BWW EXCLUSIVE FEATURE: GETTING SIRIUS WITH SETH - Rudetsky's WICKED Chat with Ashley Tisdale

Welcome to BroadwayWorld's newest feature: GETTING SIRIUS WITH SETH, a sneak peek preview of Rudetsky's weekly popular Sirius Radio program. Each Thursday, we'll be bringing you highlights from the program, which airs nationally on Fridays. Want the scoop before the rest on your favorite stars in entertainment? Check GETTING SIRIUS WITH SETH each week here!

In this first feature, teen Idol Ashley Tisdale visits Sirius/XM's Live on Broadway show to chat with host Rudetsky about her career, upcoming projects and her WICKED aspirations.

The Disney sensation currently stars as cheerleading captain Savanna Monroe in the CW series, Hell Cats. Yet it was her upcoming project, "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure", a new original High School Musical movie that she was most eager to talk about. In this latest installment of the franchise, Tisdale once again reprises her role as the irrepressible diva, Sharpay Evans, who aspires to make it on Broadway. She finally realizes her dream after being discovered by a talent scout, but quickly discovers that making it in the Big Apple is not as easy as she thought it would be.

While best known for her role in High School Musical, Tisdale told host Rudetsky that she is no stranger to live theater. At the tender age of 8, she was cast in the role of Young Cozette in both the National and International Touring Company of LES MISERABLE. When asked by Rudetsky how she got the role at such a young age, she explained, "I actually saw the show on Broadway with my parents and I fell in love with it. So I told my manager 'I have to go out for it'". Yet despite her youthful optimism, her manager was a little more realistic. "He asked me if I'd ever sung before, which I hadn't, so I had like two lessons with a voice coach and learned the [audition] song, "Castle On a Cloud". Before long, she was touring throughout the country and the world.

While most young children would find life on the road rather grueling, Tisdale enjoyed it immensely. "I had the best time", she recalled. "It's funny when you're young on a show like that, when you get to a certain height, then you kind of leave. I was always short for my age so I was never really growing. I could have stayed for a really long time". What stopped her from continuing? "My mom finally said, 'Ashley, come on, please. I want to go home!'"

Although she is a talented singer and dancer, Tisdale is hesitant to return to the stage. "I loved it, but I think that for me, I love TV and movies and I want to do more of that", she explained. When asked if she would consider the option of a three month stint on Broadway she replied, "Maybe if it's a show that I absolutely love. I mean I love WICKED so maybe WICKED". Judging from the rousing response of the live Sirius/XM audience, it seems like this is something she really should consider.

You can hear Sirius/XM's Live On Broadway with guests Ashley Tisdale and WONDERLAND's Darren Ritchie exclusively on Sirius 77 and XM 75 this Friday, April 22 at 7 PM ET with encore presentations on Sunday, April 24 at 11 PM ET, Tuesday, April 26 at 7AM and Wednesday, April 27 at 12 noon ET.

SIRIUS XM LIVE ON BROADWAY is hosted by Seth Rudetsky & records live every Wednesday at noon at the Broadway Concierge & Ticket Center, located inside the Times Square Information Center, 1560 Broadway, between 46th & 47th Street, in between the Palace Theatre and McDonalds. It is free to the public.

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