Rebecca Luker and Danny Burstein at the opening of 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre in June 2018
She came to New York to sing on Broadway. And she did for many, many years. But she also came to New York to escape, as she often talked about, the difficulties of a girl growing up in the South. The fierce independence that brought her to NYC was the same strength that made her quite political. She organized buses to Washington in 1992 when Roe vs. Wade was challenged. She painted signs that read,"Broadway For Choice!" and was as proud of that as any show she ever did.
Early on there was tension between us because I didn't trust her. I'd come from a particularly difficult marriage and didn't trust that anyone's fallback position could be kindness. But Becca's was. I didn't know how to deal with her overwhelming acceptance of who I was, warts and all. I'd never met anyone like her. For all her rejection of her roots, that Southern sweetness was just innate and allowed her to be completely herself at every moment.
She tripped one day running for the bus, she said she"went straight down." She couldn't explain it. Then two weeks later it happened again, this time twisting her left ankle. She went to our PT, many health professionals, but her ankle and foot were steadily getting weaker. She had spinal stenosis surgery and we were sure that would solve the issue. But her whole leg started getting worse.
Two weeks before she passed she finally began to talk about her own death and asked how it might happen. She'd been in such denial until then. She spoke with her doctor and rejected his offer of a tracheotomy because she knew it would mean that she would never speak or swallow again. She was extremely weak but told him that she didn't want to live attached to a machine that way. She told him,"If I don't have my voice, I don't know who I am. My voice is everything I am.
What a wonderful, yet heartbreaking piece. Love to him and their family.
Tony, sorry for Lost, we all know to much of losing Love ones., may God give you strength.
Wow, 😢 Don't really know her but a beautiful piece.
I was afraid reading this would be too much for me, and it was. I got to interview Danny once, years ago. He was such a fun person to talk to, so down to earth and generous and hilarious. I wish he hadn’t lost his love. I’m glad they made the most of the time they had.
Had tears in my eyes while reading. I'm so sorry for Danny.
RicardoAChavira 💔
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