BWW Interviews: TEANNA BERRY, From The OC to 'Hairspray'

Like many boys and girls bit by the performing bug (just watch that giddy TV phenomenon Glee and you'll understand), Teanna Berry is living her dream. She currently stars as "Peaches" in the latest national tour cycle of the multiple-Tony® Award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY, which returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a brief engagement from April 6 - 11. For Berry, HAIRSPRAY's week-long stop in Costa Mesa is expected to be an exciting homecoming.

An alumna of The Orange County High School of the Arts (which, coincidentally, was also the training ground for Glee's Matthew Morrison, himself the original Broadway "Link Larkin" in HAIRSPRAY), Berry is looking forward to performing for her hometown (or, rather home-county) crowd. She recently took a break from the rigors of tour life to speak with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about life on tour, her love of Beyoncé, and her musical roots in Orange County, California.

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BWW: Hi Teanna! How's the tour been going?

Teanna: Oh, it's been so much fun! I've been wanting to do this show for years! It's truly a dream come true! [This tour] started rehearsals on December 7th [2009] and then we opened on the 30th, so I've been with the company for about 3 months. We're in Coral Springs, Florida now.

Cool! Well, I hear you're from Orange County!

I am!

How does it feel to be coming back to the O.C. with a role in HAIRSPRAY?

It's really exciting! Actually my last show was supposed to go to Orange County but it got cancelled at the last minute. So it will be nice to have my family and friends come and see me in the show. I've actually performed on that very stage at [the Orange County Performing Arts Center] before, when I was in high school. I graduated from the Orange County High School of the Arts [OCHSA] in 2003.

What has been your favorite stops so far in the tour?

Philadelphia was a lot of fun. That's been my favorite so far. It was such a really cool town and we got a chance to sight-see.

Have you noticed much of a difference between the varying audience reactions within each city?

Oh, yeah, absolutely. We've been in the South for the past couple of weeks and so the show definitely hits home a little bit more. The idea of segregation kind of still exists in some parts. People don't laugh as much and are probably a bit more uncomfortable [with the subject matter], as opposed to Brooklyn, which I feel has always been sort of a melting pot of all the races. The show's funny to most everybody; but in the South, some find it a little uncomfortable sometimes. You can definitely feel the tension in the audience. I think it's understandable...we are talking about a pretty serious subject here, even though the show seems light and airy. The underlying story is pretty intense.

Do you have any pre-show rituals that you've developed with this tour?

I do the usual... I warm up. I pray. We usually do a group prayer here before the show, which is nice. I also like to call my Mom before the show. But, really, I don't try to do too much before going on. I listen to a lot of music on the playlists in my iPod®...

Any funny, interesting or crazy stories so far about tour life?

Actually, a couple of days ago we flew into Jacksonville, Florida from New Orleans. With a cast of 27, the airline lost all of our luggage! And we had a show to do at 10 a.m. the next morning! They eventually recovered them, but the hotel we were staying at luckily gave us little packs of things because we literally had nothing. Fortunately all our luggage arrived at 7 a.m. the next day.

Ouch. Scary!

Yeah! 30 pieces of luggage! It was actually interesting... right after we all got off the plane for our layover before boarding another connecting flight, I said, "Wouldn't it be funny if they left all of our luggage on that last flight?" And, alas...it came true! I spoke it into existence. [Laughs]

Yikes. Well, let's talk about your background a little bit. Did you know while growing up that being a musical theater actress was what you wanted to do for a living?

I actually started off dancing at the age of 5. Then I started singing in the church choir. And then I figured the best way to join those two was to be in musical theater. So when I turned 14, my mom decided to put me in a theater high school. I wasn't really into either acting or singing... I was a dancer. But eventually I thought, "I think this is where I'm supposed to be."

Awesome! Who are some of your musical influences growing up?

