Tuesday, March 16, 1999
Darci's model wants doll info
BY JIM KNIPPENBERG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cheri Brinkman
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At least Cheri Brinkman is resigned to it: “I'll end my days buck naked, with bad hair, shoved upside down in a toy box.”
Excuse us?
Seems Brinkman was the model for Darci, a fashion doll released in 1978 — Cincinnati-based Kenner's attempt to grab some Barbie action.
Several models were shot and considered, but it was Brinkman, a professional model living in Lebanon, who ended up on toy shelves all over the country.
“People never believe me, but it's unsettling to see that,” she says. “But eventually, you realize it's just something to deal with.”
Which she has, so well that she's OK with being stuffed in a toy box.
Maybe she'll be rescued. Turns out Darci is a red hot item among doll collectors.
According to A. Glenn Mandeville, author of Doll Fashion Anthology, Darci was “one of the finest ever produced ... stunning ... lucky is the collector who has put away these fine dolls ... ”
Which brings us back to Brinkman. She's writing a memoir (she's also done theater and opera) and looking for info on Darci. “Kenner was absorbed by Hasbro and can't find any records. But I know there are former Kenner people out there who know stuff — anything from production to marketing.
“Call it Darci looking for Darci.”
E-mail her at darcidoll@juno.com. Or write: 832 Oak Tree Court, Lebanon, 45036. And if you have a bad hair Darci stuffed in a box, don't tell her.
ON THE CIRCUIT: Some theatrical this n' that about Mad Dashes and soundtracks picked up hanging around backstage ...
MAD DASHES: That's the problem with snow — it messes up plans. Even backstage.
Consider the cases of Patrick Toon, local actor who did four roles in the Children's Theatre Charlotte's Web.
The afternoon school group performances were supposed to end March 10. But a 6-inch March 9 snowfall forced Tuesday and Wednesday cancellations.
After a scramble, TCT managed to reschedule shows for 9:30 a.m. and noon March 11. Fine, except Toon was flying to Paris that day. Had a 2:40 p.m. flight to Atlanta, connecting to Paris. This on a day when the curtain comes down at 1:15.
Close call. He worked it out by having traveling companion Dana Kisor at the stage door, engine running, while he ripped off his costume and got into traveling clothes. They made it to the airport with minutes to spare.
So now they'll forget about theater and roam Paris, right? Wrong. Kisor opens in early May in The Miracle Worker, playing the huge role of Anne Sullivan. She took her script to study in Paris.
SING IT: And this from the musical front: The Love and Shrimpcast recording is a go.
Love and Shrimp is the cabaret-style musical opening March 24 at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati with local belters Pam Myers,Shelley Bamberger, Deb Girdler and Terry LaBolt — the same cast composer Shelly Markham heard a couple of years ago and decided he wanted for the original soundtrack CD.
ETC artistic director D. Lynn Meyers got the ball rolling.
Here's where it stands: Markham is here April 10, armed with a list of dates and local sound studios from Meyers. “We'll pick the date then,” says development director Sarah Warner. “We'd love it to be that day or maybe the Monday, but a lot depends on Markham.”
Shrimp traces in verse, song and commentary a woman's journey from single to married to 50 and the ups and downs on the way.
Psst! appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
KNIPPENBERG ARCHIVE
