Up next in 10
From Green Girl to Flower Child to Ice Queen- Caissie Levy Talks FROZEN & More!
2K views
Nov 3, 2022
'This is the story of my career... I have worked my way up. I am not someone who got out of college and got handed the plum Broadway roles. I started as an understudy. I started in the ensemble. I was on a non-Equity tour, then I got to Broadway after a year in Toronto with Hairspray and eighteen months on tour. I'm playing the long game and I think that has made me a better actor and company member.'
View Video Transcript
0:00
Welcome to Backstage with Richard Ridge. We are once again at the legendary Sardis, and my guest is one of Broadway's newest leading ladies
0:08
She's appeared in such shows as Rent, Hairspray, Wicked, Hair, Les Mis, and Ghost
0:14
And now she is back on Broadway as everyone's favorite ice queen, Elsa, in Disney's smash hit musical Frozen
0:20
Please welcome Casey Levy. We are sitting here at Sardi's
0:29
Your theater is right next door to St. James, where you are so sensational and frozen, I have to tell you
0:35
I think I told you that opening night. You know, the last time we spoke was opening night
0:39
What was that whole day like for you? Opening was crazy. Opening night is always crazy
0:46
And exciting and nerve-wracking and just so much emotion because you sort of arrived at the night that is the celebration
0:54
And the critics have come and gone and your family is out there and everyone's got their cute outfits
0:59
And so it's a lot of feelings. And this one in particular was just so massive
1:04
I mean, our show is so loved and Frozen itself is so loved
1:10
that there was a lot of hype and expectation. But that night I think mostly just felt like a celebration
1:16
because we had kind of gotten over the major hurdles. Sure. And it was sort of just for us and for the community to celebrate
1:25
And it was a blast. I got to wear a really pretty dress. You had a gorgeous dress that night
1:29
Thank you. Isaac Posen lent me something totally beautiful that I never wanted to take off
1:34
And so, you know, I just felt really special and happy. And it was nice to be able to do the show for my parents and my family out there
1:42
And then actually see them at the party. I managed to do that
1:45
You know, sometimes you don't ever see anybody you know at the party. So it was such a fantastic party, and I got to really spend time with them, which was great
1:53
What a way to return to Broadway. I mean, you're playing Elsa. Yeah. That's nuts
1:58
Yeah. It's pretty great. I mean, this is my first Broadway show in two years, I want to say, because I have my son
2:06
And I was pregnant with him while I was doing a show off-Broadway at the Public Theater
2:11
Which one? That was first daughter suite. So, and actually, he, I remember, I was passed out in that piece
2:19
It was a very dark piece about the Reagans. And I had this sort of seizure moment
2:24
I passed out, and that was the moment that Isaiah kicked for the first time. Oh, wow
2:28
It was when I was on stage and just had a single tear. So now to have my next moment on stage being when he's two years old
2:36
it's just so much life has happened to me. Sure, yes. And so it's been really cool to get back on stage and such a massive show
2:44
and be back on Broadway as a mom and as sort of like a new person, really
2:48
What's it like living in this incredible world that Disney has created? No one puts a show on like Disney
2:54
Yeah, they are wonderful. I don't know what I expected. I think I thought that it would feel kind of corporate to work for Disney
3:03
I think that's what most people think. And I've come to realize it's not that at all
3:08
Tom Schumacher and Ann Court, who run Disney Theatricals, are there with us every single day
3:12
They were there through tech, through Denver. They moved to Denver. They moved their families out there
3:16
and they text us and they call us and they're just such an available team of producers
3:22
in a way that I've actually never had before and so that sort of trickles down
3:27
and everybody is just very not precious. Michael Grandage was similarly accessible to us
3:34
and just to have such a connection with him as my director I trusted him so much and so this whole process of working for Disney
3:39
and doing this huge Elsa in Frozen has also felt pretty much like an art house piece
3:45
in a lot of ways for me as an actor. And that has been so unexpected
