Interview: A Moment with the Mother Abbess-Ashley Brown of THE SOUND OF MUSIC Tour

Broadway World Atlanta was fortunate to have a moment to speak with Ashley Brown as she prepares for her last stop of The SOUND OF MUSIC tour in Atlanta. Ashley, who originated the role of Mary Poppins on Broadway, was last seen at the Fox in the national tour Disney's On The Record. Read below for more on how Ashley felt about playing a younger Mother Abbess in this refreshing new take on the Rodger's and Hammerstein classic.

Most of our readers know THE SOUND OF MUSIC, but can you just give a little bit of background about your character in the context of the musical if not?

I play the Mother Abbess. She is the character who sings "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria". In this production, I'm the youngest Mother Abbess ever, but it's been really fun to take on a role in a very different light and to put on a new production with a breath of fresh air. That is our production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Since many of our readers have at least seen the movie, if not another production of the show, what makes this tour different from what they may have seen in the past?

The story is still the same. It is still the same music that we all love- "Do-re-mi", "Edelweiss", "Sixteen Going on Seventeen", but it's not someone trying to be Julie Andrews or someone trying to be the old, motherly Mother Abbess. It's edgier. It has a more youthful content to it. The scene changes are faster. It's not necessarily a new take on it, but it is a feistier version of it. We have been traveling for a while now, and the audiences just seem to love it.

Well you have quite a history with THE SOUND OF MUSIC, including a small role in the live-televised production as well as a different production where you played Maria. What makes playing the Mother Abbess different from the other characters you have played?

Well, I was very hesitant about taking the role. Our director, Jack O'Brien, was on my bucket list of people to work with before it is all said and done. He is one of the most amazing directors on the planet. When he asked me to play it, I was just very hesitant about even entertaining the idea of playing the role. After a lot of conversation, he just had a new take on it, and he wanted the role to be at not a resolute place, to not be this old woman who has it all figured out but to be a woman who is in this power position who is still learning and going through life herself. She sees herself in Maria. She has a special connection with Maria That's why she takes extra time with her instead of booting her out because she is not behaving at the beginning of the show. It makes the relationship between Maria and the Mother Abbess really interesting verses it being this motherly figure who has it all figured out. They are finding life together. I think there's a time, no matter where you are in life, that there's somebody who is a Mother Abbess somewhere that might be going "Am I were I am supposed to be doing what I am supposed to be doing?" You think of nuns like they have it all figured out, but they are people too. It's making all of these characters real people going through real struggles. That's also what makes our production different. That's what I've enjoyed about playing the role- being able to make it my own. It's a role that's been done a million times, and because I have been in many productions, I have seen it done a lot. I've enjoyed being able to take my own take on it. It's been really challenging and fun.

Is there something you do specifically to keep the role fresh when taking it on tour?

That's with any role when you start doing something eight times a week. I think just always remembering this audience is paying just as much as opening night. Besides that, there's always something to be found in the dialogue and in the songs. As actors, nothing can be too good. No story could be too well told. There are always things that can be found to make the performance better and make the story clearer. As an actor, you can tell when moments are not working and when they are. You have to be able to fill those pockets and make new choices. That's how I keep it fresh.

Following you on social media, I have seen that you have a travel companion. Can you talk a little bit about what it is like touring with your dog?

Yes! Eddie Brown! He is snoring as we talk. I got Eddie right before we opened MARY POPPINS on Broadway. Everybody was like you are crazy. You are taking on this role. You are doing eight shows a week, and you're getting a dog?! It was the best thing I have ever done. I've always been able to take him to the theater with me starting with MARY POPPINS. Since he was eight weeks old, he has come to the theater with me every single night. Now, he is nine years old which is crazy. He travels everywhere with me. He's been such a good boy. He's been flying on airplanes. Everyone is always like "How do you get him to behave?". He has been doing it since he was a puppy, so he's just so used to it. He walks on the plane like he owns it. It really is great to have a dog in the cast. It lifts everyone's mood. He goes around to everyone's dressing room, and everyone is always playing with him. I think it's a healthy thing to have backstage. He's been such a gift. I don't know what I would do without him.

You can see Ashley Brown as the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music this week only at Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre (660 Peachtree Street NE). The show is here March 1-6, 2016. Tickets start at $33.50. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit foxtheatre.org or call 855-285-8499.