BWW Interviews: EVERYDAY RAPTURE's Sherie Rene Scott

Sherie Rene Scott has starred in some of the biggest shows on Broadway - she's played Amneris in Aida, Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Marty in Grease, Maureen in Rent and Ursula in The Little Mermaid.

Currently, Scott is starring in Everyday Rapture, which she has co-written with Dick Scanlan. Everyday Rapture opened on April 29th, and is set to close on July 11th. The production also had an off-Broadway run at the Second Stage Theatre in 2009.

BroadwayWorld Reporter Nick Orlando spoke with Scott about the transfer from off-Broadway to Broadway, and character Sherie versus real-life Sherie.

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Congratulations on the Tony nominations; you are up for two Tonys (Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and Best Book of a Musical with Dick Scanlan). Your hard work has paid off!

Well, I have to say the hard work already paid off while we were creating it. Just the act of creating it was really great. So everything else just makes it a lot easier to perform eight times a week. The piece has been something Dick and I just had to write, and something, thank goodness, that Michael Mayer just had to direct.

Everyday Rapture began previews at Second Stage on April 7, 2009. Due to rave reviews, the production was extended twice beyond its limited engagement. You have been trying for the last year to bring the show to Broadway. Was the wait frustrating? What were you doing in the meantime?

I wasn't really trying to bring it to Broadway - some people said they could, and then they decided they couldn't. It was really taken out of our hands for a bit. I did set aside time and was restricted in what I could do, but I ended up having a great time. Dick and I started writing a new show and took it to try out in Miami, with the brilliant composer/arranger Todd Almond. That went really well and was very encouraging. And I did a few workshops of shows that I loved. And I was a mom and life partner. So the time was well spent.

Describe the experience when you found out that Roundabout Theater Company was considering picking up the production.

It all seemed entirely impossible and completely inevitable at the same time. Dick and I just kept saying yes and then figured out how to do things later.

Were the creative team and cast ready to come back on board?

Yes and no; nobody was ‘ready.' People had one week's notice for their lives to be taken over for several months, but most everybody was willing - some people just had to get their heads around it, because I'm not sure anyone had any experience putting up a Broadway show in three weeks. People had vacations planned and were opening other shows, or had other jobs that conflicted. But once Michael Mayer said that as soon as he was available, he would take us across the finish line, basically everybody that was hesitating said - ‘aww, what the heck, we gonna do this!' (That's how we talk.).

How were rehearsals for Everyday Rapture?

Brief and fun!

Did much change, in terms of the script, from off-Broadway to Broadway?

Dick and I immediately began the changes he and Michael and I had always talked about as soon as we knew it was a go. We knew having a theatre and knowing the time schedule to work under would help our writing be specific and focused, and it did. We were able to make all the changes we wanted to for Roundabout's American Airlines Theatre.

When you had the idea for this show, did you ever imagine it would be on Broadway?

Nope, but I didn't imagine it wouldn't.

How would you describe the show?

Really good to great---depending how good your seats are!

How close is the character Sherie to the real Sherie?

They're close in spirit, but in fact they hardly ever talk. They have strong affection for each other, and send each other love - they just find it's healthier for them to keep their distance.

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Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Everyday Rapture is currently playing at the American Airlines Theatre. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.

Photo Credit (M and B): Carol Rosegg