Theatre work includes The People in the Picture, The Look of Love, How to Succeed..., Curtains, Sweet Charity, Contact, Fosse, Candide, Crazy for You, A Chorus Line and Pippin.
Lewis has also appeared in Encores! stagings of Fanny, Damn Yankees, Sweet Adeline and Tenderloin. She is married to actor Marc Kudisch.
| Full given name: | Shannon Nicole Lewis |
| Where you were born/where you were raised: | Born and raised just outside of Toronto Canada in a town called Pickering |
| Zodiac Sign: | Cancer |
| What your parents did/do for a living: | My mom taught kindergarten until I was born and then was a stay at home mom, and my dad was an elementary school teacher and then became a successful businessman |
| Siblings: | One younger brother- who's not in show biz |
| Special skills: | I can do a mean velociraptor. Really. I can. |
| Something you're REALLY bad at: | I am terrible at tennis! I am the biggest tennis fan and I think it's because I can't even hit the ball when I play. |
| First Broadway show you ever saw: | Crazy story: the first Broadway show I ever saw was Crazy For You… the week before I joined the company as Vera. I was cast in a Broadway show before I even saw one. |
| If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? | Ooooh- being able to see Gwen Verdon in the original Damn Yankees would have been pretty amazing I think. |
| Current or recent shows you recommended to friends: | I never get to see anything! I have wonderful talented friends in everything on and off Broadway. Go see everything! |
| Favorite showtune(s) of all time: | Anything from Kiss of the Spider Woman, "At the Ballet" from A Chorus Line, "Unusual Way" from Nine, "The Old Red Hills of Home" from Parade, all three sections of the "Rich Man's Frug" from Sweet Charity…. there are too many! |
| Some favorite modern musicals: | I gave myself 30 seconds to think, here's what I came up with: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Spring Awakening, Light in the Piazza, Nine, Contact |
| Broadway or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: | Can you believe that I get to perform next to Chita Rivera every night? I also got to be mentored by the late, great Gwen Verdon. I would have loved to play with Cyd Charisse, Bob Fosse, Michael Jackson, Vera Ellen, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. |
| Your personal vocal or acting idols, living or dead: | In addition to the above, I am a gigantic fan of dancers Sylvie Guillem and Suzanne Farrell. Very inspired by the brilliance and power of Patti LuPone and totally in awe of Chita Rivera. |
| The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | Okay I have two:
The gypsy run-through of the original cast of Ragtime was pretty earth shaking! The opening number alone changed my life. I also went to see the Jackson 5 in their "Victory tour" when I was 8 years old. Seeing Michael Jackson live on stage in his prime was incredible. I have always held him as a pinnacle of a star performance in my mind. |
| Music that makes you cry, any genre: | I have always said I am first inspired by the music of any piece I am working on. That's where it starts for me. All music moves me, but the sound of stringed instruments cuts right to my soul. |
| MAC or PC? | MAC! |
| Most played song on your iPod: | Right now it's "Locked out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars followed closely by "Quarter Chicken Dark" by Goat Rodeo. |
| Most-visited websites: | Playbill.com! Also, goop.com, gilt.com, nytimes.com |
| Last book you read: | I loved "Gone Girl." Right now I am halfway through the Steve Jobs biography and I am fascinated by him…. and heartbroken that such an original is gone. |
| Must-see TV show(s): | "Downton Abbey!" Also, "The Daily Show/Colbert Report," "American Horror Story," "The Walking Dead," "Game of Thrones," "The Newsroom"... My DVR works overtime! |
| Some films you consider classics: | "The Bandwagon," "The Natural," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "The Shawshank Redemption," "All That Jazz," "Waiting For Guffman." |
| Performer you would drop everything to go see: | My husband Marc Kudisch! |
| Pop culture guilty pleasure: | Not a fan of the housewives shows or "The Bachelor"… but I think the way "The Soup" makes lighthearted fun of them is hilarious. |
| Three favorite cities: | Only three? NYC, Toronto, anywhere in Maui. |
| Favorite sport/team/player: | Tennis! Rodger Federer, Nadal, Williams sisters are some of my faves! I also love watching gymnastics- including rhythmic gymnastics. I was a serious gymnast until my teens and I am amazed at where the sport has gone now. |