3:49
To do something so well-known, so loved, with a lot of pressure around it
3:54
and also feel really creatively satisfied and supported. That has been amazing
3:59
Of course, what I love the most is you were able to find your own Elsa and make her your own
4:03
Yes, I really was. That was sort of a condition that they had for whoever they cast to play this part
4:09
They wanted someone to bring themselves to it. and I absolutely feel that I've had the chance to do that
4:16
and sort of by being who I am and the kind of actor that I am
4:22
and the kind of person that I am, I've brought just those innate qualities to the role and found a sort of mash-up of myself and Elsa
4:29
and I think it's been really wonderful as well with all the new material to be able to put my own stamp on that
4:35
and they absolutely wanted me to do that. They wanted me to run with it and I've learned a lot in the process
4:41
about just, not just the role, but myself as an actor. Yeah, working with Michael Grandage on this
4:47
and those iconic songs. Yes. I mean, you have the iconic song. Yes
4:51
I mean, Let It Go. But you talked through this with your director. I mean, you both worked on this really hard
4:55
to make this your own, and you just like, the closing of the first act is sensational
5:00
Thank you. Yeah, I mean, there was a lot of conversation about Let It Go
5:04
because you want to give the people what they want, but you want to make it its own thing
5:08
There's no reason to do the Broadway show unless it is a new incarnation of this story
5:14
And especially with Let It Go, closing the first act, you know, the pressure's on and we want to make it spectacular
5:18
But the major sort of nugget that we kept coming back to
5:23
Michael Grandage and I, was that the song can't get bigger than the show
5:29
And actually, I remember we talked a little bit about this back in Les Mis time
5:32
because when I was playing Fantine and singing I Dreamed a Dream and Anne Hathaway had just won the Oscar
5:36
there was like so much pressure around that song as well. and it's a similar type of thing
5:41
where you want to recognize and acknowledge that you are the person that gets to sing
5:47
this incredible piece of music that people love and know so well but you also have an honor and a duty
5:53
to make it authentic and keep it in the story and so we did a lot of work on just the lyrics
6:00
and beat by beat and how much is too much around me sitting at duty and how much is not enough
6:04
and sort of treading that line and figuring out that balancing act And it's changed quite a lot
6:09
In Denver, we had sort of one version of Let It Go visually that we tweaked pretty much almost
6:15
yeah, we almost changed everything about Let It Go for Broadway, just like bumped it up even more
6:20
But it all came from the story of the song and from this girl experiencing what she's experiencing in that moment
6:26
So I think that's why it's so impactful in the show, and I think that's why people happily love it so much every night
6:33
because it's supported by the story. It's not like a karaoke fest
6:37
No, I love how you were able to flesh her out and make her this beautiful, full, all the emotions that you put into your Elsa in this show
6:45
Thanks. Well, and I've had the opportunity for the new songs. Those are terrific
6:51
They're really, I think, especially the material I've received. I have two new songs around Let It Go that I think make Let It Go mean more
6:59
because now we have a song in the first act, Dangerous to Dream
7:03
where we get to see Elsa grappling with all of the anxiety and the worry
7:07
and the stress of becoming queen and can she be this person
7:10
that her community needs her to be and longing for her sister
7:14
and feeling so alone and isolated. In the movie, we just get that in a close-up
7:18
It's just 10 seconds. We can't do that on stage. So to have a song there that the audience can really relate to Elsa on and really understand what it is she feeling and why she doing what she doing I think makes Let It Go mean so much more by the time we get there
7:34
When did you know you could sing? How old were you? It's funny. I always sang around the house. My family's very musical. All our home videos are us singing songs and doing dances and stuff
7:45
But my dad used to tuck me in at night. He sort of, because he was a doctor for many years, he just retired, so he's still a doctor, but not practicing now
