Amy Spanger On Leave- Page 4

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 10:26pm

Its great to hear you liked the show, but who is Margo Lion?

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 10:44pm

Margo Lion is the lead producer of the show.

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:06pm

I'm sorry, I didn't realize!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:10pm

You are amazing!!! thanks. I remember Amy told me she started as a dancer, before she got training as a singer and actress. She is phenomenal. Guys! go see her in The Wedding Singer.

Updated On: 6/29/06 at 11:10 PM

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:16pm

I'm going this Sunday again, so everybody send me good Amy vibes so she'll be there . I'm trying to make the last picture larger so that you can read it, but photobucket is being unreasonable.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:18pm

You're the best.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:31pm

You rock, Mel.

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:42pm

You're welcome . I can't seem to resize the last one--which is conveniently the interview. Tomorrow, I'll type it out if you guys want. I'm going to sleep so I can't do it now.

ETA: edited for grammar Updated On: 6/29/06 at 11:42 PM

[focusingonmoviesmatt]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 12:00am

amy was on tonight and still giving a great performance.

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 12:25pm

The interview:
How did you get to Broadway?
The summer between my freshmen and sophopmore years [at the University of Massachusetts]. I auditioned for A Chorus Line at the Theatre by the Sea in South, NH. The director, who had done
the show on Broadway, said, "You could go to New Yorkk. You have a lot of talent." He was the first person from New York that said that to me. So instead of going back to UMass (something got cut off) to save money, waited tables, and took acting, singing, and dance classes. When I was 21, I moved to New York City with $2,000!

When you got to New York, was it terrifying for you to jump right in?
Not to be corny, but it felt like something brought me, it was a calling. And I was terrified, and I was lonely, but I got settled in my apartment,a nd got a Back Stage and started scoping out auditions. I started taking classes at Broadway Dance Center and Steps. And, within a few months, I got a job, playing Cassie in A Chorus Line with the Regional Theatre Company.

What was your first Broadway show?
Sunset Boulevard, and I got that from a cattle call! They were doing this thing called "typing people out," they'll bring up 10 people at a time and decided if they want to keep you. I go tto sing 16 bars and a year later they brought me in for a final callback. I got the job, and they said I was their first choice in the auditions, which was pretty cool.

How did you get involved with the Wedding Singer?
I worked with [The Wedding Singer director] on URinetown,a nd I loved and respected him, and I also really enjoyed the film, so when [the musical] came, I was really interested. [At the audition], they asked for an '80s pop song. Since the character of Holly was supposed to be a Madonna wannabe, I did "LIke (..cut off), and rolled around ont he floor like I was on bad dancing. They liked it a lot. [Laughs].

What is your favorite number in the show?
"Saturday Night in the City," the Act 1 closer, at the last moment [when Holly has water poured over her, a la Flashdance] is so shocking and fun. I've never een a part of something
quite like that.


What's it like doing this style of dancing, that's so inspired by the '80s?
It's funny- I grew up in the mid '80s, and I emulated Paul Abdul and Madonna and Janet Jackson and I knew all of the dance breaks from their videos. So this is a really easy fit.

How do you keep it fresh wen you're performing a show 8 times a week?
I journal a lot, about the character and how she relates to me and my life. And I approach it like it's happening for the first time, every time. Of course, some nights are easier than
others, but I stay as presetna s I can in the moment as it's happening, and really dig in and enjoy the character.

What's your most embaressing onstage moment?
After the Flashdance moment at the end of the Wedding Singer's first acct, I originally did a big backbend to stand up and dance again. During the second preview in Seattle, my wig fell
completely off! I was dancing around feverishly trying to cover it up, and I ended up facing upstage for my final pose holding the wig to the back of my head.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to break into musical theatre?
If you want to do musicals, you have to work on everything: your singing, dancing and acting. What's amazing about the cast I'm working with now is that everybody dances, even the people
who consier themselves singer/actors. Also, learn what your strengths are, how you're different from other people and bring those into the room every time you auditon or perform.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 1:52pm

During the second preview in Seattle, my wig fell
completely off! I was dancing around feverishly trying to cover it up, and I ended up facing upstage for my final pose holding the wig to the back of my head.


HAHA!

Thanks for taking the time to write this down, Mel.

Updated On: 6/30/06 at 01:52 PM

[Joshua488]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 3:22pm

Tom14850: "...how does one blow one's voice while using a mic?"

Just because a performer is wearing a mic doesn't mean they can sing less. Amy probably sings full-out even though she has a mic, which is what you're supposed to do. You are never supposed to rely on your mic to do the job for you.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 3:47pm

Good to hear Amy is back in the show!
Seeing the show Sunday and next Friday!!

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 4:40pm

I'm going Sunday too . Have fun!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 4:41pm

Welcome back Ames!

[Stphen1187]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 3:57am

Don't know how pertinent this is now, but I saw the evening performance of 'The Wedding Singer' on Tuesday June, 27, and while I had anticipated seeing Cara Cooper on for Amy Spanger, Amy was back and gave one of the most vocally-gratifying performance of the evening. Felicia Finley was out, and Nicolette Hart was on as Linda (apparently her first performance in the role)...she did well considering, and I overheard her chatting at the stagedoor with fans about how she'd just learned the choreography that afternoon and how nervous she was.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 4:23am

Poor Nicolette, but how come she learned the choreo that same night if she is supposed to be the understudy for Linda?

[ErikInTheCity]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 11:37am

Focusingonmoviesmatt, Amy was indeed out last night. If you saw the show on June 30th, you saw Cara Cooper.

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 12:22pm

Ugh, damn. I hope she's there tomorrow. *keeps fingers crossed*

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 12:30pm

Poor Nicolette, but how come she learned the choreo that same night if she is supposed to be the understudy for Linda?

I thought Nicolette was the 2nd cover? Ashley Amber Haase is listed as the first.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 3:29pm

Yup, you're right, I thought Nicolette was the 1st. Nevermind.

[fishergirl819]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 4:00pm

Erikinthecity, focusingonmovement posted that at exactly midnight on 6/30, meaning they were referring to the show on 6/29. Amy was in the show Thursday night.

[jezi]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 4:53pm

For a while Nicolette was the only understudy listed for Linda, so I do believe she is the first cover. In the playbill it usually just lists the understudies in alphabetical order, not in order of coverage.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 5:39pm

I met Amy after the matinee on the 28th. We inquired how she was feeling, and she told us that she was not sick and that there was no "blowout." She told us not to believe everything we read on message boards. So there you have it. Amy was and IS fine, straight from Amy herself.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 6:21pm

That's good to hear.