What if Juliet never picked up the dagger? 

That’s the playful premise behind & Juliet, the hit Broadway musical making its Segerstrom Center for the Arts debut in Costa Mesa Sept. 9–21, 2025. 

From the Emmy-winning writer of Schitt’s Creek and featuring the chart-topping hits of Grammy-winning songwriter Max Martin, this high-energy comedy reimagines Shakespeare’s heroine ditching her tragic ending for a bold new beginning.

With a soundtrack packed with pop favorites like “Baby One More Time,” “Roar,” “Since U Been Gone,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” & Juliet is a fun jukebox musical mixed with historical and hysterical pop culture references. 

Directed by Luke Sheppard and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner Jennifer Weber, the musical continues to break box office records from London’s West End to Broadway and beyond.

Taking on the role of Anne Hathaway—yes, Shakespeare’s real-life wife—is Broadway star Teal Wicks. Known for her powerhouse performances as Elphaba in Wicked, Mary Barrie in Finding Neverland, and Lady in The Cher Show, Wicks now brings wit, warmth, and a modern twist to Shakespeare’s partner-in-crime. 

A UC Irvine alum, she’s especially thrilled to return to Orange County for this run.

Backstage SoCal caught up with Teal to chat about coming full circle at UCI, why Anne Hathaway’s voice feels so fresh, and the moments in & Juliet that spark the biggest energy shifts in the audience.

Q: As a UCI graduate, what does it mean to you to bring this musical to Orange County?

Teal Wicks:
It’s so exciting, really fun, and it feels very full circle. I loved my time at UCI and in Orange County. As a drama major, that’s where I was truly discovering my voice as an artist. It laid the foundation for so much of my career. The training I received there is something I’ve been building on for the past 20 years as a professional actor, which is wild to say!

UC Irvine also has this incredible program called the New York Satellite Program, which I did twice. We spent four to six weeks in New York taking classes, auditioning, and seeing as many shows as possible. I always loved the idea of New York, but living there during that program made me really fall in love with the city. It showed me I could handle it, and it gave me the confidence that I could actually pursue this dream. So UCI was very much the launchpad for the career I’ve been fortunate to have.

And now, bringing & Juliet to Orange County feels extra full circle because, when I was in college, we did a production of Romeo and Juliet with music. I was part of a girl group trio that sang in the background for a lot of the big scenes. So here I am again, back in Orange County, doing another musical inspired by Romeo and Juliet. It’s such a funny, special connection, and really, really fun.

Q: Anne Hathaway gets to be Shakespeare’s witty, opinionated partner-in-crime. What do you love most about how she’s written in this story?

Teal Wicks:
What I love most is that Anne is written as a mature woman. She’s a wife and a mother, yet she still gets to have such a strong voice and so much fun. David West Read, our writer, really gave a lot of freedom to these characters. He created space for us as actors to interpret, to play, and to bring as much of ourselves into them as possible. That’s such a gift.

I also love how playful Anne is. So often when characters in their middle age are written, they can come across as stuffy or overly serious. But that’s not real life. I know 90-year-olds who are silly, playful, and still have that youthful spirit alive in them. That’s exactly what Anne embodies: a woman who embraces her joy and humor, even as she carries the wisdom of her life experience.

And then there’s her dynamic with Will. It’s not perfect; they’re in a stage of life where they’re both in very different places emotionally and physically. In the play, they’re on a journey to rediscover each other. Not by trying to go back to who they were when they were young, and not by trying to reinvent themselves into something they’re not, but by meeting each other where they are now. They embrace who they are in this moment, and in doing so, they find a way to keep their relationship alive.

Q: What’s your favorite moment on stage in this musical where you feel the audience’s energy shift the most?

Teal Wicks:
There are a few, but I’ll give you two.

The first is in Act One, when we introduce the character of May. Up until that point, the audience is following along with characters they already know from Shakespeare’s canon; it feels like we’re still inside Romeo and Juliet. But then Anne Hathaway decides we need someone new in this play, and May enters. May is non-binary, and the show simply celebrates May as they are. There’s no big explanation needed, and it’s a beautiful moment.

You can feel the audience shift when May arrives. Even if someone doesn’t fully understand them at first, by the end of the show they do, and they love May. For non-binary audience members, it can be especially powerful. We’ve had people at the stage door share that May was pivotal for them, sometimes the very first time they felt truly represented onstage. That makes the moment incredibly special.

The second is in Act Two, when I sing That’s the Way It Is with Juliet. Up until then, Anne has been more of a storyteller, pushing the plot forward and guiding the audience. But in this song, she lets her walls down and opens up about marriage and relationships. It’s her most vulnerable moment, and it shifts the tone of the show.

