Uncle Tim

By Angela Theresa Egic

The next part of my stories of how I came to meet Tim Curry -- and why I adore him so much.

The continuing saga of my tie to Tim Curry . . .

A bit before this turning point at the hospital – there's a moment I'd like to share with you.

The summer I became aware of Tim Curry (1982), I auditioned for a touring theatre company called Centerstage USA, based in Phoenix, AZ. I was accepted!

On this tour, thirty-seven of us young people, ranging in age from 8 to 40; with the average age of actors being 16 to 20 -- we rehearsed and performed in Phoenix, AZ; then took a Greyhound bus, bringing our show to audiences in Colorado, California, Oregon, Wyoming and Utah in three weeks on the road.

This tour began two rituals I did regularly concerning Tim Curry (TC). I would imagine talking to him, laughing with him and just hanging out with him. It was all in my mind, of course; but I shared some of my fantasies with friends. I also began bragging about how I'd one day "know" TC and be his "friend". I could feel it. I also wrote what I called "Fantasy Letters" to TC (and a poem or two).

In these "fantasy letters" I wrote as if we were already writing back and forth. It was fun and the activity stimulated my writing skills. When I would write, as if TC had written me, i.e. "Dear Tim, Thank you for the birthday card!" I'd tuck these personal letters into my desk drawer.

Thus, with all this conviction oozing from my soul – I was standing at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, California, and blurted out "Tim Curry and I will visit here some day!" or another fantasy. Anita Bingaman overheard me.

She yelled out, in front of everyone in earshot, "Oh please, Angela, your chances of meeting Tim Curry are slim to none!"

Being so hopeful and always one to believe in my dreams, I proudly said back, "Anita, that may be true. But I will be the exception to the rule and will be friends with TC -- mark my words and you'll see!"

Back to the recovery and being released from the hospital . . .

I had a new sense of life after my death wish had been re-arranged by my mother, my resolve to live and become a movie star and meet and "know" TC.

Before I knew it, my application and audition for New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts was answered with acceptance and I had two weeks to move to New York City and begin my life as a professional actor!

At some point, I began hanging out at 8th Street Playhouse in New York at the midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show (RHPS). Spending every Friday and Saturday there – everyone knew about my obsession with TC and I was rather infamous as "Curry's Angel". I was becoming so famous as "Curry's Angel"; I used it as a stage name, under Angela Curry when I did a cabaret act with my friends Miss Andrew and Susie Schwartzberg. The two, rather successful, variety acts were called, The Lady and His Music and our Christmas act, A Gift from the Girls.

Nevertheless, most of my RHPS friends knew my real name and thought of me as that obsessed TC fan from Arizona.

In October 1985, the 10th Anniversary of RHPS was scheduled and I got my tickets from Sal Piro, the President of the RHPS Fan Club. The anniversary was to be held at New York's Beacon Theatre on Halloween.

I'd also been working on my costume for my own RHPS cast -- my 'Frank N. Furter' costume. For the Halloween show my costume wasn't ready and I wanted to be original, anyway. At some point, I decided to go as 'Curry's Angel' and went about creating my persona. I wanted to have my own persona as professional drag queens do, ala' my friends Miss Andrew and Diva Perre. So, I went out and turned myself into, I suppose, a drag king (of sorts)!

We had an assorted group of regulars at 8th Street Playhouse from Diva Perre to the ever fabulous, sometimes purple, Michelle (the other TC fanatic). And two very different girls. -- one was a big lesbian who called herself Kim Curry and claimed to be related to TC. The other, whose name eludes me, I think Kristy, said she was, indeed, TC's niece. A cute, petite girl with a distinct American accent. I never believed her due to the fact of her accent. I understood TC's family [his sister] still resided in England and would have British accents.