7:55
And he was gone all day until late at night. So he was usually just coming in when I was going to sleep
8:00
And so our special thing was he would tuck me in and he would sing to me. And we would harmonize
8:07
Till There Was You, that was one of the standards. Like a lot of old standards. Till There Was You, Sunny Side of the Street, Catch a Falling Star, you know those ones
8:14
Classics. Yeah, so he listened to the oldies at his office, and then he would come home with those songs in his head and sing those to me
8:19
And I think that's my real first memory of singing, was learning how to harmonize with him
8:25
So how old were you then? Oh, gosh, I was five, six. Wow
8:28
Yeah. And he's also, my mother played piano for many, many years and sort of was forced to do it as a child and is an excellent pianist
8:36
And then my father literally couldn't tell you what key is what, but he can sit down and play anything
8:42
It's sort of like Savanti. So the music was just part of our lives, and I think I always sang after that
8:50
And I was a little bit shy about it. Like, I would sometimes sing myself to sleep, but I would be, like, shy if my mom was walking by in the hallway and heard me
8:56
She'd be like, Casey, go to sleep. And I'd be like, oh, God. But, yeah, music has just been the constant throughout my life
9:03
And now you star on Broadway. Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty great. So your love for the theater, were you, like, eight years old
9:09
And how did Free to Be, You and Me sort of play into this? So my brothers, I have two older brothers, Josh and Roby, and they were in the theater and also playing sports and doing lots of other things
9:18
But I just wanted to be like them. So I wanted to do all the things they did
9:22
I was like, hey, wait for me, wait for me. And so I got into theater as well because I was singing all the time
9:27
And there was a community theater production of Free to Be You and Me. And I got cast as the little girl who's bossy, who says, ladies first, ladies first, which was good casting at that age
9:38
I was a little bit bossy. and I don't know, I got on stage in front of people
9:43
and something sort of switched for me and I remember rehearsing the lines with my mom
9:49
and being really nervous but as soon as I got on stage I didn't have any of those nerves
9:54
I was just sort of free for lack of a better word and I never sort of looked back after that
9:59
it was like when's the next time I can do something like that You came to New York and auditioned for Anda Yes
10:05
On a whim, right? Yeah, I was going to go study Shakespeare in Canada
10:08
I'm from just outside Toronto, as you know, and I sang in bands a lot in high school, and
10:15
then I did plays, and so I just assumed I was going to be a serious actor
10:19
None of those musicals for me. And I would go study Shakespeare, and so that's what I auditioned for, and I was set to go
10:24
But a teacher in the music program at my high school, who had heard me sing from time to
10:29
time, said, you know, there's this school, and they travel around, and they do these auditions
10:33
and it's in New York, and I know you love New York and Broadway. And I thought, oh, I guess I should go to that audition
10:39
And I went. And when I got in, I called my brother, Roby, who's always been a basketball player
10:45
And he was like, dude, you got into the NBA. You have to go
10:50
And I was like, right, New York is like the NBA. And especially to me, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada is like a small, you know, it's actually quite a big city now
10:57
But when I was growing up, it felt much smaller. And I thought, okay, I guess I'm going to move to New York and give this a go and see what happens
11:05
But you sort of, you booked shows right away. The first big show you booked was Rent, right
11:09
The tour? Yes. And that's what it changed your life with the people you got to meet, right
11:14
Yeah, it did. Because I was, you know, I knew like four musicals when I showed up for drama school to study musical theater
11:20
I knew Rent. I knew Les Mis. I knew what the Phantom of the Opera was, but I knew that wasn't my voice type, so I didn't really know the music
11:28
Gosh, what else? I had heard of Cats because I saw it when I was eight. Didn't get it at all, but was like super into it. So..
