Donna McKechnie Quotes

Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.

I had toured around England endlessly throughout my teens, but when I came to the U.S. to perform on Broadway, that was a huge step.

I tell young people - including my granddaughter - there is no shortcut in life. You have to take it one step at a time and work hard. And you have to give back.

I auditioned for Julliard because I wanted to live in New York, and I wanted to be on Broadway at the time. Julliard seemed like right way to get there.

'On the Twentieth Century' was always something I wanted to do because of Kristin Chenoweth.

I came to the United States in the early '80s and was welcomed with open arms and given the opportunity to pursue my dreams. God has been very kind to us. My family and I are fortunate enough to be successful and we feel a tremendous responsibility and obligation to give back to our great country.

Initially, I wanted to be an ice skater, but then when I was 13 I saw Bye Bye Birdie, and that was it - I wanted to be on Broadway.

I love going to see the theatre whether it's a Broadway play or a Russian ballet company.

I will tell them that you can work hard, you can improve your life and the lives of your children in one day when you deliver your youngest child to the university, you will look her in the eye and say, 'You will give back.'

Godspell was a good leap for me, it was a good shop window.

It was one of the great chances in my life to become a Dumont actor.

One thing led to another and I didn't have to take tickets any more because I now worked for Mr. Rogers. He said if I was going to take care of his horses than I'd better learn how to ride. He was very kind to me.

I went on a few auditions for Broadway musicals, and never stopped taking classes, but I didn't take it seriously until I was out of college.

We all have a responsibility, and since I've been so wonderfully blessed, I really want to share and to make life at least a little better. So every chance I get to share the gospel or uplift people, I will take full advantage of that opportunity.

Miss Goodblatt would call on me to read. She said I had a talent. So on a whim, I auditioned for the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.

Part of becoming a little bit older and having the opportunities that I have, you want to start giving back to people who have been influential and helped you along the way.

Acting and singing were just a hobby, but getting into drama school made me realise I could actually do it for a living.

I wanted to write for Broadway.

Why we should put ourselves out of our way to do anything for posterity, for what has posterity ever done for us?

I believe that we all have a responsibility to give back. No one becomes successful without lots of hard work, support from others, and a little luck. Giving back creates a virtuous cycle that makes everyone more successful.

I've got a lot of people I'm carrying on my back, but it's a light load because I take a lot of pride in who I am and where I came from.

I went from living in a house with five guys in Palo Alto, and living off their leftovers, to all of a sudden having all kinds of resources. And I wanted to figure out how I could take the blessing of these resources and share it with the world.

I'm the lucky one who got asked to do 'The Sound of Music' and all the other lovely things that I did.

It was a complete no-brainer. Literally, the call came through: Andrew Lloyd Webber wanting to offer you, with no audition, The Wicked Witch of the West at the London Palladium - I'm in!

I was 13 when I went to PSV... I know what they've done for me. Without them I wouldn't be here and I'm happy I can give them this back.