By Jay Brome
Special to the Herald

If the City of Benicia had its own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one person who has earned her star is resident Barbara Schrager.  Born in New Jersey in the 20th century, this writer wouldn’t dare ask Schrager her age because she still has that rough, “don’t mess with me” East Coast charm.

While cleaning rooms at her mother’s boarding house, a guest heard the 15-year-old Schrager singing.  The woman convinced Schrager’s mother to put her into singing lessons. Schrager performed in summer stock and off-Broadway shows for $65 per week. “Blossom Time,” “The Feminine Touch,” “Brigadoon,” “Call Me Madam” and “Wish You Were Here” are a few of the shows Schrager sang in. For her singing role in “Wish You Were Here,” Schrager was required to wear a bathing suit at the audition, as were all the singers who auditioned.

“I think I got the part because I have great legs,” she said.

Back in the early days, performers were either singers or dancers.  Schrager was a singer.  One of her dear friends was a dancer named Conchita del Rivero, better known as Chita Rivera.  Rivera’s first show was “Call Me Madam,” and she is now a two-time Tony winner for Best Actress in a Musical and recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors.  Schrager boasted that Conchita was so beautiful and friendly.

“She was an unbelievably talented dancer and she always wanted to sing” she said.

Schrager’s memories aren’t as favorable for the headliner who stared in “Call Me Madam” – the legendary Ethel Merman. Merman, according to Schrager, did not spend a lot of time with the chorus singers or dancers.  But even she couldn’t get top billing in the Playbill listing.  It was 1952, and there was a war in Korea.  The Imperial Theatre Playbill listed the following warning before naming the performers:
“In the event of an air raid alarm remain in your seats and obey the instructions of management.”

Broadway legend Elaine Stritch replaced Merman for the rest of the tour.

“Brigadoon” brought Schrager to the Far East for 63 days in 1956.  She and the ensemble cast entertained troops in South Korea, Tokyo and Okinawa. There were no sets or fancy costumes for the United States Armed Forces shows.  Most of the time, the stage was a wood platform and the soldiers sat along the dirt and grass knolls.  The highlights of the tour were meeting the soldiers, seeing all the beautiful children in Korea and Japan and visiting the De-Militarized Zone.  Back then, you needed a special day pass and Schrager proudly displays hers along with dozens of photographs from the tour.

Schrager’s career took new heights, literally, when she became a stewardess for National Airlines.  On Dec. 10, 1958, National became the first airline to operate domestic jet flights between Miami and New York.  On that historic voyage, National leased a Boeing 707 from Pan American World Airways, and Schrager was selected as one of the few stewardesses to take the journey.  When asked if she was ever scared flying, Schrager simply said, “No.”  However, on one trip in a propeller plane, the engines stopped for what felt like five minutes.  Schrager clearly remembers that there were 44 passengers aboard, and all of them looked at her and wanted to know what was happening.  Schrager just continued to serve them dinner, and the trip continued safely.

After knowing Schrager for almost one year, this writer finally got the nerve to ask her if she was ever married.  As only Schrager could respond, “Once. That was enough.  I got three good kids from him and kicked him out.”

Her former husband also worked in summer stock.  Schrager did add with a smile, “but the love of my life was a co-pilot stationed in Miami.” She would not provide any additional details.*   Schrager operated an antique shop in Long Island before relocating to Benicia in the mid 1990s.  She had a shop on First Street specializing in antiques, textiles and vintage lace dresses. Schrager has since closed her shop but can be seen daily visiting her friends along First Street. She also sells exclusively on Etsy under Gabyslace.

Susan Steffen, owner of the Steffan Collection on First Street has been a friend of Barbara’s for years.

“Barbara is one of the most colorful people I know,” she said.

Joel, Susan’s husband, thinks that Schrager comes by the store daily to see him, but everyone knows the real reason she stops by is to see her four legged friend – LuLu, an Australian Labradoodle mix.

Schrager can be contacted via email at Laceaholic@gmail.com or on Etsy under Gabyslace.

Jay Brome is the owner of Pocket Monkey Vintage on First Street.