On October 31, 1985, the 10th Anniversary or RHPS was held at the lovely "Beacon Theatre" in New York. It was debut of my special Curry's Angel outfit. I had found the perfect white corset, had my black fishnet stockings (complete with a seam up the back), a wig just like Frank N. Furter, a halo, white gossamer wings and the face make-up of Frank N. Furter. Across my chest I wrote the words "Curry's Angel". As I left my Bensonhurst, Brooklyn apartment, I threw on my white cape coat and made my way to the event.

As my taxi pulled up to the lit up party that was the celebration of the century, I could see news vans, lights and camera people filming and interviewing the crowd of transvestites, nerds, sluts and domestics and various other creatures of the night.

Being the only one in an angel costume and white cape, with a corset; as I threw off my cape in a huge theatrical Frank N. Furter fling a woman in a suit with two or three cameramen following rushed to my face and surrounded me!

"Who are you?!" the newswoman pushed a microphone in front of my face.

I purred out my "I'm Curry's Angel!"

Then, we, the fans, went into the theatre for a night of an incredible show of shows and celebration. All the stars of RHPS were there with the exception of TC, Charles Gray and Peter Hinwood. Barry Bostwick looked down my corset and said "Hello, Curry's Angel!" And Richard O'Brien was wonderful to me, said I had a cute figure.

Then, in the lobby of the theatre, two girls in Transylvanian costumes come rushing over to me, all excited!

In a thick British accent, one said, "Cheers, Curry's Angel! We heard all about you!"

Confused, I asked, "Really, where?!"

I think they asked for my autograph. They told me how they'd gone to see TC in England (he was absent as he was doing some shows on the West End) and told him how 'they were going to meet me!" Excitedly, they had heard "I'd be there!"

According to the British girls, they "knew" I was Tim Curry's niece and I'd be attending the anniversary!

I explained that I had never met the man. They laughed and said they were told I'd "deny it [being his niece]" because "too many people ask for my uncle's autograph" from me! Of course, they vowed to tell TC they had made contact with me. No matter my protestations, there was no convincing them I was, in no way, related to TC!

Then, the next day, as I slept in, a friend from another state called me.

"Hello?" I said in a croaky, morning after screaming at RHPS show voice.

Kevin screams, "Oh my God, you met Tim Curry and married him?!"

Apparently, my interview was on Good Morning America was aired and across my interview, blazoned on the screen, was the name ANGELA CURRY. Later, I learned, that one of my 'new friends' thought I was, indeed, named Angela Curry in real life and I was one of the two RHPS girls who claimed to be TC's niece!

I have never seen this interview, by the way.

Strangely, two years later, right before I was to meet TC. I had, yet another, "Uncle Tim" experience.

Around the time Clue came out, it had been printed in the New York papers, that TC would be doing the role of "Bill Snibson" in the Broadway touring cast of Me and My Girl. I had a friend named Perry, at the time, whom I hadn't seen in about six months or so. And I had moved a couple of times [like our TC, I move around a lot].

My friend Perry was the head usher at the long-running Broadway show, Cats; he had been there for about two or three years. At this same time, Dream Girls had been revived on Broadway.

Many signs came to me, letting me know the "time for Tim" was close at hand and I'd be meeting him soon. I knew this was it. Leaving work one evening, my intuition or Tim-dar, told me Perry had seen him! And Perry was now working at Dream Girls.

I walk over to the stage door at Dream Girls and ask security, "Does Perry work here?"

I get a strange look, like I am familiar, and security says, "Yeah, Perry is on break."

At that very moment, Perry comes around the corner and see's me and nods toward me, "You know, right, Angela?"

"Yeah, I know. When was he here?"

Perry continues, "It was two nights ago, Thursday. I tried calling you all night." Perry smiled, "He was here with his niece, and you two look a lot alike!"

I learned that during the first part of the show, Tim's niece became ill and Tim brought her out to the lobby. For the rest of the night, Tim did not leave her side and spent most of the show in the lobby.

Perry tried phoning me all night. I could've met Tim in that lobby! Nevertheless, I suppose it turned out much better that I would meet him (my alleged Uncle Tim) in a better circumstance one week later.