Kennedy Russell
Kennedy Russell (Ensemble)
GYPSY
JUNE 24 — JULY 31
What excites you about Gyspy and the role you are playing?
What excites me about Gypsy is that it truly is a classic show and you don't get the opportunities to perform the classics very much. I am also a big fan of Sondhiem shows and having done Sweeney Todd before, I was excited for the chance to partake in another one of his great works. The score for this show is amazing, yet challenging, which is always so fun to tackle as a performer.
What’s your process like in preparing for a show like this, and how does that process change (if at all) from other shows?
My process for this show in particular is different from others because it involves a lot more dance than I am used to. I make sure to stretch really well before each rehearsal and go through the songs at least twice beforehand. I'm not the most avid dancer, so running through the dance numbers a few times a day helps to keep those tricky steps in my brain!
What’s your biggest challenge about taking on this role?
My biggest challenge for taking this role is probably the fast pace dance numbers and coming into a show with people who have been doing theater a lot longer than I have. This show also has a lot of Jazz style numbers, and as much as I love jazz, it is a harder style of music to sing and dance to.
How did you get started performing?
I started performing with my high school theater back in Dallas, Texas. I didn't think I had the skill to do this professionally so I never auditioned for the shows, but somehow always got thrown into performing them. Our school always lacked the male ensemble so after I finished my tech crew duties I would jump on stage and learn all the ensemble parts. I realized I wanted to keep performing after high school when I auditioned for Heathers and ended up landing the lead role of Jason Dean. That show proved to me that I could do it professionally.
Why do you still perform?
The reason why I still perform is because I love the joy that we, as performers, get to bring to the audience in the seats. No matter how small or big the show is, we can bring so much love and laughter to the patrons that come to see us perform. I think that theater can bring so many people together from all different walks of life, and in these tumultuous times think we can all use a little bit of sunshine here and there.
What’s your dream role, and what do you feel you would bring to it?
Dream role? Gosh I nave so many. I've actually had the honor or performing a dream role of Percy Jackson in The Lightning Thief Musical very recently. However my all time dream role has always been Jack Kelly in Newsies. I think that I could bring some youth into that character, as well as a more androdenous take on the character. After all, he is a character that represents so many men and women during that time period just trying to scrape by.
What’s a fun fact people may not know about you?
A fun fact about me is that I always wear fun socks with every outfit. I have a different pair for each day, but I am a big fan of my super cool space socks! I don't think that's quite the time period for this show, but if you see me outside of performing, I will most likely have on a pair of funky fresh socks!