Yes, & Juliet is a comedy, but here we dive into something very real: mature love, the challenges of it, the realities of what it means to stay together. It’s not just about young, star-crossed lovers anymore; it’s about love in all its complexity. You can feel the audience lean in during that moment, and it’s so fulfilling to share that with them.

Q: What do you hope your audience will bring home with them after seeing & Juliet?

Teal Wicks:
I hope they leave with love and passion for theater itself, because & Juliet is also a love letter to theater and the power of shared stories. Theater is such a special, ancient space where stage and audience come together, and I hope people walk away reminded of that magic.

I also hope they leave with full hearts; feeling empowered to forge their own story. It’s never too late to take control of your own narrative, to decide who you are, and to shape the life you want to live. If audiences carry that with them, along with joy from the music and the comedy, then we’ve done something really meaningful.

_______________________

& Juliet 

Dates: September 9 – 21, 2025
Location: Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Tickets: Starting at $44.07

Online: scfta.org

The post From UCI to Broadway: Actress Returns to OC with Broadway’s Hottest Musical ‘& Juliet’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

The winner takes it all — and this week, that winner is Orange County.

The feel-good musical phenomenon Mamma Mia! returns to Southern California as part of its 25th Anniversary North American Tour, landing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa May 13–18. 

The sun-soaked musical set in a Greek island paradise, features anthems by the Swedish pop group ABBA. 

For Christine Sherrill, who stars as the show’s beloved matriarch Donna Sheridan, the role is both a diva dream and an endurance challenge.

“Donna is 100% diva because she is modern and real. She’s a 10 on the diva scale,” Sherrill shares. “The ‘Donnathon’ is what we call the 20 minutes of the second act in which I perform three songs and three scenes without leaving the stage. It requires more endurance than Kate and about the same amount of energy and endurance as Norma. Best of all, Donna is fiercely independent and determined.”

Since the musical’s debut in London in 1999 and its Broadway premiere in 2001, Mamma Mia! has become a global hit, with more than 70 million people worldwide experiencing the show live, and over $7 billion grossed across 50 productions in 16 languages. 

The story — told through ABBA’s timeless catalog — has inspired two smash-hit movies and continues to bring generations of fans together for a night of love, laughs, and platform shoes.

“My favorite part is connecting with the audience,” Sherrill says. “There are different parts of Donna that appeal to different audience members. I honor her humor, regret and fortitude and hope I’m in turn honoring someone special in the audience.”

Behind the scenes, the cast has built a tight-knit, celebratory family — something that became especially clear to Sherrill during the tour’s Mother’s Day performance.

“I received so much love from the cast. Flowers, gifts, my favorite coffee and favorite whiskey, of course,” she says. “I felt like a queen receiving so many heartfelt words and cards. I am so supported on and offstage by this incredibly talented company. It wouldn’t be possible to do this job without their love.”

While Sherrill is no stranger to grittier screen roles — including FBI: Most Wanted and Red Dead Redemption — she says musical theater is where her heart lives.

“I’ll say the stage has always been easier for me,” she explains. “The energy the audience gives fuels my performance and sometimes can inform new choices. Audiences make me a better actor.”

And what should Southern California audiences expect when the lights come up on Skopelos Island?

“They can expect to escape the real world for the beauty and joy on the island,” she says. “Best of all, they can expect to be surrounded by their neighbors up on their feet singing and dancing by the end.”

According to Sherrill, there’s no mystery to what makes Mamma Mia! such a feel-good, multi-generational favorite — just a little ABBA magic and a lot of heart.

“First and foremost, the score. It’s been so rewarding on this particular tour to see three generations of women enjoying the show together,” she says. “The secret ABBA ingredient is magic to me. We have patrons who grew up with it, those who listened to it with their parents, and a new generation that discovered it through social media sound bites.

“Secondly, the story of finding strength in friendship. So many folks at the stage door comment on how touching the relationship between The Dynamos is to them and how it reminds them of the goodness friends bring.”

And if Christine Sherrill ever headlined her own jukebox musical?

“It would be called Next to Norma and would be a score by Brandi Carlile,” she says.

Until then, one can find her center stage — belting her heart out and leading one of the most feel-good parties on any stage.

‘MAMMA MIA!‘

Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall

600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626

May 13 – 18, 2025

Tickets start at $55.37

scfta.org

The post ‘Mamma Mia!’ Returns to Costa Mesa with Dancing Queens and ABBA Magic appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Your “Back to School Rant” video continues to be a hit school year after school year. My sister, who is a 4th grade teacher, said it actually helped her receive school supplies and thank you cards from parents.

