Pretty Woman the musical is based on one of
Hollywood's most iconic romantic stories.
It tells the story of an escort
and a wealthy businessman who,
over the course of working together,
find true love.
Well now the musical is here in San
Diego here with us today is Olivia Valley,
who plays the leading woman, Vivian Ward.
Thank you so much, Olivia,
for joining us here on the forum.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited to be here.
Glad to have you here in town
along with the production.
I know you've been doing
this for almost a year now,
but how's the show been
going here in San Diego so
far? Well, we're actually
right now in Tucson,
AZ we head to San Diego on Monday.
I've been with Sandy. I've been.
I've performed in San Diego before
with Wicked and I remember just
audiences going wild and so I'm very
excited to get back to a town that
is very appreciative of theater. Oh,
we can't wait to have you here. So, OK,
I read though Olivia that you actually.
Auditioned for a different role
and then you were brought back
to audition for the lead role.
So what was that moment like
for you when they're suddenly
throwing the Vivian script at you?
It was wild. I mean,
I initially auditioned for Kit DeLuca.
And so it was crazy for me because I never
expected to be considered for Vivian,
let alone any Julia Roberts part.
And so I just said I'm ready to do good work.
I'm ready to knock this out of
the park and luckily they liked a
little bit of what I called jersey.
Word, it's a little bit of
New Jersey and Vivian Ward.
Well, Speaking of Jersey,
you've also been with Jersey Boys,
but help me understand this.
Is it true that you have a real
life relation to the character that
you were cast for in Jersey Boys?
Yeah, so Frankie valli's,
my grandpa and Mary Delgado is my
grandma so I am the only person in
theater history to have played a
direct relative of somebody on stage.
That's amazing.
OK so you are playing.
Your real life grandma on stage.
What was it like to tell your relatives
this is who I've just been cast as
it was insane.
I mean, I had been auditioning
for Jersey Boys for six years,
and so to finally get it was just
the opportunity of a lifetime.
And I had been auditioning for my
Aunt Francine, and so this was my
first time auditioning for my Nana,
and it just all felt so surreal.
But the ultimate way to
honor my family's legacy,
Oh my gosh, six years of auditioning
when you had the last name.
And they made you made that long.
It goes to show, though,
that you were hired based
on your incredible talent.
What was it like to step into
this role as Vivian for you?
I mean, the costume changes.
The character really morphs
throughout the whole show.
It was,
it was hard in a good way, you know.
It was my first time leading a show,
so I'm figuring out and I figured
out how to be a leading lady.
You know, naturally you're going to fall
under the Julia Robert comparisons,
but Vivian, our Vivian is a more
elevated take because it's a Music
Hall and it's a Jerry Mitchell musical.
And for those who don't know, he has
done ***** boots Hairspray on your feet.
Catch me if you can.
So like he's known for big full out
productions and so my character is big
and full out and you know, if you want to.
Exactly Julia Roberts.
That's more than fine,
but go home and see the movie.
I got it. Olivia valley.
We are flat at a time here,
but one final quick question.
What is the strangest thing I
would find in your dressing room?
2. I have lots of lays potato chips
because that's what I eat in between
shows because it helps keep my vocal
cords nice and oiled up for the show.
I'm gonna use that excuse too when
you see me walking down the hallway
here with a bag of potato chips,
Olivia Valley, Vivian Ward and
the brand new Pretty Woman.
The musical starting here in San Diego on
Monday and runs all the way through the 31st.
We'll see you in town,
but thank you, Olivia, thank you.