Chaplin Star Erin Mackey Recalls Her School-Age Years as a ‘Tardy’ Procrastinator With a Perm

As kids all over America head back to school, Broadway.com decided to ask our favorite Broadway stars to look back at their own years in the classroom—and share a school picture! Before Erin Mackey starred in Chaplin as devoted wife Oona O’Neill, she was racing through her high school hallways, trying not to be late to class (again). Below, Mackey remembers her aversion to sports, her dream of becoming a movie star and getting an embarrassing surprise from a bird.

Who was your favorite teacher and why?
I started taking voice lessons when I was 10 with my dear teacher and friend, Tim. His passion for the arts is contagious. I'm so glad he emphasized legit singing when all I wanted to do was belt out "Tomorrow" and "On My Own."

What advice would you give to your school-age self?
Let go of the perm...

In school you would have been named “most likely to…”
Probably "be a movie star" because I was always auditioning for film/TV when I was in high school. Still working on that...

What song sums up your school experience and why?
"I'm Late" from Alice in Wonderland—I was always late to school and procrastinated like crazy.

What’s your favorite back to school item?
A new school outfit!

What class did you dread and why?
P.E. Sports and I don't mix.

What is your most embarrassing school moment?
I remember getting pooped on by a bird one day. That really sucked.

Describe your school-age self in three words.
Tardy, sassy, driven.