My sister is a teacher as well, she teaches fifth grade. And so I think it was a culmination of a bunch of things. I’ve seen her spend her own money and parents complain about buying supplies. When I made it, I wasn’t even gonna post it. I said to my girlfriend, ‘Is it that funny? I don’t know if it’s that funny.’ And she thought it was a little funny. We didn’t really think anything of it, but now you see how much all of that apparently needed to be said. Like people, just so we’re clear, you don’t have to teach your own kids, but these nice ladies over here will and could use a little help. Let’s do this. 

How has that hit video changed your life?

It was crazy. I was actually in a conference when it first came out and started going crazy. And then I actually had to come home and go school shopping and it was so weird because I couldn’t find yellow binders anywhere, because I said in there that if teachers want a yellow binder, I was gonna get it. So people bought them all. When I was standing in line, one lady saw me and she was like, ‘You’re the drunk lady from the internet.’ And I was like, ‘Oh wow. Yep. No, I am. I’m that lady.’ We actually ended up going out to Target and buying all the things I talked about in that video. I put all my kids’ teachers’ names into a hat and we picked out winners for each one and brought it to the school. 

How have people connected with you and your family since you started streaming content?

I think the pandemic really changed a lot for us. Pre-pandemic, we were just kind of making some really silly videos and I couldn’t really appreciate how much these videos helped people or connected with people. And when the pandemic hit, all of our touring stopped. So all entertainment stopped, and I just didn’t really have anything left except for Facebook. And we spent the next year and a half really kind of creating this really wonderful community online and our immediate family that was there. So we started making one video a day for the first hundred days of the pandemic. Most of them are funny. Some of them I might have been just openly crying, I don’t remember. 

By summertime, we started doing a morning show. My kids were like sleeping until 11 a.m., and I was up at 6 a.m. like a dumb dumb with nobody to talk to. So I started going live, and in the middle of the pandemic, we might have had 50 or 60,000 people watching every morning. I started to realize how important it was to just be around other people. And there were tons of people watching us who were living alone, so we were just like a voice. And then there were a ton of people that were around their family and just couldn’t stand them anymore and were like, I wanna talk to anybody but them. And so it became this great retreat.  

What does it mean to you to be a headliner at Segerstrom Center for the Arts?

I feel very blessed to be able to do what I’m doing and to have theaters like them believe in this type of entertainment, and believe that entertainment can take on a lot of different forms. Being able to speak about something like motherhood, that in the past maybe has not been so admired for how hard it is, is so great. And the pandemic just made it like we are warriors and we have survived. So to have a theater get behind our show, this is really lovely. 

Want to give a little teaser of what your audience is going to experience?

So this is a play all about motherhood. It’s the story of my journey going from being single with no kids, to being married with three kids in less than five years, and how much life changed. So the whole first part of the show is the changes that happen. The second part of the show is the importance of girlfriends and how they get you through. Like I say in the show, the friends that you make during the beginning part of motherhood are most likely the friends you have for the rest of your life, and how important those relationships are. And I talk all about marriage and how much it changes and how much you wanna kill him and love him at the same time. So it really is my story, and there’s some improv in the show as well. It’s just a fun night. Hopefully when you leave, your face will hurt from laughing. It’s a funny show with some great messages, and a good time all around.

‘One Funny Mother‘

Segerstrom Center the Arts – Samueli Theater

December 18-19; 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: start at $49, available in person and phone

600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

More info: scfta.org or call (714) 556-2787

The post Comic and viral sensation Dena Blizzard brings ‘One Funny Mother’ to Costa Mesa appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Most recognized for originating the role of George Washington in the musical phenomenon “Hamilton,” Jackson will bring live theater and music into the homes of many this weekend for the virtual concert “Christopher Jackson: Live From the West Side.” Proceeds from this event will benefit Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, as well as several performing arts centers and institutions throughout the country.

The one-night-only concert will feature Jackson and his live band performing Broadway show tunes, pop hits, original songs — including a tribute to his idol Harry Belafonte — as well as sharing stories about his adventures in hit musicals “Hamilton,” “In the Heights,” “Freestyle Love Supreme” and his role in the CBS television show “Bull.”

The Tony nominated and Grammy and Emmy Award-winning actor, singer and songwriter says he was “itching to get on stage” and is excited to help performing arts centers and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. 

“The idea that we could actually safely pull this off was obviously very appealing to me. I think we’re all trying to find a lane by which we can get back on stage and share what we do with the public,” said Jackson, “The idea that we were going to be doing it in a way that allows people to stay at home and be safe, but still get a taste of a live experience means so much.” 

The livestream, a co-production of Dallas Summer Musicals and Entertainment Benefits Group, is being shared by a number of non-for-profit arts presenters around the country. The event will take place at New York’s New World Stages, the off-Broadway venue that has housed productions of “Jersey Boys,” “Avenue Q” and many others. 