11:36
You didn't want to be a cat. Yeah, well, I wasn't a dancer. I was like a mover, a solid mover
11:40
So I was like, I'm not doing all of that insanity, but it's cool and glad I saw it
11:45
But yeah, and so when I showed up to school, I was learning about all these obscure musicals
11:50
and stuff from the 40s and 50s, but really I was like singing Rent in the mirror at home
11:55
And then for that to be my first job was really insane. So they were auditioning for the Non-Equity Tour, and I was very ambitious
12:04
and very tenacious with my auditioning, so I would go and line up every day at 6 a.m
12:09
and wait to sing 16 bars. And that's how I booked that job
12:13
is I think about six months of me going to open calls, trying to just get in front of anybody who would see me
12:19
because I knew that you just had to put yourself out there. And I think also being foreign and not having my time in the States
12:28
be on a clock made me really be like, okay, now or never
12:32
There's no waiting around. There's no Joe jobs. My job is to get on stage
12:36
And so I sort of willed that into existence. And then I was on tour as Maureen when I was 21 on a bus and truck tour
12:45
I had a suitcase and a cell phone bill, and that was it. And life was so cool
12:51
We were playing one-nighters all over the place and eating lunch at Subway every day
12:56
because that was on the side of the highway. It couldn't have been better
13:00
It was amazing. While you were playing Penny on Broadway in Hairspray, you started dating someone, didn't you
13:08
Yes. Yes, I did. I started dating my husband. Okay. Tell everybody who your husband is
13:13
I know. Who was I dating then? Yeah, I was like, oh. I don't know. Who was I dating? So my husband's David Reeser
13:18
We've been together a very long time. 11 years almost. He was doing Good Vibrations
13:25
Yes, he was doing Good Vibrations on Broadway, and I was doing Hairspray in Toronto, the original company there
13:29
Got it. So our paths didn't really cross. And then the Toronto Company of Hairspray closed, and I went on the tour
13:36
And the girl playing Amber, her name's Worth Williams, she was like, I have a perfect boy for you that you need to meet
13:44
And I was like, oh, okay, I don't know. We're on the road. I was on that tour for 18 months, a very long time
13:50
And she was like, well, when you get off tour, I'm going to set you up with him
13:55
And sure enough, after we got off tour, she took me to one of his gigs
13:59
He's a singer-songwriter and was playing out at, I think it was Hurley's actually, in Midtown
14:06
And I heard him play and I was like, okay, I have to meet this boy
14:10
Because, you know, boys and guitars and singing, it's just, it's a weakness. And yeah, we just hit it off and then we broke up and got back together and broke up and got back together
14:20
You know what you do when you're 25. And then, but I did realize pretty early on, like, oh, this is the person
14:25
But he was the one? Yeah, I knew by the third date that I was going to marry him
14:30
Now jump ahead. Happily married. You have a beautiful son. Yeah, thanks. Two
14:34
No. Oh, yes, he's two. I was like, I don't have two sons. Yes. One son
14:38
He's two years old. Yes. Isaiah. Isaiah. So has the musical DNA in both of your families, both of your sons, rubbed off on him
14:46
This is a musical kid. Okay. Yes. He came out singing, basically
14:51
He was premature. We had a very complicated pregnancy and his stomach wasn fully developed and he was in the hospital for about a month And so he had a lot of guttural sounds going at the beginning like a lot of uncomfortable for about three months
15:05
And that segued into him just never not speaking or singing. So he's singing all the songs these days
15:12
He's in a run-around-the-room-clapping mode. He really likes it if you're happy and you know it
15:17
He's really into Let It Go, fully sings all of that. I can't believe he gets the intervals perfectly
15:23
His pitch is amazing. Do you rehearse at home? Do you warm up at home before you go to the theater
15:28
I warm up a little bit at home. I sort of warm up throughout the day. So I wake up and I do some humming and I'm just awake for a little while
15:34
And then I do sort of another little section in the afternoon, which he's usually around for. So I say, is he going to warm up with me
15:39
And I go, eee. And he busts out laughing and then does it as well
15:44
He just thinks it's hilarious. Because you have this killer voice. I mean, you have this voice
15:49
I don't know where your voice comes from. I don't know either. My voice has evolved, you know
15:55
It's so interesting when people are like, oh, you have this huge voice and you've played all these powerhouse roles
16:01
And I have, but I don't know that I think of myself that way
16:05
The way I sing is so part of who I am that I don't separate it that much
16:12
So I don't give it a lot of thought other than that I care for my voice pretty severely
