Friday, Sep. 25, 2009

Karen Donaldson | Actress impersonates bevy of blondes

By Monique Newton -

Karen Donaldson, an actress in "Dino's TV Variety Show," wears many masks.

She's Elly May Clampett of "The Beverly Hillbillies" one minute, Nancy Sinatra another and, most often, blond bombshell Dolly Parton.

Donaldson's a hit at the show, a 90-minute live taping that recreates "The Dean Martin Show" of the '60s and '70s and is held several times a month at the Tara Theater at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort.

There are countdowns, live commercial breaks and cue cards for audiences, just like a live taping of a TV show.

"The audience, as soon as they come into the theater ... they've taken a role themselves," Donaldson said.

All the characters in the show, which include big names such as Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Jeannie (Barbara Eden) from "I Dream of Jeannie" are very up close and personal, Donaldson said.

"I'll pick on a man sitting there who seems like he's really into Dolly, and I'll get him up [on stage] or sit in his lap," she said. "It's off the cuff ... it makes it fun for us, but it also makes it fun for the audience."

Donaldson has only impersonated Parton for the last three years, but audiences find her character and the others very convincing, she said.

"A lot of our characters are so close to being the real characters that a lot of audience members have asked us if we are in fact performing live," she said. "We always like to make sure that they are getting live performances; there are no voice makeovers."

Donaldson has put hours into mastering Parton's appearance, sound and swagger.

It helps that she grew up with the influence of Dolly and has always been a country music fan, she said.

"I did a lot of reading on her background, how she grew up, how she started, and then I studied a lot of pictures, along with listening to her sing and singing along with her to learn how to see how she carries her voice - there's a lot of little things you have to learn to mimic."

She also studies pictures of Dolly and experiments with the makeup. Donaldson's most challenging task has been capturing Parton's costumes and chestiness, she said.

"Her physical attributes are the hardest to come by, and most of the costumes have to be custom-made for her because of her large bust and tiny waist," she said. "It takes a lot of work and some very creative designers and seamstresses."

Donaldson has been performing on different stages for years.

She sang in gospel quartets when she lived in Virginia and has also tried her hand at community theater, playing in a country band and, most recently, acting in the House of Blues' Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre.

For now, she's enjoying every minute of her Dolly routine.

"It's a very fun thing to do," she said. "God blessed me with a talent, and it's an honor for me to share that blessing and that talent with everyone else."