Ticket holders will also have the opportunity to text questions to Jackson for a real time question-and-answer session. When asked what he wants his home audiences to feel when the concert is over, Jackson said there is a lot, but mainly that people have a great time.

“I want them to say we had a great time. Or that they feel a lot less heavy than they felt when they first sat down. That they want to have another glass of wine and listen to some Stevie Wonder or some ‘In the Heights’ or ‘Hamilton.’ That they are inspired to call someone up and tell them they love them. That they are inspired to tuck their kids in a little bit longer and spend more time with them. That whatever it is in their life that they are loving on or could love on more, that they are inspired to do that.”

The virtual event requires only one ticket per household, and the event is suitable for all ages.

“I think ultimately my hope is that everybody is reminded that it isn’t about some perfect scenario with theater or music or art or anything else, but that art is happening in real time and it only happens when someone is there to receive it, and someone can feel something. There’s always going to be better singers, there’s always going to be slicker productions. There’s always going to be a million other tricks that could be employed, but when you break it all down and simplify it, an artist shares something because they have to. It becomes something as essential as air,” said Jackson.

“And the center of that sharing is love and generosity, and that’s what we’re trying to promote. So, my hope is that everyone has a great time, crack a bottle of wine, have some dinner, and enjoy yourself. We’re going to enjoy ourselves. We just have to.”

Christopher Jackson: Live From The West Side
Presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Tickets for are $40 per household and are available online at the SCFTA.org or by calling (714) 556-2787, Monday – Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

The post ‘Hamilton’ star Chris Jackson brings live show experience to homes for virtual benefit concert appeared first on Backstage Socal.

“The Joshua Show: Episode 2” invites all ages to Segerstrom Center for the Arts this weekend, Feb. 1-2 to experience the happy, whimsical performance.

We chatted with Holden about the inspiration behind spreading joyous messages through puppetry, his favorite puppet, and what it means to him to bring those messages to stages all over the world.

How did you originally get into puppetry?

Accidentally! About 12 years ago I auditioned to understudy Chicago-based master puppeteer, Blaire Thomas, in his new one man show The Selfish Giant produced by The Chicago Children’s Theater. I auditioned because the pay was good and I was out of work, but I never considered that a career in puppetry was even a thing that people did! I booked the job and have spent very little time on stage since then without a puppet on my arm!

What was the process of developing Part 2 of The Joshua Show?

In 2015, we presented The Joshua Show at the Puppets Up! international puppet festival in Canada. The show was so well received that we were asked to make an episode two for their festival the following summer. I was feeling very disheartened by what I was seeing in the news with school shootings, police brutality, and the political climate leading into the election. There was an air of hopelessness in our country and I was swept up in it. Episode 2 is my attempt to inspire those feeling down and out by this often crazy world to stand up and fight for joy.

Will you or are you already creating a third episode?

I imagine a third episode will come out at some point. We are currently workshopping our brand new holiday show, The Joyfully Jolly Jamboree. 

What did it mean to you when your show went on to be an international touring production?

It fills me up more than I can put into words. It has given me the opportunity to see firsthand that no matter how different we may fee from one another, joy is what unites us all. So cheesy, but i’m out there connecting with thousands of people across north america every year and that’s what I’m experiencing. It gives me a lot of hope.

Which puppet character is the most special to you, and why?

My soul mate and right hand man, Mr. Nicholas. He’s my right-hand man — the main puppet character in The Joshua Show. Mr. Nicholas is the balance to the show’s positivity. He allows us, without judgement, to be our worst, most cynical, and pessimistic selves. So often, we’re expected to be happy all the time — to always have a smile on our face. But, the world is hard. It’s full of scary things and hard truths. Bad things happen, and sometimes, nothing really feels fair. Mr. Nicholas gives a voice to that part of our humanity. He makes it a little easier for us to talk about the heavier things that all of us have to think about. And in the end, he’s always the biggest champion for us just being ourselves. With all the joy and love, bumps and bruises, hurt, love, and hope. Mr. Nicholas is so precious to me, and I’m so proud he exists.

What inspires your story and songwriting? Do you have a writing process or do you work by inspiration?

I write my shows for adults; I write my shows for parents to bring their kids to. Audience members at The Joshua Show are never spoken down to and we talk about real emotions and troubles.

The Joshua Show: Episode 2

Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Samueli Theater: 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA

When: 1 p.m. Saturday, February 1; 1 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, February 2

Tickets – $20

More info: scfta.org or call (714) 556-2787

The post Puppet master Joshua Holden chats about the value of spreading joy appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Accompanied by his magician partner Strange, the duo will perform spectacular illusions as part of the international Champions of Magic show. The production presents a world-class lineup of five magicians, mind reader Alex McAleer, levitator Kayla Drescher, and death-defier Fernando Velasco. Their skills have been seen around the world, including appearances on The CW’s “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” NBC’s “Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon,” “The Today Show” and “Access Hollywood Live.”