16:16
I'm pretty non-like when it comes to my voice. But I do have like an access to some power, but I really also enjoy using the lighter side of my voice
16:29
And actually that's been something that's really awesome about Elsa and the new material they wrote
16:34
In Dangerous to Dream, I get to do a lot of like this flippy, softer, folky singing that I love, love, love to do
16:40
And then I get to unleash a little bit and let it go. And then I get to unleash even more in Monster
16:44
but I think it allows us to see some of her vulnerability and some of her power at the same time
16:50
often in the same musical phrase, and that's the kind of thing, like, as a singing nerd that I really, really love
16:55
You played Elphaba in Wicked. Was it opposite Meg and Hilty? Yeah, yeah, we did that together in L.A
17:01
So you started out there. I actually started here as the understudy. I love how this all works. You started all these different understudies and tracks
17:07
This is the story of my career, and actually this is why I like talking to people, young people who are just starting out
17:13
is that I have worked my way up. I was not someone who got out of college and got handed the plum Broadway roles
17:18
I started as an understudy. I started in the ensemble. I was on a non-equity tour
17:22
Then I got to Broadway after a year in Toronto with Hairspray and 18 months on tour where I was in the ensemble
17:29
then promoted to Penny. Then I got brought to Broadway as Penny. You know, I'm playing the long game
17:34
And I think it's made me a way better actor and company member because I understand how vital it is to be an understudy in a company
17:42
is such a powerful, important role. And they don't get the notoriety that the leads always get
17:49
but they're so important. And those are the jobs you should be taking
17:54
That's what I'm often telling people. Just take it, learn, say yes to things. Actually, that's a Gavin Creelism
17:59
He's always like, let's say yes. Let's be open. And good things will come if you put that work in
18:05
and if you're a good person and a good company member and you show up every day
18:09
And so, yeah, for me, it's really been it's been the long game
18:13
And Wicked is another example of that, where I finished playing Hairspray on Broadway and I knew I wanted to be in that green girl costume
18:20
I was, you know, had my eye on it like everybody else in the city. And they initially saw me for Glinda, actually, because I'm blonde
18:27
Yeah. And I was like, oh, gosh, I'm not Glinda. And they were like, well, just my agent at the time is like, just go in and like wear a party dress
18:35
I was like, OK. So I put on some terrible prom dress
18:39
And I went in and attempted to sing, let us be glad, but it didn't sound that good, and it's much higher
18:46
It sounded like a lot of air, and they were like, oh, okay, so you're not Glinda
18:50
Let's have you leave and come back in. Have a look at the Elphaba stuff. And I was like, okay, good, that's where I want to be
18:56
And so I got cast as the understudy, and I was there for a year. Julia Murney, who's brilliant, was playing Elphaba at the time
19:02
and then just as I had gotten cast to go to LA and replace Eden
19:09
Espinosa, Stephanie Block was coming into Broadway so I saw her first five shows before I left
19:15
to take over the role opposite Megan in LA Do you remember the first time you went green
19:19
I sure do and actually this is all thanks to Lisa Brescia really
19:23
because she was the standby for Julia and Julia had booked a vacation
19:28
and Lisa was the standby so she was going to go on for all the shows
19:32
and she advocated to the company for me to get two matinees, which was incredibly classy, and I will forever be indebted to her
19:40
And so I had two scheduled shows, and I went on, and the whole creative team saw me, and it was right after that
19:45
that they said, you know, do you think you could do this full time
19:49
And I was like, I think so. I hope so. And that's what started the wheels in motion
19:55
So you've got to pay it forward and share the lot. That was a good lesson in that. Lisa taught me that
20:02
Sheila and Hare. I'll never forget sitting at that theater numerous, numerous times
20:06
watching you make your magic on stage in that show. Was that surreal, like doing that show
20:11
Yeah. That was like, that's a career highlight and a life highlight
20:15
That show, I always felt like I should have been born in the 60s. I feel like a bit of a flower child anyways
20:22
And that's my music. And it's like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, that's where I live
20:26
And so to be cast in this revolutionary role, this strong woman who goes to D.C. and leads this tribe in this revolution was really amazing for me
20:38
And that tribe of actors who are my family, who are still to this day some of my closest friends
20:44
that made it so much more magical. But, you know, the message of the show was so important
