Carole Banninger has become known as the dancer who never missed a
performance of the 8 1/2 year run of the original Broadway production of 42nd
Street.  She never took a vacation or a sick day. Carole began dancing in
Philadelphia doing the local Rex Trailer TV show plus USO shows. She went on
to Adelphi University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance. After
graduation she did summer stock and dinner theater to get her equity card. Onto
Disney On Parade, an arena production touring the US, Canada, and Mexico for
3 1/2  doing many roles including Peter Pan.  Next she was made dance captain
of the   B & T of Applause with Patrice Munsel followed by Promises, Promises
with Rich Little for the Kenley Players. Back in NYC she assisted Ed Nolfi with
regional productions of Cabaret, Sweet Charity, and Ride to Freedom for the
Bicentennial. She danced two seasons with the Radio City Music Hall ballet
company Easter shows choreographed by Peter Gennaro.
Next came the national tour of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing which
included six months on Broadway. The audition for 42nd Street was next and
after previews, opened on August 25, 1980 and closed on January 8, 1989. In
December of that year her beautiful daughter Tara Dillon was born.
                               
She began teaching ballet, tap, and movement classes for children at the
Westside YMCA, a job that lasted 26 years. Being a seamstress since childhood
she was asked to become wardrobe designer at the Trinity School costuming
dozens of musicals and plays, working again with 42nd Street alum Karin Baker.