March 9, 2012
Bunny Giordano and her husband Frank have lived in Leonia for 42 years. She’s been volunteering in Leonia since 1968, starting with the Leonia Junior Woman’s Club. Since then, she has been involved with the Girl Scouts, Home and School Association, the Leonia Woman’s Club, Leonia-Edgewater Education Foundation and St. John’s Theater Ministry. Bunny served as co-chair and chair of the Bicentennial Committee (1975-76) and the Centennial Committee in 1994. She was a member of the Leonia Recreation Commission for 26 years. She has also been an active member of the Players’ Guild of Leonia for over 30 years and is a founding member of Summerstage at Leonia. She is a co-producer of the Players’ Guild production of “Cats,” which opens tonight, March 9, at the Civil War Drill Hall Theater. The production runs for three weekends.
Q. Have you always been known as Bunny?
A. As the first of four children, I was supposed to be Robert Conover Jr. I’ve been called Bunny since birth, for I was born on Palm Sunday, and my grandmother proclaimed, “Here’s our little Easter Bunny!” but my given name is Lorraine.
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. In Hillsdale. I graduated from Pascack Valley High School in 1959. My parents still live in Hillsdale. Mom is 96; Dad is 98. They’ve been married 73 years.
Q. What was your first job?
A. I was hired to work in the lingerie department of the original Bloomingdales in Riverside Square Mall. I fitted women for All in One corsets in the days before pantyhose, which was a bit challenging and an “eye-opener” for an 18-year old.
Q. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A. A lawyer. I was inspired by my F.D.U. constitutional law teacher, Dr. Sam Pleasants, whom I discovered several years later lived in Leonia, as did my high school English teacher.
Q. Where did you meet your husband?
A. We met at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where we were both students. He was studying electrical engineering; I was a history major, English minor. We married in 1964 and had four children, two girls and two boys. Frank worked for GE and Lockheed, so before moving to Leonia, we lived in Pittsfield, Mass., Sunnyvale (Silicon Valley), California, and Cliffside Park. That’s when he took over his father’s heating business.
Q. Why did you move to Leonia?
A. While we were living in Cliffside Park, I joined the Leonia Junior Woman’s Club. Leonians seemed to be volunteers by nature: the Ambulance Corps, the Co-op, the Players Guild, the Home and School Associations, the Scouts – all were bustling with volunteers. It didn’t take long to realize Leonia was “my kind of town.” Three years later, we moved to our first Leonia home on Overlook Avenue. In 1982 we moved to our current home on Park Avenue.
Q. How did you first get involved with the Players Guild of Leonia?
A. It just evolved from being a member of the Junior Woman’s Club. I was part of the group that volunteered behind the scenes – costumes, makeup, props – with the Plays-in-the-Park. When Chris Watson directed “Oklahoma” in 1976, I was the co-producer. Since then, I’ve been the producer for most of her shows.
Q. What does a producer do?
A. Speaking for myself, you need to be a Jill of all trades, organizer, and a world-class schlepper. With a cast of 20, this production is one of the most ambitious shows the Guild has ever done. It features phenomenal dancing, music, costumes and makeup.
Q. Did you know any famous Leonians?
A. Alan and Arlene Alda lived up the street from us on Park Avenue. I was the caretaker for their house for a couple of years. I knew author Robert Ludlum, and singer Carmel Quinn from shopping at the Co-op (now Leonia Market). And bestselling author Robin Cook graduated from Leonia High School with my husband Frank, Class of 1958. He generally shows up at the high school reunions.
Q. Have any Guild members gone on to act on the Broadway stage?
A. Ann Brown Sullivan played the role of Maria in “The Sound of Music” in Leonia’s 1980 Play-in-the-Park. Years later, she had major roles in several Broadway plays, including “The Music Man” and “The Sound of Music.”
Q. Are any of your children interested in theater?
A. Both Amy and Dan were involved in a couple of shows at Leonia High School, but Dan is the only one involved in theater now. He has performed lead roles in several Guild and Summerstage shows. His first foray into acting was as Bert in “Mary Poppins” for the second grade play at Anna C. Scott School.
Q. What’s something you can’t live without?
A. My Leonia Community Calendar. I’m lost without it at meetings and for scheduling purposes for the various organizations I’m involved with.
Q. Who’s your favorite entertainer?
A. Carol Burnett. I loved her show with Vicki Lawrence, Tim Conway, and Harvey Korman, and saw her in “Moon Over Buffalo” several years ago.
Q. What’s your favorite Leonia destination?
A. The post office! I’m there every day. There’s always parking. The postal workers are friendly and helpful. I catch up on my social life on the bench outside.
Q. Do you have any advice for new Leonians?
A. Volunteer! I’ve met so many wonderful people from volunteering in town. There are so many great organizations in Leonia and they all welcome you with open arms.
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