Backstage a production of CABARET with THIS Kit Kat Girl!
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SHOW, CAN WE TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW YORK ACCENT.
Yeah.
CABARET TAKES PLACE IN BERLIN.
Yeah.
HOW DOES THAT WORK IN THE SHOW?
Well, honestly I was interested in creating a character from Europe and I was leaning towards Italy because all the other Kit Kat Girls were from Germany, Russia, France etc... but before I even had a chance to go in that direction our Director told me he wanted to incorporate my being from New York into the show. I did some research and at that time - 1929 - the atmosphere in NEW YORK was not a happy one - the Stock Market had crashed in October and so it wasn't a stretch to think that a sassy broad from New York would move to Berlin to try to make a better life for herself.
I am a Native New Yorker. Born and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I have an accent. But not all my characters have to be from New York. I am an actress. I act because I LOVE to create characters. Physically I appear ethnically ambiguous. I have played characters that are Native American, Italian, African American, Israeli, Brazilian - the list goes on and I learned how to create other accents so that these characters can live.
DOES YOUR ACCENT COME UP A LOT?
Yeah. Though it's only in Los Angeles where I'm sometimes taken aback by the reaction to my accent. Some people are almost shocked to hear my accent and will say "Oh, you still have your accent" and I wonder if they would say the same to someone from England, Australia or Spain? I dunno, I personally find it rude. I love going back home and hearing all the different accents while I'm on the train or sitting in a restaurant.
OKAY, SO, HOW DID YOU GET CAST IN THIS PRODUCTION OF CABARET?
It all started when I saw a breakdown for "CABARET". The breakdown just gave me a sense that this was not going to be your "run of the mill production"... it was casting THREE EMCEES, everyone had to be a triple threat - I forgot the rest of the specifics but I don't know... it just spoke to me and piqued my interest.SO, YOU SUBMITTED AND GOT THE AUDITION. HOW DID YOU PREPARE?
I had to prepare a song (64 bars) and I knew there was a dance audition as well. This, now mind you, this audition was my first real "OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL" singing audition. I have done some singing before but never had gone on a singing audition. I've been a Dancer and Actress most of my life. I hadn't been on a "Dance Audition" in years but I've kept myself in shape and felt confident enough about my dancing not to worry about it. I placed all my focus on my singing.
AUDITION DAY... WERE THERE ANY NERVES?
AH... hell's yeah. I almost didn't go. I had to call my best friend for support. In the end, of course I did go. I sang my song and danced the afternoon away and just had such a good time... didn't even think about booking it, I just enjoyed the audition had a ball and that was totally enough for me.
HOW DID IT FEEL TO FIND OUT THAT YOU BOOKED IT?
When I found out I booked it I was so beyond over the moon, cause like I said... this was my first real "OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL" singing audition so to book it was amazing to me. After finding out I booked it I had a thought about using my blog and write about the production and my experience during the whole rehearsal process but I was too exhausted to even think about BLOGGING! So, here I am in the 3rd week of the run of the show, just looking back on the whole experience with a big smile on my face.
HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE TO REHEARSE FOR THE SHOW?
We had an incredible rehearsal process - 9 weeks to be exact. I've been a dancer for most of my life and enjoyed working with some phenomenal choreographers and working with Melissa White, our Choreographer, was such an amazing treat. Honestly, I was not expecting there to be as much "DANCING" in this show because from watching all the other productions of CABARET the choreography is usually pretty minimal but man Melissa stepped it up a notch (no pun intended).
Us Kit Kat Girls started rehearsing two weeks before anyone else and thank goodness - we used every second of it and then rehearsed together on our own time as well... the dedication of everyone involved has been so inspiring.
ANY PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY?
EVERY SHOW HAS ITS own unique set of HICCUPS... and this show was no different. What got us through it all is... the cast is such an amazing group of people, seriously, we all pulled together and just made it work.
Hiccup: The Musical Director quit the second day, this lead to us not having rehearsal tracks to work with and we had to work with the music from the "REVIVAL" which was fine except that the tempo on those tracks were way tooo fast to dance and sing to at the same time... oy vey....
Hiccup: One of the Kit-kat Girls was just not working out and then two other cast mates had family emergencies and our Director had to recast the parts a few weeks before we opened....
Hiccup: Costumes were a bit of a headache and so a lot of the cast provided their own wardrobe. Which I love. I started out in the Fashion Industry, went to the FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and learned a lot about costuming and wardrobe. I use all that I learned to help create my characters whether its for an audition, show etc. In this show it's extremely fun because I adore the era - The 1920's were so chic...
Hiccup: Our set!!!! Okay, so Tech week always has it's set of problems. This show has a huge metal turntable of a set piece that takes up about 80 percent of the stage... it looks so cool now but man to get it where it is took a lot of work. People had to learn to weld to make it... we had to choreograph the set changes and re-block dances... phew....
AND HOW'S THE RUN OF THE SHOW GOING?
I am seriously having so much fun in this show and with Mark Kaplan's (our director) vision the audience each night are enjoying it as well - as we tell the real story of CABARET... through the fun, amusing songs and dances - the love story's - all set amid the uprising of NAZISM in Berlin, Germany 1930.
AND THE RESPONSE TO THE SHOW?
Our reviews have been great, especially on Goldstar because those are from the audience members. I'm taken aback each night by the audiences response - one audience member came up to me after one of the shows and said, "This show belongs on a bigger stage... like the Taper... this is better than most of the show's I've seen there..."
CAN YOU SUM UP THIS EXPERIENCE?
This show has taught me so much about myself and that the only limits I have are the one's I put on myself. The show also brought me back to my first love... dance. I'm so thankful to be dancing on stage again. I'm enjoying getting back into dance classes as well - dance has always been a part of me and honestly I had let it go to focus on my acting and I'm enjoying bringing it back into my life. And I am so inspired by my fellow cast mates. I know I've made some life long friends with this cast - I'm blown away by everyone's talent and the ability to leave their heart, sweat and tears on the stage each night.
If you want to see some of DAWNMARIE'S work in film CLICK HERE
If you're in the LA Area and want to check out the show:
"CABARET"
May 13th - June 18th 2011
Fri and Sat @ 8
Sunday @ 2pm
at the REPERTORY EAST PLAYHOUSE.
www.repeastplayhouse.org
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