PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Ashlie Atkinson | Playbill

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News PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Ashlie Atkinson Ashlie Atkinson — who co-stars in The Bridge Project's As You Like It — fills out Playbill.com's questionnaire with random facts, backstage trivia and pop culture tidbits.
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Ashlie Atkinson

Full given name: Ashley Elizabeth Atkinson. I changed the spelling of my first name in 6th grade, because I knew too many girls named Ashley, and nobody would call me "Michelle." Even when I begged them.
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Audition song: "When You're Good To Mama"...Anything I can do a little bump-and-grind to makes me happy.
Special skills: Roller derby. Whistling the opening of Guns 'n' Roses' "Patience" —perfectly. Imitating Cher, Macy Gray, and Michael McDonald — poorly.
First Broadway show ever saw: My Fair Lady with Richard Chamberlain
If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? Either Joel Grey's Cabaret, or Gwen Verdon's Damn Yankees.
Favorite showtune: "Wicked Little Town" - Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Most played song on your iPod: TIE: "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns" by The Cramps, and "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" by the Bob Seger System.
Web obsession: www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com
Last book you read: "Underworld" by Don DeLillo. My boyfriend bought it for me, and I recommend it to EVERYONE.
Must-see TV show: "The Daily Show"
Last good movie you saw: My friend Stellianie took me to a screening of "Youth in Revolt," and it was all I could talk about for a week.
Favorite board game: FARKLE!
Performer you would drop everything to go see: Tom Waits. But before she passed on, it would have been Nina Simone.
Pop culture guilty pleasure: "America's Next Top Model." Soooo ashamed. I watch it on my computer because I don't want Nielsen to know.
First stage kiss: I kissed Allyn Schriver in our school production of Oliver!, when she was Bet and I was The Artful Dodger. It was on the cheek, but still pretty scandalous for the fifth grade set. Drag's sort of frowned upon in Little Rock private schools.
How you got your Equity card: Playing Helen in Neil LaBute's Fat Pig — an incredibly lucky break because I was only a year out of acting school at the time.
Worst onstage mishap: An actor's hair product once rubbed off on my face when I nuzzled him onstage. Totally oblivious, I spent the rest of a love scene with a beard of dark hair fibers completely covering my cheeks and chin. I couldn't figure out why the audience kept giggling!
Who have you played on "Law & Order"? Which edition? Homeless Girl Who Identifies Dead Man From Photo on "L&O" Classic (with Misters Orbach and Martin), and director of the "Lorelei Mailer Show" on "Criminal Intent." I'm an SVU away from the trifecta! Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Pets' names: I'm not even allowed to touch the plants on our fire escape.
Favorite junk food: In winter, pudding. In summer, pudding pops.
Who would play you in the movie? Philip Seymour Hoffman...the man can do anything!
Worst job you ever had: Selling designer imposter perfumes in parking lots as part of a pyramid scheme. The worst day of waiting tables was better than the best day at that (loosely-termed) "job."
TV or commercial gig you most enjoyed: I made three music videos for MTV as "Chunky Pam," a plus-size, white girl rap star outta New Jersey. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd ever get to be a rapper. It was a joy from start to finish. A wonderful group of people worked to make those videos happen, and any audition that involves Salt 'n' Pepa's "None of Your Business" is bound to be awesome, y'know?
Leading lady role you've been dying to play: There are two: Josie in Moon for the Misbegotten, and Queen Doris if anyone EVER does a stage version of "The Forbidden Zone." And if you don't know about "The Forbidden Zone," you need to Netflix it. Like, now.
What Shakespearean role would you play forever if you had to? I would be incredibly sad if I could only play one. There are so many good ones! That said... I do love Beatrice...
 
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