Hello Beautiful People,
Krysta Rodriguez has a voice that will move you to tears and put a smile on your face. Krysta Rodriguez is beautiful, both inside and out. Krysta Rodriguez is quite funny, and I am confident that her comedic chops will soon play out in television screens and silver screens across the country. Krysta is a gem of a gal, a class act, someone whom I have come to appreciate, admire, and respect tremendously in the past couple of months, someone whose friendship I hold dear. Krysta and I sat down in Schmackery’s and discussed theater, SMASH, life, and arts education, and I’m elated to share our conversation with you all.
TWT: Did you always know that you wanted to be an actress/singer?
KR: Yes. I didn’t really know what that meant for a long time, but when I was nine months old I used to pull myself up on the piano, and play and scream and sing – so that was always there. I was always the one who was singing loudest in the choir. I remember in first grade when we had career day, I dressed up as a singer. I didn’t really know what that meant, I sort of always knew that I didn’t want to be famous, even on career day I had reservations as to whether or not this should be my chosen career path; fame wasn’t my driving force. When I was about twelve, I was doing a dance recital, and I was in the car with my mom, and I told her that the theatre just smelled different, that it smelled better than anywhere else. And my mom turned to me and said that I could do that as a living. From then on, I never thought of doing anything else.
TWT: You originated the role of Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family. What was that process like?
KR: I spent a lot of my early career understudying – I got to play every role in every show for a long time. Because of that, I got to find some favorite roles; I understudied the role Ilse in Spring Awakening, and till this day, that’s still one of my favorite roles. It’s so rare to be able to play such a meaty, rich role at such a young age. It felt good that someone trusted you so early on, and to cut your teeth on something so full – it’s very rewarding to play that role. But there was something missing, as I did not create the role. I always wanted something that I could pout my own stamp on, and that’s why The Addams Family really stands out for me. The Addams Family was really outstanding for me, as I got to work with Andrew Lippa, and he wrote the songs based on my voice. It was such a relaxing feeling, it felt like the role was my favorite sweater – it never felt uncomfortable, it never felt out of range, it just felt like a perfect fit.
TWT: What’s the best piece of advice you would give to high school students who wish to pursue a career in theatre?
KR: I actually taught high school kids this past year. I went to a performing arts high school in Orange County, CA, and I went back there, directed a show, and taught some classes. I really got to know the students, and it was unbelievably rewarding. I feel like the students are just getting better and better. What I love about teaching is that they’re so talented, but there is a still a little bit of room for improvement. My advice would be to listen to people who you trust, because there is always room for improvement. No matter what happens, you are always going to have the ability to improve. Especially at that young age, the smallest adjustment can take someone from being good to being transcendent. Always keep that learning spirit, because it will get you far.
TWT: Do you have a dream role? If so, what is it?
KR: I definitely wanted to make the switch from stage to television, which I did. I’d like to explore that more. My heart is really in comedy, and I’d like to spend more time exploring that genre. I had gotten pilot that was a comedy, but it wasn’t picked up. SMASH was a surprise, an intensely wonderful experience, but I’d like to explore roles grounded in comedy more. As far as theatre roles go, I would love to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Susan Egan played the role of Sally in the revival, and she was also the principal of the high school that I went to, so she’s a huge inspiration to everyone who has come through that school. I remember seeing her in the revival, and I remember being blown away. Hopefully it’ll come back soon.
TWT: What has your creative process of SMASH been like?
KR: It’s definitely different from theatre. Both television and theatre are unique and wonderful in their own ways. Eight shows a week is really grueling, but in television you can also not know what your exact schedule is going to be like on a daily basis, and for a type A personality such as myself and the people who like to be prepared, that can be a bit jarring. But, as much as I like to be prepared I also like to be kept on my toes. And this show has to be more complicated than other primetime shows, because we put on legit musicals once a week, from the costumes, to the singing, to the choreography – it’s the real deal. Our dancers are the best of the best, we get the scripts a few days before, and then we shoot. Maybe you had a fitting in there before the shoot, but the whole process is just really quick.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs are being cut. What reasons would you give to a politician for preserving the arts?
KR: I went to a performing arts high school, so arts in high schools will always have a special place I my heart. I cannot name a person who didn’t benefit from being immersed in the arts. Out of my high school class, some people became performers and some didn’t. Some people went on to pursue careers in medicine, law, business, and education. There’s a plethora of skills that strengthen when you study the arts, public speaking capabilities, confidence, thinking outside of the box, working as a team, learning long hours, being flexible – all these things come from studying the arts. My high school experience was unbelievably different – we didn’t have time to get in trouble, we just didn’t have time. My schedule was jam-packed with rehearsals and academics, and all of these things were fulfilling to me; I had a 4.0 and did all the plays. I was focused, as were all of my friends. I remember coming to New York and coming to NYU, and hearing people say that they were undecided. That was a foreign experience, because I grew up with people who knew what they wanted to do, forever. My arts high school instilled that sense of direction and purpose, and even if people didn’t pursue a career in the industry, they took that with them. I learned the periodic table by making a song about it, you can be creative and intelligent. The two are not mutually exclusive. It’s so nearsighted to cut funding in the arts, if anything we should be putting more importance in the arts.
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you love?
KR: Fingers on guitar strings.
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you hate?
KR: I get very agitated with consistent high-pitched sounds. I once got into a fight with my dad when we were driving somewhere, because he had Lynyrd Skynyrd Free Bird on, and I couldn’t take it after a while.
TWT: Just for fun, what books are permanently on your bookshelf?
KR: I used to read a lot more. I was in a book club when I was in NY, but then got disconnected from the book club when I moved to LA. Midnight’s Children, by Salman Rushdie is one of my favorite books. It’s dense and beautiful, and he’s an amazing writer. After I read Midnight’s Children I read all of his books, I even went to get a copy signed, and it will always have a special place in my heart. I love what people can do with language that I cannot even fathom.
TWT: Just for fun what’s your favorite movie?
KR: One of my favorite movie s of all time is That Thing You Do, for many reasons. It’s about music, performing, the entertainment industry, and it was filmed in my hometown. I wanted to be an extra, but I had to go to school. If they ever do it as a musical, I’d love to play Faye Dolan, Liv Tyler’s character.
Photo: Patrick Eves
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
KR: This is hard; I’ve had so many good teachers. I had a dance teacher when I was younger, her name was Leanne, and she taught jazz, tap, and ballet, and was the choreographer of my performing dance team. She was so inspiring to me, and I knew I didn’t want to be a dance teacher, but I knew the importance of what she did, and how much she helped shaped people’s lives. In high school, our artistic director was David Greene, and he gave me a lot of opportunities and cast me in a lot of shows that helped me in my career. As far as college teachers go, I’d have to say Mana Allen and Larry Arancio. I went to college for two years, and then I had to take a leave because I started working. I came back to school to learn, but this was after doing a tour, a Broadway show, and a lot of other work. When I returned, the professors and teachers that I had were interested in helping me shape my craft, especially Mana and Larry, because they asked me what I wanted to learn and what I felt like I needed to improve on. It became a really beautiful collaborative experience, and even though I was there for a short time, Mana and Larry made an impact on me that has stayed through the years, and they’ve become a wonderful mentors and friends.
Thank you, Krysta!
Live, Love, Learn,
Megan &