Eily Skinner Center Stage Dance and Performing Arts
"Hi! Is this Emily Skinner?"
"Aye, information technology is!," responds a vivid, animated voice on the other stop of the line.
Most musical theatre mavens, including this i, know Ms. Skinner from her break-out role in the 1997 musical Side Show, for which she received a Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award nomination, alongside Alice Ripley who played her conjoined twin sister. From there, she went on to star in several notable Broadway shows, including James Joyce's The Dead, The Full Monty and Dinner at Eight, every bit well as a slew of leading roles in high-contour regional theatres. She'south also featured on many recordings, including her self-titled solo album.
And now, she'southward starring in the Chicago product of Billy Elliot the Musical as Mrs. Wilkinson, the down-on-her-luck ballet teacher who recognizes and nurtures Billy'southward raw talent.
Skinner, who is currently deep in technical rehearsals (the prove begins previews in a trivial under a calendar week), graciously took fourth dimension yesterday during her dinner break to speak with me well-nigh her part in the prove, the rehearsal procedure and her diverse career.
"This is probably the most technical rehearsal process I've ever been in," Skinner remarks with a express mirth – which says a lot when looking at her all-encompassing resume. She explains that while most shows accept around four weeks to become upwards off the ground, Billy Elliot has taken nine weeks. "At that place are 4 rotating Billys [J.P. Viernes, Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio and Cesar Corrales], and we rehearse separately with each of them. And during technical rehearsal, we tech each scene four times."
While the rehearsal process has been intensive, Skinner notes that the overall experience has been a joy. "Working with these young men who play Billy is and then inspiring!," she says. "They accept a lot to take on — I think all of them, except for Tommy who played the function on Broadway, had but a trip the light fantastic toe groundwork coming into rehearsal, so they each have to learn a whole new skill set up [acting and singing, besides mastering a northern Newcastle dialect]. And they're all actually doing a wonderful job – I'm but in awe!"
Skinner's own experience with the testify stems back a few years, as she auditioned for the role of Mrs. Wilkinson when the show'south Broadway production was in development, which eventually led to her interest in this Chicago engagement. And, as any good actress, she has her ain take: "It'southward interesting — I think I'yard the youngest person to play this role, and I think that, in itself, colors things a bit differently," she explains. "I'm trying to find the fun and the joy in Mrs. Wilkinson – and I'm also attempting to play her as someone who had a bit of a dance career in her 24-hour interval. When the show starts, she's a fleck close down emotionally, and then Billy enters her world and inspires and transforms her. Information technology'southward a dandy role."
And non simply is a great role, it's a great show, Skinner, a cocky-confessed "musical snob," maintains: "The aforementioned team, managing director Stephen Daldry, book author Lee Hall and choreographer Peter Darling, who created the moving picture are involved in the musical, and they've completely reimagined the story for the stage — which is phenomenal." She also compares Billy Elliot to The Total Monty — another successful movie-turned-stage musical. "When I did that bear witness in New York, I was just amazed at how perfectly they adapted it to the stage. It's a hard thing to go right, and I think, in both cases, they succeeded wonderfully."
And and then there's the Sir Elton John factor. "This is his very best musical score," Skinner, who has yet to meet the iconic English vocaliser-songwriter, says. "His work in this bear witness manages to bridge many music genres — which is pretty boggling. Broadway tunes, Iggy Pop-inspired tunes, northern England folk songs — it's all at that place."
However, if you're a fan of Skinner's large, belty voice, don't expect whatever showstoppers from her in this show. "This is much more of an interim challenge than a sing-and-dance-my-face-off kind of function. This show is Billy's; we are there to support his story."
Naturally, I couldn't speak with Skinner without asking her most those larger-than-life roles she's played over the course of her career – from the loopy Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd to the awkward Agnes Gooch in Mame (at the Kennedy Middle contrary Christine Baranski in the title function), to the brawny Mae West in Dirty Blonde. What have all these roles taught her? "I call up it's confirmed something I've known innately for years: I love musicals that are like plays that are sung. It'due south a challenge, and those roles all offered something unique and fun."
I as well had a dig a bit deeper into her experience in Sweeney Todd – my favorite musical. The production, which ran for only a week at the Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma, reunited Skinner with her Side Show costar, Jeff McCarthy, who played Sweeney. "Oh, it was a wonderful time! It was the outset time exploring these roles for both Jeff and myself, and then it was fun that we go to do that together. And we had so little time to learn that score! I mean, I had to learn the role of Mrs. Lovett so fast, I think at present I'm prepared for anything – bring it on!"
And she'll be "brining it" to her new part in Baton Elliot for a year — that'due south how long she's contracted with the show. Which gives her plenty of time to explore Chicago — a town she loves. "I'm thrilled to be here! Really, Chicago is my favorite town — and I tin can't look to start performances so I take time to explore the neighborhoods. Only commencement I have to figure out that El system!"
Emily Skinner (center) and the cast of "Baton Elliot."
You tin catch Emily Skinner in 'Billy Elliot the Musical' at the Oriental Theatre. Performances begin March 18. For more data, visit BroadwayinChicago.com.
Source: https://chitheatreaddict.com/2010/03/12/an-interview-with-emily-skinner/
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