--Hello it's Caitlin Kinnunen. I play Emma Nolan in The
Prom musical and you are watching my Broadway.com vlog, Dance with Me. Thank
you for tuning in this week. This week, I'm answering questions. I've got some
questions for me, I've got some questions for the cast. I'm gonna put my makeup on
and answer them. So here we go.
What things do you have in common with Emma?
Mm-hmm, um, I'd say my awkwardness and my
self-consciousness. I don't know. We're both trying to do our best and yeah,
so I think that part of me I have in common with Emma. And standing up for
what we think is right. I think I do that in life, and she definitely does that.
Next question: How do you keep all the laughs in on stage with when working
with such funny people? Whew, it is incredibly difficult.
Brooks Ashmanskas is maybe the funniest person alive, and I have a lot
of scenes with him on stage. And I break all the time with him
in our scenes, and it just is me going on stage.
So, I'd say I I don't keep the laughs in on stage. It's very unprofessional of
me. You just gotta try your best to keep it together cuz it is hard! He's
so funny. He's a funniest person. The next question. What's your favorite song in
the show that you don't sing? Ooh, The Lady's Improving. I think that's like the
best like power song ever and Beth sings it so well. It's unbelievable. She's so
good, and that song is so good. Matt Sklar did a good job with that one. How
do you handle the pressure of not only being the lead role, but also portraying
a character who is such a role model to LGBTQ plus youth?
Oh gosh. It is a lot of pressure and I just try
to do my best. I take it a day at a time. I try to listen to people and listen to
their stories, and then I try to bring them on stage with me. And it's really
hard, but I think this story is important and Emma's views on life are important.
She's a real person. She is dealing with real issues that real people face, and so
I just try to bring light to that, and I take it, as I said before, as a huge
responsibility. So yeah. If you could be any character on Broadway, who would it
be? Ongoing shows only.
--Christine Daae. I would never ever be actually able to play her
because I cannot sing that high. high. But, Oh, I love that role and I want
to play it in life.
One day, maybe if I ever become a soprano. Ooh!
Okay, yeah.
--Christopher Sieber!
--Hi everyone
--We have some direct questions. --Direct to me.
--What was it like going from roles like Farquaad to roles like this?
--It was really nice because I play
like a normal
human being where I don't have to wear wigs. I don't have to be on my knees. And
I all I have to wear is is my hair, which you don't want to see right now cuz it's
under a hat. But look at my hat it says The Prom! Mm-hmm yes you should see
the show.
--All right. If you could play one role that the others have played, which role would it be?
--Like the other principals? --Yeah.
--Yeah, like something Beth played, or something Brooks played.
--Oh! It would be
her in The Drowsy Chaperone! --Oh!
--I would love to sing When you stumble along... life's funny journey
--You should. --I would love that. Or Man in
Chair, Bob Martin's role.
But, he's technically, yeah. I would I'd like Man in Chair
--Okay. -- I think I'd be good at that.
--Ready for your next question? --Yes!
--When did you first start performing in musicals?
And what was the first production you everperformed in?
--I did I believe it was second grade, and I played
it was the Christmas pageant in my elementary
school. And I played a character named
Colonel Cuddly.
And he was a Colonel, and he was cuddly.
And he was in the Christmas show that we did in the
gymnasium of our elementary school. And I had a uniform on. And my mom made a pipe
out of a measuring cup and a sharpie marker, so at the end of the show, I had
like a little black mark on my lip cause the cap came off.
Thanks Christopher! --You're welcome! Have a good time! Bye!
--What show slash performance inspired you the most as a youth?
Me? --Yeah you
--Sorry! Um, Cats.
--Yes Cats! --Is the first one I saw. Five years old.
Cats, man. That was the one. I know that's not a popular answer.
--You know that's fine. I said Aretha Franklin so...
--Shelby Finnie! Chat Roulette. It's not Chatroulette, that's an old thing. It's Question Roulette.
--Why did you decide to be an artist?
You know what? I don't think I decided. It just happened.
It's the only thing that I can be. -- I love that. I think that kind of is
--I love that. I think that is
what happened to a lot of us. It's like it's this weird calling you get.
--I was on stage at four years old. I just never left so...
--Yay!
--You don't choose it. It chooses you! --Yeah, Mary.
--Okay Becca Lee's turn.
--Hi! Oh! Okay.
--I made it really hard for them.
-- Okay if you could write a musical and or a play, what would it be
about?
Cats.
[laughs]
--That's two good answers for the group!
--We found Brooks Ashmanskas.
--Hi. [coughs]
--All right. So,
So, first question. When did you first start performing in musicals and what
was the first production you ever performed in?
--I did something in first grade
that was like a catepillar dance. And I
can't remember what. It was sort of Alice in Wonderland thing. Like the first
thing I did was probably, in high school, I did Barnum.
--Oh alright. If you could
play one role that the others have played, which role would it be, as far as
like Brooks, Chris, Beth. --In any show?
--In any show. Anything they've played. Except yourself cuz you know. --Right.
