“Would you sleep your way to the top?” Beautiful, naïve, midwestern Lisa Velo went to Hollywood to find a career. What she discovered was the casting couch, and it discovered her. Sound familiar? She is one of the many who go east or go west to become actors or stars. "The world prefers to focus on stories about monstrous predators who violate young maidens."
Lisa Verlo confesses that she wanted to be a serious actress. She leaves safe Midwest home and family and heads to Hollywood and eventual success. She knew that this would take work, that it wouldn’t come easily. But she was (is) very beautiful and a little too unintimidated about her body and the responses it elicited. It gets her the attention of several big-named, powerful men. And she names names.
Hollywood loved her for her looks, but never sought her out for her talent. Not for want of trying; auditions didn’t seem to get her the jobs. But she was in a production of King Lear, she admits in one casting session; a lesser role in an experimental production. They had no interest in her as an actress. Sad, but she does not dwell on the sadness.
She discovered guidance early through the voices in her head, Katherine Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, who spoke to her throughout her career and throughout this show. She evokes them at various times during the show. Her stories of her adventures are whimsical, charming. She seems to have come through it without the expected battle scars.
The original music and slides add a third dimension. Lisa Velo is charming and engaging. Wonder why no one in Hollywood saw this.