We caught up with Richard Young before he hits the Costa Mesa stage: 

Do you remember the first magic trick you learned? If so, how old were you and who/what taught you?  

I do! It was the ball and vase trick from a box of tricks I received at Christmas when I was 8 years old. A huge part of why I stuck with it was the fact that my parents played along and pretended to be fooled by my dreadful tricks for the first couple of years before I started to get good.

What influenced or sparked your interest in performing magic? 

Magic changed from a hobby to an obsession for me when I was taken to see David Copperfield when he toured the U.K. in the mid 1990’s. The night I saw his show changed my life forever, his magic connected with an 11-year-old me way in every possible way. That night I found my hero, the hero every 11-year-old boys need in their life. For many, it’s normally a sportsman; for me it was David Copperfield. We are so excited to do our show in Costa Mesa on Nov. 23rd as it’s where Copperfield filmed his Niagara Falls TV Special back in the 90’s (https://youtu.be/fLCAlGLf3WY). For me and the British producer of the show who is also a huge Copperfield fan, we can’t quite believe our magic show which started life in the UK now plays the same rooms Copperfield played in the USA.

Do you have any pre-stage routines to warm up or “get in the zone”? 

Yes, stretches and vocal exercises including pulling very silly faces in the mirror to loosen the facial muscles. I also take a moment to remind myself that my nerves are actually excitement. This was a great tip given to me by my friend the actor Andy Nyman who is currently playing the lead in “Fiddler On the Roof” in the West End of London. By simply telling yourself that you’re not nervous, you’re excited, it can totally change how you feel emotionally and remove anxiety. It’s an amazing tip for any performer who struggles with nerves.

How often do you learn or discover new tricks? And how long does it take to feel confident to incorporate it into your show?  

Our show is constantly evolving, so we are always looking for new material. We have a new illusion going into the show at the moment that has cost over a hundred thousand dollars and has been built in the USA and the UK by some incredible people. New material and the excitement of putting something on a stage for the first time is what we live for; you just know when it feels right to try it in front of an audience for the first time – that feeling comes at a different point with every different piece.

What was the craziest/oddest place you have performed your tricks? 

When I started my career in the UK, I helped make ends meet financially by performing close-up magic at events and parties. I was hired by Europcar car rental to perform in their waiting room at Heathrow Airport in London. It was absolutely dreadful, people hated me. They just want to get the car and leave, not see a card trick!

What trick(s) do you do that you feel gets the most energy from your audience? 

Without question the finale of Champions of Magic but I can’t say too much! We pay tribute to a bygone era of magic in a completely bombastic and over the top way with loads of huge illusions and a ton of pyro. You just have to come and see it! 

What does it mean to you to be performing with the Champions of Magic? 

I’m living my childhood dream, I’m from a council estate in Oxford in the UK; how I have gone from there to playing huge venues in the USA even, I can’t quite comprehend. I feel so lucky and almost every day myself, the other magicians and the producer of this show take a moment to appreciate how incredible it is that we get to do this. If you come to this show, you will meet a cast of performers who absolutely love what they do and appreciate you coming to the show and buying a ticket. We really do give it 100 percent every night, no exceptions. 

What has been your most treasured career moment thus far? 

For the last few years I have had a side project called The Magicians’ Podcast where I have gone and interviewed other magicians about their career. I built it up over 100 episodes and for the big season finale, I finally got to sit down with David Copperfield and talk to him face-to-face about his incredible career and tell him how he changed my life that night I saw him perform in the UK all those years ago. Sitting and talking to him for over two hours was something I will never forget: The Magicians’ Podcast

What do you want people to know about the Champions of Magic show? 

This show is special. If you’ve never been to a magic show before or you have kids who haven’t, it is the perfect first magic show for the Instagram/YouTube generation as you will see every type of magic from five very different magicians. You’re going to see a recreation of Houdini’s famous water torture cell, unexplainable mind reading, stunning close-up magic performed right in the middle of the audience put up on a huge screen so everyone feels like they are inches away and huge state of the art modern stage illusions that fill a 55 foot long truck. The whole show is packaged with loads of pyrotechnics and incredible lighting. The producer of the show went around the world looking for the best magicians and he’s bringing them all to Costa Mesa on Nov. 23rd! Hope to see you there! 

CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC

Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA

Saturday, November 23 at 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.

Tickets – Start at $39

Online – SCFTA.org

Phone – (714) 556-2787

The post Richard Young on what it takes to be one of the ‘Champions of Magic’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

1. She loves rock ‘n’ roll. 

When you performed at the Segerstrom Center a couple of years ago, you performed Radiohead’s “High & Dry” which made me wonder, who are your favorite bands?  

