Blind woman finds her inner Ethel Merman

From a NY Times story:

They have gathered together from the five boroughs and paid $485 for a workshop to become the stars they always dreamed of being and to discover the Ethel Merman within.

After four nighttime rehearsals, 15 stars were born. Well, that’s a stretch, but nevertheless, some of them had never sung a note outside a shower curtain, and now they found themselves performing the other night at the Triad on West 72nd Street. They entered the stage and warmed to the spotlight, easing into their numbers with breezy patter. . . .

Peggy Eason, 62, (pictured) is blind and learns lyrics from a tape. She works for the New York State Parole Division.

“I always wanted to be a star and to make it on the Great White Way,” she said before performing a song a longtime friend had written for her, blasting out from behind dark shades. “Broadway, here I come!”