20:49
And at that time we were fighting for marriage equality. We went to D.C. as a cast. They canceled our show
20:54
Oscar Eustace and our producers canceled our show, which I've never heard of
20:58
took a huge financial hit so that we could go do the right thing. That was amazing
21:03
We were really, you know, walking the walk offstage, that we were preaching onstage, and so it meant a lot to all of us
21:09
And singing Easy to Be Hard was amazing. And Good Morning Starshine and I Believe in Love
21:17
That was a real breakout moment for me, too, because it was my first time on Broadway creating a part
21:24
And being seen in the community as a real leading lady, not just replacing, but someone who they could bring on to create something
21:32
And so that felt like a real huge opportunity for me. Because you took the show to London, but you sort of stayed in London because you had ghosts over there
21:39
Yeah, yeah. So that was also like another, I had met with Matthew Warches during Hair in New York
21:45
and had sort of like a chit-chat about this idea of ghost. It wasn't really an audition
21:50
It wasn't really a meeting. It was like a hybrid. I didn't know what it was, but I was like, oh, that was interesting
21:55
And then I fell off my radar. We went to London with Pierre, had this amazing summer in London, all 35 of us
22:03
And David had been on tour with Mamma Mia for about two years
22:08
And when we got the offer to go to London, he left the tour of Mamma Mia and we just moved in together for the first time in London and let that be this European adventure for us, which was so amazing
22:16
And then the last I think it was actually the second last day right before I closed Hair I went and auditioned for Ghost They sent me two tracks two of the demo tracks And one of the songs they sent me I was like oh I don know about this song And then
22:32
the other song they sent me was With You. And I was like, oh, this is, this is a song. And I was
22:37
like, I got to go sing for this, even though I was about to go on a six week backpacking adventure
22:42
with David. And my head was elsewhere. I was like, the last thing I want to do is audition right now
22:46
But, you know, you have to say yes to the opportunities. And so I went in, and I had this killer audition
22:52
I sang the crap out of this music that I was like, wow, Dave Stewart and Glenn Ballard wrote some real rock tunes
23:00
And I had so much fun. And then I went on this crazy trip to Morocco and the south of France and Croatia and Greece with David
23:07
And then I got a call while we were in Greece saying, so you got the part. Can you come back and read with a couple Sam options
23:13
And you're moving back to London. That's like the best phone call on a trip, right
23:17
Yeah, it was the best, except we had just gotten engaged, and I was like, I'm in Santorini
23:22
I have a ring on my finger. My parents are here. Our parents came out and joined us in Greece
23:27
and I was like, and I've got to go back and read with you. But also like, yeah, I want to go do a brand new show
23:33
written by rock stars in the West End. Okay. What kind of prep do you do at the theater when you get there
23:38
So I'm someone that needs some quiet time, and every actor is different with their pre-show rituals
23:45
but I like to check in with everybody I like to see my friends, visit people's dressing rooms
23:49
have them come to mine but about an hour before the show at 7 o'clock
23:52
my door is closed, I have some chill music on the lighting is just so, keeping it low, keeping it cute
23:58
and I have some time to myself to think about the show
24:02
to warm up my voice, get in the shower, do some steaming and like I said I like to warm up in pockets
24:09
because I find that that keeps me warm throughout the day rather than just blasting it out pre-show
24:17
And I find that that makes me feel the most grounded before I go on stage
24:21
because Elsa, it's such a big ask, this role. You know, it's funny. Some of my friends have come to the show and said
24:26
well, it seems really well paced out because you're on stage singing a huge number
24:30
and then you're off for a minute and then you're on again and then you're off. And they're not wrong, but my costumes are so intense
24:36
that they're so, so, so heavy. and they require a lot of finagling because I'm moving my packs around them
24:42
You know, the mics interfere with the beating, and so we've got to wear them on my legs and then in my head and then the back of my bra and then on the outside of the costume, the inside
24:49
So I'm often, when I'm offstage, I'm not sitting and chilling. I'm doing all my backstage choreography, and it's a lot
24:57
So it's nice to have those breaks to recalibrate a little bit
25:01
and, like, think about, okay, where's Elsa at? What's happening? But it is a, once the show starts, it's like a runaway train
25:07
