Real-life NYC public high school history teacher Sally Schwab is pulling triple stage duty this spring. She continues her roles as Betty Jean in off-Broadway’s The Marvelous Wonderettes and the female swing in NEWSical the Musical and is now starring in her own show, Adventures in Babysitting.
Written with and directed by three-time Drama Desk nominee Tom D’Angora, the production is a revised version of the show Schwab first premiered in 2013. Once again, Adventures in Babysitting recounts her story of arriving to New York as a young, wide-eyed aspiring theatre actress. It follows Schwab as she navigates the insane world of auditions while paying her dues working odd jobs.
“I moved to New York City almost fourteen years ago,” says Sally Schwab. “I didn’t know anyone or have anything except two boxes and big dreams.”
To make ends meet, she passed out fliers for TKTS (that lasted one day), worked as a barista at Cosi (for a week) and even taught classes at Lucille Roberts Fitness for Women. Nothing clicked until she discovered babysitting. “I got my first job through a friend I met at auditions,” she continues. “A lady in her building needed someone and I shuffled my University at Buffalo butt over there.”
Thus began her ten year adventure working with NYC’s most colorful characters: its kids. Schwab babysat her butt off: singing, dancing, shuttling tykes from yoga to fencing classes, helping with their homework, and freezing in the bitter cold when they insisted on spending the day in the playground during the dead of winter.
“For me, the most difficult babysitting jobs were the children in the middle. The ones who weren’t old enough to do their own thing or young enough to just sleep. Those middle kids would have me playing Barbie’s with them all day long and nothing is worse than being close to 30 with a twelve inch plastic lady in your hand.”
Then there were the particularly special kids like the little boy who would order seven cake pops from Starbucks, scarf down the pops and then eat all of the sticks.
Adventures in Babysitting features hilarious anecdotes, high-octane vocals, and too-bizarre-to-be-true stories of Sally Schwab’s real life adventures. Songs range from Sondheim to pop and even some gospel spirituals. Joining Schwab on stage are the gorgeous men of Naked Boys Singing!: Alex Ringler, Dylan Thompson and Gregory Sullivan. Music direction is by eight-time MAC Award winner and Bistro Award winner Tracy Stark.
As Sally Schwab recounts her wild experiences, one thing becomes obvious: she has a real place in her heart for the children. “Babysitting was a super tough job but I learned that I’m really good with little people and they fit in my life.”
It’s likely why she chose to make a career with kids. In addition to starring in two off-Broadway shows and now, her own show, Sally teaches 10th Grade Global History in the South Bronx.
She recently brought her love of theatre to her students, starting her school’s first-ever musical theatre program. She’s directed and choreographed three shows so far. “Though they live only one borough away from Manhattan, many of my students have never attended a live Broadway production. Now, at least, they know all about Once on This Island, Little Shop of Horrors and Pippin.”
Sally Schwab made her Off-Broadway debut in A Broadway Diva Christmas. She later went on to appear in the Provincetown Theatre’s production of Lippa’s The Wild Party. She attended the University at Buffalo for musical theatre and holds a Masters degree in Education from Hunter College.
“Every single experience has brought me to where I am today,” she reflects. “Through babysitting, I discovered my love of children. Teaching has enabled me to fight for them and their futures. Performing on stage has proven that dreams can come true. And through it all, I can say that I have a confidence that I didn’t have that first year in New York. Now I know that no matter what is thrown at me, I can always sing and dance my way through it.”
The limited run of Adventures in Babysitting begins Monday, April 3rd at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Additional performances are Monday, April 17th at 9:30pm and Monday, May 1st at 7pm. Tickets available now at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/927305, or call 212-695-6909.
