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The road that carried Susan Blackwell to Broadway for the enthusiastically received opening of "(title of show)," a new little musical about the making of a new little musical on Thursday, July 18, began more than 20 years ago in the Muse Machine.

The Miami County native went on to major in theater at Wright State University. In 1990, she played the Marquise de Mertuil in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" and the Witch in "Into the Woods."

As a senior in 1991, she donned boxing gloves as Kate in "The Taming of the Shrew," made her professional debut with The Human Race Theatre in "The Boys Next Door" at the Victoria Theatre and played John Merrick, the title character in "The Elephant Man."

"Call me the Elephant Ma'am," she jested backstage.

"(title of show)" has taken several years to make it to the big time, starting off Broadway, ingeniously building a following in on-line video updates featuring the cast and now landing a solid review in The New York Times.

Reviewer Christopher Isherwood described her performance in a song from the show, this way:

"Ms. Blackwell keeps having to remind her friends that she can't be hanging out brainstorming or rehearsing all day because she actually has to earn a living as an office manager. Later she leads a funny, pointed song, 'Die Vampire, Die!," about the specter of self-doubt that visits all struggling artists in the wee hours — and the not so wee ones, too."

In real life, Blackwell has managed to keep her day job in business. Earlier this year, she won WSU Theatre's distinguished alumnus award. She also has a master's degree from Guthrie Theater's program at the University of Minnesota.

She urges everyone from "back home" to come to New York and see (title of show).

"I think it's really special. But I'm not objective at all," she said.

WSU Theatre chair W. Stuart McDowell may not be any more objective than her, but he concurs. After seeing it in preview last week he rhapsodized about it and "our own Susan."

You can read the entire review at http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/theater/reviews/18titl.html?pagewanted=1&ref=theater

Contact this reporter at tmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.