New York, here they come
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 9 years, 6 months AGO
Courtesy photos Red Hot Mama Deborah Miranda dances along the parade route in New York City during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Mamas have been invited to participate for a third time and will again share their energy and enthusiasm with millions of people this year.
The Red Hot Mamas shuffle and dance with walkers and wigs along the parade route of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. They will once again perform in the parade this year.
By DEVIN HEILMAN
Staff Writer
With their wigs, walkers and wacky ways, the Red Hot Mamas have won the hearts and minds of millions.
The colorful entertainment troupe has again been invited to perform in the 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. This will be the RHM's third time participating in one of America's oldest Thanksgiving parade traditions. They first participated in 2005 and again in 2014.
"The girls are just all about it," RHM director Mikki Stevens said Tuesday. "They're coming out of the woodwork. There is nothing like that feeling of marching down those streets in the middle of Manhatten."
She said the Mamas are "looking at a third time and going, 'Yes!'"
"Everybody is very excited to rock and roll with this one," Stevens said.
A press release from the RHM stated producers consider the RHM to be "part of the Macy's Family now" and asked them to return to perform in the "Longest Running Show on Broadway" for the 2017 telecast.
"They want everything to be unique and original and are always interested in our latest quirky ideas," Stevens said of the Macy's Parade production team. "The fun of getting to collaborate with kindred spirits is fulfilling!"
The RHM will perform a rowdy televised routine to the hit '60s song "Gimme Some Lovin'" "to send the message that all people need to be loved."
"The thrill of seeing all the happy smiling screaming people is inexplicable," performance director Deborah Miranda stated in the release. "People hang out of buildings yelling, ‘We love you!’ ‘Go Idaho!’ ‘Do it for me Mamas!’ Then, the next day as we walk around town, gobs of people, some from other countries, some who don’t speak English, let us know they feel encouraged and motivated by seeing what we do. And that’s why we do it.”
The Mamas will stay in Manhattan during Thanksgiving week and perform on the Star in Herald Square on Thanksgiving.
Previous parade performances featured 50 Northwest performers. This year, the Mamas are extending the invitation to ladies across the country who would like to join the fun. The group will incorporate 200 women who will audition and learn choreography, makeup, costuming and RHM basics via video to unite for the first time in person in NYC for one big rehearsal before the Herald Square dress rehearsal.
"It's a new idea," Stevens said. "I have had so many inquiries from all over the world since the last Macy's… My vision is there will be groups from different areas of the country who will join us."
Local auditions to perform with the Red Hot Mamas in the 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be held Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at PEAK Health and Wellness Center, 940 Ironwood Drive, Coeur d'Alene. Ages 18 and older are encouraged to attend. Audition fee is $10.
"You used to say you were 'in the flow' when you were where you were supposed to be," Stevens said. "I feel like, 'Oh good, I get to be in the flow and with that creative world at that level that they operate,' and it's really fun. I think it's going to be fabulous."
Info: www.rhmamas.com or [email protected]