One of my favorites for sure is Steely Dan. Donald Fagan and Walter Becker. Yeah, I have all of their albums, they are my favorite, favorite band. And then beyond that, The Doobie Brothers, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones. I covered “Don’t Take Me Alive” and “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” by Steely Dan, and of course, I like Radiohead too. 

You know, I live in Texas on a ranch and those are two of my favorite driving songs when I’m driving about country roads, I’m singing at the top of my lungs. I’m a rock and roll singer at heart. I’m a child of the ’60s and I really wanted to go to Berkeley to be a part of the whole music scene out there and go to college. And my father was like, ‘No, you will go to TCU (Texas Christian University) and you will like it.’ So I had to do that, but Janice Joplin was from Beaumont, Texas, so I figured I could eventually do that. But my mother of course had aspirations for me to be more like Julie Andrews. So the truth of me lies somewhere between Janice Joplin and Julie Andrews. 

2. She paints and plays the guitar.

Your music tastes are as diverse as your career — singing, acting, writing, dancing. Do you have any hidden talents we might not know about?

I can sketch pretty well. I used to paint and sketch and I fantasize a lot about starting my sketching back up and painting, but I never seem to have the time. But now that I live on this ranch, I come back here in between jobs and I have all these sketchbooks that are unfilled and every now and then, I’ll get the urge and grab my charcoal pencils and sketch one of my animal’s faces or something. I don’t do it on a regular basis and I really should because it was one of my great loves. 

The other real aspiration of mine is to learn to play the guitar, which I’ve dibble dabbled in because I had to play the guitar in the musical “Promises, Promises” when I was 22 years old. So I took guitar lessons to learn how to play and I could play rudimentarily, but the guitar player in the orchestra pit filled it in and made it sound like I was really playing. And then for a while I got to work with a brilliant record producer and guitar player, Stuart Scharf, who produced “Spanky & Our Gang” and produced a recording for Roberta Flack, and he became my guitar teacher for a brief period of my life. And I got this beautiful guitar I was learning to play. I would go to him for lessons and he would get really mad at me because I hadn’t practiced enough. And he was like, ‘I want you to come with coffee spilled on your music sheet so that I know that you’re really practicing it.’ One day I went in and I actually had a glimpse that I could play when he was playing with me. We were compiling a blues thing and I was so excited I was actually playing the guitar and creating music, and I composed this piece of music called ‘If I Remember You Right,’ with chords that I’d selected with my guitar, which took me hours because I had such rudimentary skills (laughs). And it came out really nicely and he was very impressed with that so he kept me on as his student. I kept going back to my guitar class and one day he was like, ‘You haven’t practiced.’ And so he fired me! I was humiliated. I was fired by Stuart Scharf as a guitar student (laughs). But that beautiful guitar sits in my home, and I keep thinking one of these days I’m going to learn to play it again. 

3. She enjoys good TV.

Do you have any Netflix or television shows that you’re currently bingeing? 

I just finished bingeing “The Politician,” which I thought was great. And “Schitt’s Creek,” my new favorite. Unbelievable. It’s the best, I can’t wait for season six. Those two have been my latest favorites. 

4. She has “staircase karma.”

What was the most difficult numbers you have had to perform? 

Oh, wow. I think the levels of difficulty are kind of relative to where you’re at at that moment in time. Most recently though, learning to do the “Hello Dolly” number because it had all the things that challenged me most. I have staircase karma. The stairs in “Sunset Boulevard”, I ran up and down in high heels and heavy beaded gowns, probably 12 times a night in eight shows a week for two years, a year in London and a year on Broadway, which compromised my knees. I still have a lot of knee pain from that. And then I did the show “Grey Gardens” and Michael Wilson directed it and I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? There’s a staircase.’ And he was like, ‘Yeah.’ And I was like, ‘I had my karma with staircases.’ And then ‘Hello Dolly’ has the staircase. They took me to the Shubert during rehearsals right before the show closed in New York, so I could walk the stairs and get used to them before it went out on tour. I was like, damn, these staircases, what is that about? 

5.  She meditates before every show.

Do you have any pre-show superstitions or routines? 

I have a whole set of rituals I go through before every performance, whether it’s in a show or shooting a film or doing a concert, it’s all pretty specific. For “Hello Dolly,” my day was always get up, have breakfast, read the paper, answer whatever emails I have, and then go work out, take a shower, eat an early supper, meditate and then go to work. And then at the show, I would put on my makeup, my costume, and then do this little pre-show ritual with my assistant, my wig dresser, and my dresser. And then they leave me alone in the dressing room. Then I’d get the five minute call, and I would do this little ritual where I read the key words of things that’s been told to me about the character. And then things I discovered about the character, about where she’s at and what she’s thinking. And then I do my little meditative ritual after reading those key words and prayer. And then I’d go and sit backstage or in my quick change booth and meditate until it was time to get on the cart to go on for the opening. 