I'd like to take a swing at, literally take a swing at Angie.
No, I think I might do Angie in The Prom.
I would play Angie in The Prom.
--I would play great money to see that.
And finally, what is your favorite
pre-show snack?
--Now I'm having because this is rare.
I'm having a sweet thing that's not my cookie.
I'm more of a bacon egg and cheese guy, and it doesn't matter
morning or noon or night.
And right at the deli on the corner. It's really really good.
-- Thanks Brooks! --Bye, girl!
--This is Beth Leavel. First of all, we're gonna take a moment and look at her killer
outfit. Those shoes, that skirt. --Thank you. Thank you.
--Oh, she's the best and we have questions for her!
---- I'm listening. I'm sitting
--That's okay. Just elegance.
--If you could meet your character in real life, what would you say to them?
--Oh, I'm not sure. I'm hoping that I'd be a big fan
of her work, so I would just ask her questions about her career and stuff,
because she's not...She's not, she's not the nicest person as she starts out.
She's a bit of a narcissist. I would, I don't know, maybe ask her something
about her career. And then I would like to get to know her at the end of the
show.
--Okay, all right. If you could play one
role that the others have played, which role would it be?
--Oh, you mean in this, in
The Prom? -- Yes
--If I could play another role it would be it would be Barry Glickman.
We would name her Barbara Glickman.
--Barbara Glickman!
--I'm just thinking that maybe. -- I
like that a lot. I'd take that. Let's do that. --Barbara
Glickman. --I'm gonna suggest that we just do kind
of a gender thing, and then Brooks could play Deedee, and it would be like Daniel Allen.
--Oh my god. --Not
a bad idea.
--Producers are you listening?
--Mmhmm --When
did you first start performing in musicals, and what was the first
production you ever performed in?
--It was my senior year in high school which was
really late, and I did Bonnie Jean in the musical Brigadoon.
-- I love that.
That was one of my first musicals too.
--So beautiful! Oh, I loved it.
Changed my life! --All right. We're gonna get
you one more question.
--She's so good.
She's so good!
--Final question for Miss Beth Leavel: Advice for a high schooler
who wants to pursue musical theater?
--Hmm. One of the best pieces of advice I got was
someone reminded me that you are singular. There's no one else, no one else
like you. And that gave me permission not to imitate, but just to, and I'm still
doing it, discover who I am as an artist. Because I am a singular artist, and just
learn your craft and love your singularity. No one like you --That's amazing.
Yes, thank you
Beth! --You're welcome.
--All right. We have Angie Schworer.
--Hello. --Here. All right.
First question. If you could play one role that the others have played, which
role would it be? Okay, I know it's not supposed to be in The Prom, but I think
it would have to be Park and Barker Beth Leavel.
--Good choice! --I mean now that's
saying if I could --Come on!
--But I can't. --Yes you can.
--But, if it's a dream role. --That works because when people ask
me what role I would want to play in the show, I say Angie! I couldn't play Angie.
--I could never do that! --So badly
--I'm not a park and barker,
so I think like in my next life, that's what
I would like to be. --All right.
--Beth Leavel. --AH!
--Brava! --Beth Leavel
--Alright. When did you first start performing in musicals and
what was the first production you ever performed in?
--Okay. So, the first
production I ever performed in was in high school and it was Alice in
Wonderland and I was a bird. I had two lines. I don't remember what they are. I
really wasn't into theatre. I was a cheerleader. But then my first role was
Kiss Me Kate, Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate, in college. --Oh my gosh
--And I'm not gonna tell you
what year it was.
--Fun fact, I also did Alice in Wonderland and I played the Turtle
and I sang Beautiful soup, so rich and green, waiting in a hot tureen. I remember
those lyrics and I was 13. --What's the most important message you want people
to take away from The Prom.
--I would say that this, this story is letting our
youth know that we aren't they have a safe we're creating a safe place, a safe
world for them to be who they are. --Yes!
--Beth. -- I message,
there's many messages, but very close. Sorry, I'm doing eyelashes. There's many
messages. One is that a you should come see this fabulous original musical
because it's one of the funniest things ever written, and the dancing is amazing,
and the music is spectacular, and it's just a fabulous story about love,
listening and tolerance wrapped up in, like I said, one of the most special
original musicals I have ever been a part of. It's a privilege. We're here for
you.
--What's the most important message you
want people to take away from The Prom?
--[laughs]
Try not to judge other people,
and accept them for who they are.
--I like it.
--Um, just love people and realize that
people are put in your world for a reason,
and you're supposed to learn something from everybody. And open your hearts and
love each other. Treat everybody with kindness. --Yes, mom!
--Boom!
[laughs] --Okay everybody. We
did it! That's another week in the can! Isn't that what film people say? I don't know.
Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of Dance with Me. I hope you
enjoyed it. I hope you learned something about our cast. And be sure to tune in next week.
Mwah hahaha!
I don't know why I did that! Okay, bye!
--["Dance with You" from The Prom]