My dad, actually, is a gospel singer as well. But growing up... well, Whitney Houston! Aretha Franklin! And, really, my parents mostly as well as a lot of the ladies that sing at my church. Those were the voices I heard growing up. But Whitney is probably the reason why I sing today. And also, interestingly enough, the woman who originated the role I'm playing now on tour—Kamilah Martin—went to my high school years ago before I did. She's one of the biggest influences I've had and I feel that it's so ironic that I am now playing the part she originated ten years ago on Broadway!

As for today, which musical artists do you love? What's on your iPod right now?

Right now I really like this young man named Daniel Merriweather... I believe he's Australian. He's pretty awesome. I actually don't listen to a lot of musical theater. I've been exploring a lot of different types of music lately, but I love R&B, gospel and Neo-Soul. I really like Adele. And, of course, Beyoncé. I looove Beyoncé. She's my number one. [Laughs]

Now from your list of past roles in musical theater, do any stick out as your favorites?

Well, one of my favorite roles that I've done is Velma in Chicago. I really hope to do it again one day. I've done Ragtime three times, so that's one my favorites as well. I was at OCHSA when I played Velma and I did Ragtime twice in a couple of regional productions in California and then a third time recently in New York.

What about in other shows? Do you have a wish list of roles from other shows you'd like to play in the future?

Oh, yeah! I'd love to be in The Color Purple one day! And I mentioned Chicago, which is one of my dream shows. This, HAIRSPRAY, is actually one of my breakout moments, so it's been exciting. I would love to do this again [after this tour wraps]. But specifically with The Color Purple, I would love to do any of the roles... the church ladies are cool... maybe one day, play "Celie."

Sounds great. Now we've come to my favorite part of all my interviews... I'd like to throw you a few rapid-fire questions, if I may. Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Okay... what's your favorite musical of all time?

Oh... Once On This Island.

What song do you like belting in the shower or when you're all alone in the car?

Really, anything by Beyoncé! I like "Ego."

Who is the one person you admire the most?

No question... my Mom.

What's your one guilty pleasure?

Chocolate! I eat it once a day! Every day!

What or who irritates you the most?

Oh, gosh. Reality TV "stars." I hate them! [Laughs] They're famous for no reason! They really bother me.

Understood. What instantly puts a smile on your face?

Oh, my Mom. And chocolate. [Laughs]

If you weren't an actor, what other career do you see yourself doing?

Probably a biologist. Both my parents are biologists, so I've always thought that would be interesting. Or something scientific.

What is the one piece of advice you'd like to give young theater students who dream of doing exactly what you're doing right now?

I think the best advice I can give is to stick with it. I've heard "no" probably a hundred times, and "yes" maybe ten. I've been wanting to be in HAIRSPRAY for four years and after a lot of auditions, finally I'm here! I say, stick with it because it's very easy to give up in this business. Once you hear "no" it's better to think that one day someone will eventually say "yes." If you're supposed to be here, you will be here. God put us all here for a reason.

Any auditioning tips you care to share?

Once again, just be prepared for rejection. I think that's one of the biggest lessons I've learned... that I'm okay. I usually go into auditions now, you know, still hopeful, but not expecting to get a part. I think that's a big aspect of it. It will really hurt if you go into [an audition] really wanting something so bad. You just have to go in on every audition saying "you know, it might be for me...if it's for me, God will put in my lap." But, yes, be prepared for rejection. I know, that sounds so negative, but I think it's the biggest thing you have to remember when you get into this business: being prepared to hear "no." So, when it's a "yes" it'll be a nice surprise!

Cool. So, lastly, what's one thing you'd like to impart about HAIRSPRAY? What should the O.C. expect once the show arrives?

Oh, well, you can expect a lot of fun... but to learn a whole lot! It's a lot of fun; people usually get up and dance! But, not to ruin the surprise, but it gets pretty deep, too with all the powerful messages in it.

Photo: Teanna Berry courtesy of The Orange County Performing Arts Center.

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Tickets to see HAIRSPRAY start at $20 and are available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center’s Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 10 will be sign-language interpreted.

For more information, visit OCPAC.org. The HAIRSPRAY tour web site can be found at hairsprayontour.com.

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