

What was your favorite toy (or game) as a child, and why?
Books, books and more books…in the third grade I was reading 3 books a week and spending all day Saturday in the library…now I watch Survivor and SYTYCD…not sure what happened…Oh, and my set of small wooden building blocks. I would spend hours building blueprint layouts for houses. I was either a budding architect or a dreamer… I suspect the latter.

What is your favorite role so far and why?
Any show that I am currently doing is my favorite… ☺
So many stands out it is impossible to pick just one…you fall in love with each character you are portraying and for the duration of that rehearsal period and the run of that show, they become your most intimate relationship. Word.

If you could remake any movie with yourself in the lead, what would it be?
If I were 30 years younger… it would have to be CASABLANCA,… just because it would have been my beloved mother’s dream come true.

What is the one food that you would never give up?
A med rare, broiled STEAK….preceeded by one very dry, Kettle One vodka martini straight up with a twist…. Only once a month !! But I could never say “never again”..sorry, my wonderful vegan friends!

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
For my sons…my life…my beloved Matthew..

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we’re apart.. i’ll always be with you.” – Winnie the Pooh quote