Impressions of Richard Skipper as Carol Channing
(Following fund raiser for Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation)
Don't Tell Mama, October 16, 1999
by Sal Monetti

    An exhilarating, theatrical electricity hits the air when Richard Skipper enters the room as Carol Channing to work the crowd and sing up a storm. It's all in good fun with a dead-on physical and vocal impersonation that wows you with it's immediate impact and fond recognition of this Broadway legend. What makes this particular impersonation so memorable and unique is that Mr. Skipper takes on the persona in such a way that he makes it his own, bringing to it a vocal strength and youthfulness that are more about him than Miss Channing. Yes, all the Channing nuances are there (and flawlessly so) but somehow, in some unexplained way, this assertion of self works and nothing is questioned. There are no false notes here. It's a sort of theatrical miracle.
    The big surprise of the evening is the way that Mr. Skipper works the room verbally with a razor sharp wit that aims itself at the foibles of human personality and consistently hits a bulls eye. I found myself laughing out loud as Carol chose friends of mine to rib and immediately found their endearing flaws and worked it. No harm done as quips intermingle with songs and audience members are joined together in story lines. It's a confirmation of the love of musical theater ...about an evening's entertainment. ...Making the audience laugh and enjoy a good song.
    When I was saying my good byes in the cramped basement dressing room, amidst the musty smell of concrete mingling with that of Noxzema, Richard was taking off his Carol face as the impersonator sitting next to him was putting on his of Judy Garland (another impersonation Richard executes flawlessly) and Richard said, "we're old fashion, we like to belt them out." To that affirmation that musical theater is alive and well and living in today's generation, I say, "Thank God for that and Bravo to you, Richard Skipper!"