6. She is living her lifelong dream of owning cutting horses on a ranch in Texas. 

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grow up? 

Well, first I wanted to be the world champion barrel racer and that didn’t work out. So then I wanted to be successful in show business so I could have a ranch and ride and own cutting horses. And I forgot that that was my goal. And then after 9/11, I remembered that. Beyond the grief that we all felt as the world changed after 9/11, was the sense of, ‘Oh my God, none of us know how much time we have left now.’ What was it I wanted to do? So I went on this quest to find my first cutting horse and I connected with one of the top trainers in the sport, a man named Bill Freeman, who at that point had won more money than anyone in the sport and had trained some of the most remarkable horses in the business of cutting. And he said I wasn’t too old at 55 to learn to do that because I had ridden as a child; I had a barrel racing horse and competed in junior horse shows and junior rodeos and stuff. So he took me on as a student and I was commuting from New York to take lessons with him and try different horses. And then within a period of months, he found my first cutting horse, who was a brilliant champion horse named Purple Badger. So I bought that horse and continued for a while to commute from New York and stay at my mother’s and then drive to the trainer’s ranch and ride my horse.

And then I started traveling with him and his wife to cutting horse competitions all over the country. It was so much fun. I did that for about six years with him, and it was amazing. I had my horse for three years and they were really blissful. And then as soon as I got my horse, I realized that I needed to live where my horse sleeps. So I sold my New York apartment and bought this lovely ranch an hour west of Fort Worth. I used to ride my horse around my property and say never was a horse so well loved as you Badger. I bought this property for you. I live in that house and I built this barn for you and I built these fences and these pastures for you. 

My friendship with him caused me to change my life and it’s given my life a lot of meaning to have this beautiful place. He passed away three years after I got him from an anomaly, like a brain aneurysm. He was very young, eight years old. It shouldn’t have happened, but it did. And that was a huge loss. But I had two other cutting horses and it’s been a great thing. I used to just practice, practice, practice, study, study, study, practice, practice and work. And now the work is to provide me with this life.

7. Her Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in A Musical (“Cats”) sits on her piano at home.  

Where is your Tony award at this moment? 

Currently I have a little black upright Steinway piano that’s so beautiful. I’ve been hauling it all over the world from apartment to apartment. I had a pianist friend go with me to these various piano stores and play these little upright pianos for me and Steinway had this beautiful little black ebony upright that has the sweetest voice. So I bought it and it’s been going with me from apartment to apartment in New York, and finally sits in my music room at my ranch, and my Tony sits on top of it.

8. She struggles with insecurities, and her heavy-handed father did not approve of her going into show business. 

What advice would you give to 20-year-old Betty? 

Oh, poor, poor young Betty. Well, 20-year-old Betty was in college and having a grand ol’ time. I guess it’s the 22-year-old Betty who was living in London all alone. It was my first time being alone and I was a leading lady in “Promises, Promises,” and I was very, very lonely. I was learning how to take care of myself, which I had no real skills to do. So learning to be on my own, take care of myself, cook for myself, and pretty much all I did was try to figure all that stuff out and then go do my show at night. So that was a real growth period. I was pretty lonely and really insecure for a long, long time in my 20s. It took me a long time to grow up, and I was really conflicted as a kid because my father didn’t want me to be in show business. He was a pretty ruthless dad, a tough guy; which in the end really prepared me for a lot of weird guys in show business, in terms of producers and stuff that can be ruthless. In my heart of hearts, I’m like, “I’m not scared of you. I had my father who was was tougher than any of you guys know how to be; so if I can survive him, I can survive you.” That’s been basically a kind of mantra. 

So it was good that he was my dad in some ways, but it was also difficult. I’ve spent a lot of years in analysis, getting a sense of self and giving myself permission to be who I am and to develop and choose my talent and choose my chosen path without the fear, insecurity and self-doubt. Even at my age of 72, I can still, in a certain set of circumstances, be thrown back into my own insecurities and self-doubt. So it’s kind of a perpetual thing I have to work on. And fortunately I have a brilliant psychologist that I work with. So I would tell young Betty not to be so scared. And I would also encourage her to pick better boyfriends; the ones I picked, wow, I didn’t do too good in that department. 

9. She seeks to inspire joy in the world, so she is picky with her TV & film roles.

So, what’s next for Betty Buckley? 

