BWW Interviews: BLOOD, SWEAT AND MOUSEKETEERS! Lindsey Alley At The COPA PALM SPRINGS 1/16-17

Lindsey Alley brings her acclaimed one woman show to The COPA Palm Springs for two performances, January 16 and 17, at 8:00 pm. Lindsay has been performing in theatre, television and film since the age of six. In 1989, Lindsey was cast as a Mouseketeer on the Disney Channel's All New Mickey Mouse Club, performing alongside Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell. She was one of only three cast members to appear in the pilot and all seven seasons of the show. On Broadway, Lindsey covered the role of Older Helen in Hollywood Arms (written by Carol Burnett and directed by Harold Prince). In 2006, her one-woman show, Look Ma...No Ears ran for six weeks at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City. I had the chance to catch up with Lindsey, on her lunch break from rehearsals for the Broadway bound FIRST WIVES CLUB, as she was preparing for her Palm Springs weekend. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation.

DG: I know you are on your half hour lunch break. Feel free to chew and swallow as we are chatting.

LA: I am going to chew in your ear, if that's okay.

DG: Let's start with your background - where you're from and all that.

LA: So, basically I grew up in a little town called Lakeland, Florida. Umm. Well, it's really not that little. It's right between Tampa and Orlando. And I got my start in dinner theatre down there and then went on to do six years and seven seasons on The Mickey Mouse Club - the one with Britney and Justin and Christina - and then after the show ended I went on to the University of Missouri, got my degree, moved to New York - was here in New York for seven years - and then I decided to move to L.A. and I've been in L.A. for about seven years - and I suppose the way you get to Broadway is by way of Los Angeles. (she laughs) Seemed to ne the way for me, anyway. That's sort of the story in a nutshell.

DG: Do you remember the first time you ever performed on front of an audience?

LA: I was six years old. Actually, I'm certain it was before that. I've been singing since I was a wee little kid ... but I git my first professional dinner theatre job when I was six years old. The Sound of Music at the Mark I Dinner Theatre. Umm Hmm,. (she laughs) Exactly.

DG: And what do you remember about that experience?

LA: Nothing! I'm sure it's all the drugs and alcohol since that have wiped those memories from my brain - but - you know, this is one of those things I've always done and I've never been brave enough to try anything else to see if I would like it as much as show business, It's always just, sort of, been in me from the moment I could talk I was singing.

DG: How did the Mickey Mouse Club audition come about?

LA: You know, I don't even remember how the audition came about. I think I had a friend who was auditioning - it was one of those situations - I decided to go with her to the audition. And then I got several callbacks - I think it was about four or five callbacks later and I had the job. And the I spent seven seasons on the show, which was the bulk of my adolescence. By the time the show ended I was sixteen. And I hadn't really experienced real life school to that point because I was always, you know, out doing a show. SO, I ended up finishing high school and then going off to college. I always joke with people and say "What a giant mistake that was" ... (she laughs) ... I had all of this tremendous momentum and I sort of stopped everything to get a degree. I'm joking. I'm very grateful that I have one. But it did sort of take me out of the game for a while.

DG: Who would you consider to be your mentors or role models?

LA: In life, in theatre, in anything?

DG: In anything.

LA: Oh gosh, I've just had so many teachers across the years who have been so instrumental in, you know, decisions that I've made and ... just choices that changed my life. There's a professor at the University Of Missouri named Jim Miller who has been mentor to me for years. I would say Jim, first and foremost. And then - this is going to sound very random, but - Burt Reynolds has been a really good friend to me for years and years. We met when I was doing ANNIE at the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Jupiter, Florida and he, you know, really guided my career for many years and was so helpful and has so many wonderful pieces of advice for a young actor. He was so instrumental in helping me make a college decision and sort of every time I had questions about the show business he was always there to be a voice of reason, you know what I mean? I know that sounds bizarre, but we struck a friendship and he's always been a really good friend. I saw him, I guess, about a year ago and we picked up right where we left off. And then there's a laundry list of actors and actresses that I admire. I'm getting to work with an idol right now - Faith Prince in FIRST WIVES CLUB - it's really pretty great, And then you've got Bette Midler and Diane Keaton and all of these people I've grown up watching and admiring. Gosh, I could go on and on about actors I think are brilliant.

DG: You've done television, your stand up comedy, books shows and musicals - what is your preference and what are the rewards of each genre?

LA: Well, there are rewards for both! I am so sorry I keep chewing in your ear.

DG: No, keep chewing. I know you have to get back to rehearsal.

LA: Working on a set book musical is so exciting because if you're a musical theatre geek. Like myself, you grow up seeing theatre constantly and then you've seen so many versions of GUYS AND DOLLS - and then when you get to do a big book show that you've loved like INTO THE WOODS or something it's so thrilling - and then there's something so different about doing something like this, FIRST WIVES CLUB, where you are creating every day - you're actually building the Foundation to someday what some kid will watch and say "Oh my gosh. That's a show I want to do one day" and you helped to create what that show is. So, that's an amazing feeling. And then with something like MY show - it's really rewarding - because I have all the say, I get to pick which stories I want to tell and what songs I want to song. I can tailor it to any audience, you know? It can be sort of as cleaned up or as raunchy as I want it to be. To be able to create a vehicle for yourself that can be performed anywhere at the drop of a hat is really cool and I think important for all actors to be able to have their own thing - not waiting around for a phone call.

DG: What can audiences expect from the show in Palm Springs this weekend.

LA: Well they can expect to laugh a lot. I hope. There's a lot of comedy in the show - but it has a lot of heart too. Hopefully it's seventy minutes of pure entertainment. It's not just songs - you go on a little ride with me - a little journey. I wanted something that was just fun - entertaining - something that will leave the audience smiling and feeling uplifted.

DG: So, Burt Reynolds gave you lots of great advice, What advice would you give to aspiring young performers?

LA: I would say, do one thing for your career everyday, no matter what. Learn one song, make one phone call, take a class. But do one thing every day to move your career forward. Know your contemporaries and people who paved the way. That would be my biggest advice. Then my second piece of advice would be create your own work because that's the direction we're all moving in - whether its writing a screenplay with your friends or creating a web series or writing a one person show. You'll always feel more empowered as an actor and a performer if you're in control of something in your career because it's so - you're so powerless when you're waiting for the phone to ring, or waiting for an agent to call, or waiting for a casting director to give you a job. You have to create your own work - it's crucial. And, when you're in charge of something like that it radiates your sense of - you have a different energy about you when you can take the reins. Does that make sense?

Don't miss Lindsey Alley at The COPA Palm Springs for just two performances, January 16 and 17, at 8:00 pm. For tickets or more information visit www.coparoomps.com

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