What Does Promises, Promises Scene-Stealer Katie Finneran's Dressing Room Smell Like?

Katie Finneran, who won a Tony Award in 2002 for her hilarious turn as a ditzy, myopic bombshell in Noises Off, is back on Broadway and stealing the show again. This time Finneran plays loopy  yet lovable lush Marge MacDougall in the musical comedy revival Promises, Promises. Finneran has only one (very memorable) scene in the show, so she has plenty of time to hang out backstage at the Broadway Theatre. She invited Broadway.com to her dressing room to see a few of her favorite things.

Photo by Jenny Anderson for Broadway.com


“I’m wearing my beautifully designed owl coat by [costume designer] Mr. Bruce Pask. It basically does everything for me: Neil Simon’s words and Bruce Pask’s coat—that’s my performance. I just have to put the coat on and say the lines, and I’m good to go.”


“This is the love of my life, Darren Goldstein. We met about two years ago at Williamstown doing Beyond Therapy and this is in front of our favorite pizza place, Hot Tomatoes, in Williamstown. It makes me feel comforted before the show to look at him. He’s a great guy and a great actor.”


“This is my Promises, Promises smell—Voluspa Goji and Tarocco Orange Spray—and this makes everybody happy. I spray it in my dressing room and everybody always comes in and goes, ‘Oh my God, what’s that smell?’ One time I wore it as perfume, and Sean Hayes totally made fun of me.”


“A year ago, I started working with gold and became a goldsmith. So I make these pieces and sometimes when I’m backstage do some work [on them] because I have a bit of time off. I’m making these for my best friend Cynthia. She’s getting married next Saturday and I can’t be at the wedding because I’m doing the show.”


“Here’s my Listerine spray, which is very important because I totally make out, tongue-kiss-o-rama with Sean Hayes. We have the best time. I don’t know how it would be if I did the show with anyone else. I actually gave him one because he loved it so much. I used to carry it in my purse in the show and we’d spray each other before we went on. Whenever I pick it up I think of Sean.”