What’s it like to be a star’s mom?

Is it glamour and fame; is it bright lights and big city? Or is it staying with friends because you don’t have a place of your own?

“Yes,” said Allison Montgomery, whose son Graham was just added to the cast of Broadway’s Tony-winning musical “Kinky Boots.” It’s also making adjustments in several areas.

She and Graham had been in New York for a little more than a week at the time of this interview. She said, “We’re homeless right now. We’re staying with a friend. That is difficult because you’re in someone else’s home. We can’t acclimate because we know this is temporary. Another adjustment has been transportation. We’re taking subways and walking where we used to just hop in the car and drive. It’s a whole different world,” she said.

This whole different world is hundreds of miles from her husband and two other children who are keeping the home fires burning in Bossier while Allison and Graham are pursuing his acting career in the Big Apple.

Graham has been an actor “from Day 1,” his mom said. Locally, he’s been seen on stage with the Academy of Children’s Theatre, Shreveport Little Theatre and Stage Center. Last year, he traveled to New York to attend a Broadway acting camp.

“While we were [in New York],” Montgomery said, “the director pulled me aside and asked if he could send Graham’s headshot and resume to a friend who was an agent in New York. The next day, we had representation.” That’s Step 1 in getting work in the world of professional acting.

Then, the 11-year-old started going to auditions. They’ve made eight trips to New York since July of last year, Montgomery said. “But, I guess the eighth time’s the charm. He got the part,” she said.

Graham was scheduled to begin his new routine June 17. It will consist of shows six days a week with two shows a day on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. He’s already met with the cast of “Kinky Boots” and had a rehearsal. Last week, he began “covering” the role of Charley in the show. Covering is when two actors are prepared for the same role. “They always have two people in the theater to cover each role,” Montgomery said. “So Graham will be like a standby in case the [other] little boy gets sick or he gets injured on the stage, Graham will go in for him.”

Graham’s days are his own until the time he has to report to the theater each evening, generally a half-hour before the performance. In addition to sightseeing and other normal New York activities, Graham has still been going to auditions.

Graham’s big break has had consequences for his family, too, but there are no plans to move everyone to the big city. “If I could wear my home on my back like a turtle, I would,” Graham’s mom said. “I like being at home, and I like all of my chickens in one house.” Family and friends will go to New York to stay with Graham periodically so mom can go back to Bossier to visit. She said looking for a New York residence was interesting.

“We walked into an apartment last week that was 16 feet away from the theater. I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, awesome, great location.’ We walked in, and I kid you not, I could scramble eggs while lying in the bed. It was that small. I said, ‘No thank you,’ and they wanted, like, $1,800 for it. I know that’s what real estate goes for around here; I just have a problem with 200 square feet,” Montgomery said.

They do have some better prospects, and she was hopeful they would be already in their own apartment by the time press time.

“I guess as long as he’s getting parts and working, we’ll stay,” Montgomery said. “He loves it. I think he misses his brother, his sister and his daddy. But, I mean, this is his element. The kid was born for the city. He was given this opportunity, and we are going to take full advantage of it. There are very few children who get this chance, and we’re not going to squander it. God put us here for a reason, and we’re going to stay here and do what he’s supposed to do.”

And, Graham’s mom will be there for him, waiting in the wings.