Why did you want to be Marco?
I suppose I was pretty outgoing in high school and always liked to be the one leading the crowd. I enjoyed performing and making people happy in school plays and shows. And when I think about it, I probably shouldn’t limit that to high school because that kind of thing really started in first grade, when I insisted on being the one who was in the cat costume in a Christmas play — or maybe before when my sisters and I would do shows when we visited our grandparents.
At any rate, my sisters thought I would be really good at Marco and told me when tryouts were during the first week of my freshman year. They insisted no one keeps you long in class the first week, and then I missed tryouts because my first chemistry lab went over by 30 minutes (and yes, I do remember the professor’s name and did hold a grudge until the next year).
And so the next year, when they had tryouts, my sister Samantha Young Sullivan (class of ’87) basically told me, “I signed you up for Marco tryouts, here’s when it is. Go do it.” And I went and did it, and the rest is history.
Marco isn’t just a costume – it’s a personality. How did you develop your version of Marco?
Honestly, people who knew me at the time would very commonly say, “That’s just him.” That’s just my personality, taken up a notch, or maybe a few notches. Mix in a little Three Stooges, a smidge of Hulk Hogan, and some classic Looney Tunes, and stir it up, and then make sure everyone can see you at the top of the stadium, nothing to it.
How did you get yourself ready each time you were in that costume to meet the expectation you had set?
It’s the same as that gametime feeling that football or basketball players get when the countdown is on, and the game is getting closer, and the stands are filling up, and you can hear the people and feel the energy, and you know that you are a big part of why they are there. It really doesn’t take much to get yourself “ready.” I would get fired up just getting my gear in a bag before walking out the door at my apartment.
You’ve been called the greatest Marco of all time. What do you think made your portrayal stand out?
“The Greatest Marco of All Time.” Hold on there. I’m sure that buffalo that tried to eat the AstroTurf at the stadium that time would have something to say about that. I don’t know, I just always wanted (and still do) to do the best I can do, and it was important to me that everyone enjoyed what I was doing and that I was able to bring something to the game that no one else could do.
I have always wanted to be an achiever, and true achievers love what they do, exceed people’s expectations, do more than they are “paid” to do, abandon perceived limits, and work hard enough at what they do to make it look easy.
What did being Marco teach you that you still carry with you today?
Even the smallest things you can do for people, the simplest things, can mean a great deal. And never underestimate the power of a good attitude and hard work.
If you could give advice to the current or future Marco, what would it be?
It’s more than just wearing a fur suit.
Do you ever catch yourself breaking out some of the same dance moves at weddings or reunions?
Most people who really know me would have said, “That’s Marco, but that’s really just Allen.” So, do I break out Marco dance moves from time to time? No. Just Allen’s dance moves and people watching say, “Hey, that reminds me of that Marco guy from back in the day.”
Support the Marco Program
Our beloved bison needs help from his Herd. Support the Marco program by providing funds that help him travel to where the action is and keep his suit smelling fresher than his friends in the wild.