Kidsday interviews Drew Seeley and Chelsea Morgan Stock
We met the newest stars of the Broadway musical Disney's "The Little Mermaid" recently at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Drew Seeley plays Prince Eric and Chelsea Morgan Stock names stars as Ariel. We met them in Chelsea's dressing room. We talked to them for about 10 minutes, and you can read our entire interview online. We asked them questions about their favorite song in the show and their favorite costumes. We really enjoyed spending time with them and were so surprised at how relaxed they were just a few hours before show time. After the interview, we got to take a look backstage. We saw all the props and all the costumes being delivered. It was amazing to see how they fit all those things onstage. There is so little room to move around. Finally, we got to see the show. Chelsea and Drew were good! The musical was amazing, from the special effects to the great singing to the wonderful acting. In some scenes they really make it feel like the stage is underwater. After the show, we waited outside the theater with many of the other fans by the stage door. We were able to get autographs from Drew, Chelsea and Joe Abraham (who played Scuttle). They signed our Playbills. You should definitely wait for them after the show. It was so much fun. This was something we will always remember. You should see the show! Drew (who also starred in the Disney movie "Another Cinderella Story") is in the cast all summer. Go to: http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelittlemermaid/#/tickets/single/
Here is our interview: How did you guys come to be on Broadway? CHELSEA: I've been doing theatre forever and I went to the College of Conservatory for musical theater and pretty much go the audition out of that teacher and was contacted by an agent. They were looking for an Ariel. So that's how mine came about the actual process. I've been studying it forever and doing musicals probably about 8 or 9 so. DREW: I've only been in the show about a week and a half. So I'm the new guy and having fun. I've been doing theatre for a long time also even in high school. Moved out to LA for awhile and worked on music and about 2 months ago got the opportunity to audition for "The Little Mermaid" and it went really well and here I am. Would you want a different job? DREW: No. CHELSEA: Different job? No. I can't think of anything else I would want to do. DREW: Different part maybe. I would want to be Sebastian. Different job, no. What is your dream role in the theatre besides the one you have now CHELSEA: Good question. So many things. I can't think of anything specific role. DREW: I always wanted to be Bobby Child in "Crazy for You" if they put that on again. That would be fun. CHELSEA: I always wanted to be Sally Bowes in "Cabaret." Do you like the character that you play? CHELSEA: Of course. How can you not. Every girls dream to be Ariel and everyone loves the movie and to play a pretty princess -- that is pretty cool. DREW: Yeah to dress up every night and have the whole kingdom I'm in charge of which is fine. To boss people around. Great job What are you guys thinking about doing after Broadway? DREW: I was working on an album right before this. I'm going to keep recording music and try to put it CHELSEA: After Broadway - I don't know what's after Broadway. I'm just going to keep auditioning for more shows on Broadway hopefully. See if I could stay there. Are you in any other plays currently now? DREW: No, not at the moment. We do 8 shows a week so it's a pretty full schedule. There are other cast members that are doing readings and other kind of things in between. I don't know how they do it. It's a lot of work. When you just come off the stage from a scene - what's it like back stage? CHELSEA: Crazy. It's a small back stage and there's a lot of set pieces and the costumes are big. You kind of have to choreograph your spacing back stage as well. Where you stand. You kind of have to keep that the same so that you don't hit with your long tails and your big dresses. It's crazy but it's fun because everyone's there to be there together and work on this one project. It's cool. DREW: What she said. Just try not to get hit by moving sets. How much time did you get to practice before the show? DREW: I got about 2-1/2 to 3 weeks CHELSEA: I've been in production right from the beginning. I was in the ensemble and an understudy for Ariel. I don't know a month of rehearsal and then we went to Danbury to do tryouts we were still rehearsing while doing preview for the show. It's been a long process for me. And I rehearsed a lot as an understudy while I was in the ensemble. So when I actually took over the role I didn't have to do much rehearsing. It's mostly rehearse with him. Do you want to do a major film? DREW: Yeah. Yes, please. Call me! How do you prepare to play a mermaid or a prince? CHELSEA: Research. A little bit of research to see the style of the character, the way they move, the way they act, they way they talk. Ariel is obviously - you have to watch the movie because it's based on the Disney movie and she how she is as a person, not as a person, as a mermaid I guess. You just kind of research and play with it every time you're on the stage and it grows you kind of make it your own. DREW: Yeah have fun with it. A prince. Prince Eric. I'm not even just Eric, I'm Prince Eric. So you think I'm a prince it's sometimes like a cardboard person. Like a one note person so it's fun actually to do these things with Chelsea and make them our own. Give them an actual life. It's trial and error. We learn every night as we go. It's fun Did you get the part that you wanted? CHELSEA: Yeah . After a long wait. I did. What is your favorite song in the show? DREW: I like "Kiss the Girl" It's always been my favorite song. I don't know why I always liked that song. CHELSEA: I enjoy doing "Part of your World," but I also enjoy there's a quartet between Ariel and Prince Eric, Sebastian and King Triton and that's probably my favorite song in the whole show and it's also really fun to do. DREW: It's called "If Only." Can you pay the rent? DREW: Great question! CHELSEA: Yes, barely yes. DREW: New York is expensive. What is your favorite costume? DREW: I like my big prince costume at the end. The marriage costume I guess. Looks very regal I get all the fancy shoulder pad things. It's fun. CHELSEA: I got a lot of them. I think probably the mermaid one even though in the second act I get to wear tons of princess dresses. I could enjoy that. I think I like them all actually. What do you do in your free time? DREW: Sleep, eat. CHELSEA: He sleeps. I try to sleep. I can't not that well so I go to the gym, I try to enjoy the city, try to enjoy outside if it's not raining, go to the park and stuff.
With warm, sunny weather, it's the perfect time to explore the best parks for kids.
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