If you could sum up the best part of the experience, like I said, this is such a challenging role for you
25:11
the emotions you go through in this. If you could sum up the best part of the experience of doing Frozen
25:15
and being a part of this incredible world, what is it for you? I think in addition to the people I've met and worked with
25:22
who have been totally dreamy on stage and off, the main thing for me that I've taken away is
25:27
how wonderful it's been to play such a fantastically written role and a role that I can really flex my muscles in
25:35
that I can show all the sides of myself. There's even a little bit of humor there
25:40
a brief moment when I get to play my scenes with Patty where we get to be joyful and laugh
25:45
and I get to have a few jokes, and we get to see Elsa's dry humor. I even get a little bit of that
25:50
and then I get the vulnerability and the strength and the wisdom and the grace
25:55
and I get to show these colors that I don't think I've ever gotten to show that much in any one role
26:01
So I feel like it's been a really awesome showcase for me, and I feel like people are seeing what I can do
26:07
And I'm very grateful for that because I've been in this business a long time
26:11
and doing Broadway shows for a decade and I really feel like I've paid my dues
26:17
and now I've been given this gorgeous role to play and I will never take that for granted
26:23
Idina Manziel even gave you the thumbs up. Didn't you meet her? Talk about a full circle moment
26:28
Yeah, I went to see War Paint. She was there, another show about strong women
26:32
and I just couldn't, you know, I couldn't not say, like, hey, what's up
26:37
I'm going to play Elsa. And she was so nice about it. And actually what's funny is that night, I think it was like a Thursday
26:43
and I went up to her at intermission. I said, hey, sorry to bug you. Because, you know, people were circling and just, like, gawking at her
26:49
So I didn't want to be one of those, but I was. And I said, I just want to let you know I'm going to be playing Elsa
26:56
And she said, oh, that's so great. How do you have the night off? and I was like um well we haven't started yet and she said did you say you're playing Elphaba
27:05
and I was like oh no I've actually played that already as well but I'm gonna play Elsa so she
27:11
was like oh okay I understand and she was just so sweet and said you know that she wishes me all the
27:16
best and I said you know your voice is in my ear you uh you were the template you were you know you
27:22
created the original magic and she was like oh please I'm just the voice you're gonna be the
27:26
person playing her, which was awfully kind and unnecessary of her to say, frankly, but
27:31
I really, it meant a lot to me. I mean, starting out as Maureen. Yeah. I didn't tell her that
27:35
I thought she'd think I was a stalker, so I was like, I can't leave that one off the list. My final question is, what is the best bit of advice that you've been given that you
27:43
live by? My mom has given me really good advice always. She has always said, Casey, there are the same number of hours in every day
27:54
and when things seem insurmountable you have to trust in that that the time will pass
28:01
it will be okay and you have to take a breath she always says take a breath
28:05
and exhale and I've really as I've gotten older now that I'm a mom too
28:10
and now that I've worked this much in this crazy world of ours on Broadway
28:14
it's the thing I come back to the most probably is a pause
28:19
it's like taking a healthy pause taking a little step back for a minute when things feel crazy
28:23
and even when things feel crazy, wonderful. Just to like check in with yourself and not get too carried away
28:30
because it's so easy when you're in the entertainment world for your ego to get totally insane
28:36
and to take on other people's energies all the time, try to please people all the time
28:41
try to be the thing you think they want you to be. And there's just no way of ever achieving that
28:48
And when I feel that ego ticking up a little bit, I remember, like, this is not just about you
28:55
This is a community effort. It's why we all got into theater in the first place. It's not a solo endeavor, you know
28:59
There are other people there with you to support you, to share this with you
29:03
And so if you just take a breath and appreciate what's going on around you, it'll mean more
29:08
And I think that's the number one piece of advice that always comes back. That's beautiful
29:12
Like I said, I followed your career from the very first day you got here in New York. You've always been really kind to me
29:16
But I just watched your star rise. So well-deserved. Like I said, you're so wonderful at what you do
29:21
have the best time across the street, actually right next door to us here at the St. James
29:25
Yep, and my head right there after this
#Broadway & Musical Theater
#Celebrities & Entertainment News
#Entertainment Industry