| First CD/Tape/LP you owned: | My first cassette tape was WHAM! And I loved it. My second was Duran Duran and I loved it too. Not embarrassed to admit it. Side note: My parents owned an 8 track of Harry Chapin that I used to choreograph to and put on shows for my friends. Yup. Apparently my lyrical solo to "Cats in the Cradle" was very moving. |
| First stage kiss: | I am realizing that I have had lot of kisses onstage. Can't remember the first! Haha I can tell you that in my current show, we just did a student matinee for 1000 high school kids and the onstage kisses and sexual situations in the opium den ballet was like being at a pep rally. Hilarious. |
| Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: | I have been performing since I was very young as a dancer but, at age 10, I made my musical theatre debut as "Brigitta" in The Sound of Music and I am told she was very saucy. |
| Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living: | It seemed like the most natural thing. I never made that decision... I was always performing- you couldn't keep me off the stage! |
| Favorite pre-/post- show meal: | Here's the truth, I usually go home and ice my body while hanging out with my dog and hubby BUT-- every now and then you can find me at Bar Centrale or Landmarc with friends having my favorite "wine and fries." Perfect meal in my opinion. |
| Favorite liquid refreshment: | Dirty martini or Supa Dupa Greens from Juice Generation... I strive for balance. |
| Pre-show rituals or warm-ups: | I do 20-30 mins of yoga before every show and I always find a quiet corner and do a little focus exercise before I hit the stage. |
| Most challenging role you have ever played: | My track in Fosse - including "I Gotcha" -- was the most physically demanding role I have ever played hands down. Playing the "Wife" in Contact was emotionally challenging and remains one of the most cherished moments in my career. |
| Craziest audition story: | I was in a very important callback once and the casting director had his/her lunch delivered during my audition while I sang. I finished and the delivery person applauded. Really. I got the job, so I guess all's well the ends well? |
| Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: | I had a costume mishap when I was playing "The Wife" in Contact… I wore this large flouncy skirt with many layers. In the first fantasy section when she dances for the first time, I stood up from the table I had been sitting at and realized there was a large hole in one of the ruffles. I accidentally stepped through it and it started to unravel, becoming longer and longer until I had a 6-7 foot "tail" dragging behind me.
As the "Wife" you don't leave the stage for almost 40 minutes so I ended up twirling it and wrapping it around my body and using it like a feather boa at one point. I had cast members trying to pull it off as it danced by and I believe it finally ripped off near the end of her story. I was told after that stage management was close to stopping the show because it was so terrible, but they thought I was making it work so they didn't. Longest 45 minutes of my life. |
| Worst costume ever: | I admire and adore all the costume designers I have had the honor of working with... but there is a certain pink onesie that I was happy to never wear again. I should note that in the same show, I wore one of the most beautiful costumes I have ever worn. |
| Worst job you ever had: | Working as a living mannequin in store windows and then at corporate parties from age 15-17. Awful and uncomfortable. And to the people who think it's fun to try to make the living mannequins laugh.... it's not funny. |
| A show you would love to star in opposite Marc: | I think it would be fun to play Lola and Applegate in Damn Yankees or Adelaide and Nathan in Guys and Dolls. |
| Leading lady role you've been dying to play: | Spider Woman in Kiss of the Spider Woman. A girl can dream... |
| Something about you that surprises people: | That my mom's side of the family are Mennonites! |
| Something you are incredibly proud of: | Being on Broadway for 20 years. |
| Three things you can't live without: | Laughter. Yoga. Possibilities. |
| Words of advice for aspiring performers: | Don't ever let anyone tell you who you are and what you are capable of. Have a strong center and know who you are outside of everyone else's opinion. Be open to criticism and use rejection to learn and grow but never, ever let it define you. |