Well, I’ve got these lovely concerts at the Segerstrom Center and The Saban in LA coming up. There’s also a new set of concerts coming up that’s going to be announced pretty soon that I’m really excited about in New York, and then I’ve got a two week engagement at The Carlyle in New York in March. Fortunately, several projects have crossed my path since ‘Dolly’ was done. I’ve been offered several film and TV things. I haven’t come across the thing I want to do next, so I turned those down, which took some courage. When you’re an actor between jobs, you’re like, ‘God, I hope they’ll remember I’m still here.’ 

Fortunately all those offers came and it was like a very nice vote of confidence, but none of them were something I wanted. I think the world is in a really difficult place right now and it’s really important to bring messages of hope and truth and joy to the world. Like “Hello Dolly” was a complete immersive experience of joy and hope. And some of these projects, I turned down because they’re without hope and truth. So I’m looking for that thing. Well, I’m not exactly looking, I’m on the lookout for it. I hope that kind of project comes to me where I can really help people to feel better. That’s what I’m doing in the concert work that’s coming up.

BETTY BUCKLEY

Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Samueli Theater

• Oct. 17 – 19, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
• 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA
• Tickets – Start at $89
• (714) 556-2787; scfta.org

The Saban Theater – The Canyon

• Nov. 2, 2019 at 6 p.m.
• 8440 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills
• Tickets — Start at $58
• wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com

The post 9 fun, inspiring stories from Broadway queen Betty Buckley appeared first on Backstage Socal.

In one of the most iconic roles on Broadway, actress Emma Grimsley will step into the shoes of “Christine Daae,” the female protagonist of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel and theatrical phenomenon “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Grimsley has performed as ‘Princess’ and as an understudy for Christine on tour, but was recently announced as the North American tour’s new lead — taking on the role in several performances during the tour’s stop at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa (July 10-21) before taking over officially for the Honolulu stop in August.

The tour will return to Orange County for a two-week stop. Before she graces the Segerstrom Hall stage, Grimsley chatted with Backstage SoCal:

How long have you been involved in theater, and what inspired you to get into this industry?

Grimsley: My parents are both opera singers, so I grew up traveling with them and watching them work. Sometimes I was lucky enough to get to be in shows with them–the first one at three years old. So I’ve been on stage most of my life. Getting to watch shows take shape as a kid and falling in love with the theater from such a young age made it pretty impossible to avoid as I got older. 

What does it mean to you to perform this iconic theater show?

Grimsley: We’re in a cultural moment right now that is so dominated by screens and text and binge-watching content which can all be really isolating activities–it really is a thrill to bring a whole theater full of strangers on this story’s journey together. To spend the evening forgetting our devices and experiencing something with each other in real time. And the fact that Phantom is such an iconic show just adds to that thrill because we know that there are people in the audience who’ve loved this show for thirty years. Maybe they saw it with their parents years ago, and now they’re passing it down to their kids. It’s pretty cool to be part of a legacy like that.

In what ways is this tour run of “Phantom of the Opera” production unique from other productions?  

Grimsley: The production on Broadway right now has stayed the same since it opened in the Eighties, whereas our production incorporates new sets and a new approach to the characters while preserving the music and story and costumes you know and love.

What are some exciting elements about this theatrical production? (set, choreography, costumes, etc.)

Grimsley: We’re particularly proud of our set. It’s quite a thing to behold with lots of tricks hidden up its sleeves. Paul Brown designed our set to really capture what it would feel like to go backstage in a 19th century opera house where much of the story is set. And the iconic costumes were designed by Maria Bjornson and have been a part of Phantom from the very beginning. And keep an eye out for our chandelier. It’s massive and beautiful and it comes with us to every city.

Are there any changes or updates to the original story?

Grimsley: The story and the music are the same, though Laurence Connor directed our production to focus on who each of these characters are as individual people. So you may walk away thinking about Christine’s journey from the beginning of the show to the end of the show or how the Phantom became the Phantom and how that impacts the way he interacts with the people in his world. 

What is your favorite scene in the musical?

Grimsley: I love “Masquerade” at the beginning of Act II. Act I is a roller coaster, and when you come back from intermission, “Masquerade” throws you right back into the action. It’s big and colorful and shows off all the elements of our production that make it so exciting. 

What part of the musical do you feel generates the most excitement from the audience?  

Grimsley: There are so many, and it changes from city to city–from audience to audience, really. But the way we use pyrotechnics is definitely something nobody in the audience forgets.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know?

Grimsley: This is the second time The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour has come through Costa Mesa, and we cannot wait to share this story with you again!

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

When: July 10 – 21. Tuesday – Friday at 7:30 p.m. (Thursday July 11 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.); Saturday at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. The 2:00 p.m. performance on Saturday, July 20, 2019 will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.

How much: Start at $35.75

Phone: (714) 556-2787

Online: SCFTA.org

The post Q&A: Broadway’s ‘Phantom of the Opera’ lead actress Emma Grimsley appeared first on Backstage Socal.