She has previously appeared on Broadway in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Diva), Grease (Sandy) and Hairspray (Amber). Other theatre work includes The Producers, Curtains and Les Misérables.
Spencer was a finalist on the NBC talent competition series "Grease: You're the One That I Want!" She is engaged to actor Jeremy Jordan of Newsies.
| Full given name: | Ashley Marie Spencer |
| Where you were born/where you were raised: | Born and raised in Canton, Ohio |
| Zodiac Sign: | Pisces |
| What your parents did/do for a living: | They are both happily retired. |
| Siblings: | I have 2 older sisters and a brother. |
| Current audition song/monologue: | "Wonderful Guy” from South Pacific |
| Special skills: | Voice impressions, crossing one eye at a time |
| Something you're REALLY bad at: | Not gorging on sweets. I eat chocolate almost every day. It's bad. |
| First Broadway show you ever saw: | Chicago |
| If you could go back in time and catch any show, what would it be? | Show Boat! It was the first movie musical my mom introduced me to when I was little, and I have never seen it performed live. |
| Current show other than your own you have been recommending to friends: | Newsies : ) |
| Favorite showtune(s) of all time: | “The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing” from White Christmas and “Make Believe” from Show Boat |
| Some favorite modern musicals: | Bonnie and Clyde, Hairspray, Children of Eden, Les Miserables |
| Some favorite classic musicals: | West Side Story, Show Boat, Carousel |
| Broadway or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: | Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen and Gene Kelly |
| Your personal vocal idols, living or dead: | Billie Holiday and Whitney Houston |
| The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | Seeing Hairspray for the first time. I remember getting goosebumps watching the show and saying, "I'm going to be in this show some day!"  |
| Music that makes you cry, any genre: | Anytime I hear [my fiancé] Jeremy [Jordan] sing... or listening to old-school jazz and torch songs and soulful R&B |
| MAC or PC? | MAC |
| Most played song on your iPod: | “Either Soldier” or “Sweeter,” both by Gavin DeGraw |
| Most-visited websites: | Playbill.com! And Pinterest
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| Favorite Tweeters: | I'm not on Twitter. Guess I need to get with the program... |
| Last book you read: | "The Help" |
| Must-see TV show(s): | "Parenthood," "Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead," "The Killing," "Mad Men." I watch almost everything on AMC. |
| Last good movie you saw: | "The Artist" |
| Some films you consider classics: | "Gone With the Wind," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Goonies," "White Christmas," "It's a Wonderful Life"... to name a few. |
| Performer you would drop everything to go see: | Jeremy Jordan |
| Pop culture guilty pleasure: | Reality TV |
| Favorite cities: | NYC, Sarasota, Charleston |
| Favorite sport/team/player: | Ohio State Football!! |
| First CD/Tape/LP you owned: | Color Me Badd on cassette tape I think |
| First stage kiss: | My Japheth in Children of Eden, Patrick Clement, at the Canton Players Guild |
| Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: | Playing Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was my 8th grade Christmas show at school. |
| Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living: | When I was as young as 4 years old, watching old movie musicals with my mom. She says singing and dancing is all I have ever wanted to do for as long as she can remember. I can't imagine doing anything else, and I feel so lucky getting to do what I love for a living!! |
| How you got your Equity card: | Hairspray on Broadway |
| Five Greatest Rock Bands of All Time (excluding the bands represented in Rock of Ages): | The Beatles Sly and the Family Stone Queen Heart The Eagles |
| Favorite pre-/post- show meal: | Spaghetti bolognese at Tre Colori |
| Favorite liquid refreshment: | Dr. Pepper... and perhaps mixed with a little Captain Morgan |
| Pre-show rituals or warm-ups: | I have some vocal warm-ups on my iPod from my voice teacher Matt Farnsworth that I do before the show. And I stretch out my limbs backstage before the show starts. |
| Most vocally challenging role you have ever played: | Sherrie in Rock of Ages. It's definitely the most I have ever sung in a show. |
| Biggest challenge about this current project: | Making sure I stay true to the character and play the simplicity. It's easy to go over the top. |
| Favorite part of the show for Sherrie: | This is so hard because I have a lot of favorite moments. I really love the first scene where you see Sherrie following her dreams to be an actress in L.A. It reminds me a lot of myself coming to New York for the first time and wanting to be on Broadway and how exciting it all is! I also love "I Hate Myself for Loving You." Its a big turning point for Sherrie and an awesome girl power moment! Also one of my favorite songs to sing in the show. |
| Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: | When I was playing Sandy in Grease, I was onstage by myself singing and completely blanked on the lyrics in the middle of the song. It lasted 2 seconds, but felt like a lifetime. I just remember looking into the monitors out in the house and seeing my amazing music director Henry Aronson mouthing the words to me. |
| Worst job you ever had: | Working at Arby’s when I was 15 years old on summer break. |
| If you could trade roles/tracks with anyone in the show for a week, who would it be? | I would trade with Miss Josephine Roberts. She is our uber talented and very funny Regina! I think it would be a blast to play that role! |
| Leading lady role you've been dying to play: | I have always wanted to be a Disney princess and would love to play Belle in Beauty and the Beast. |
| Something about you that surprises people: | How insanely goofy I am |
| Something you are incredibly proud of: | My fiancé Jeremy Jordan |
| Career you would want if not a performer: | I have never even thought of doing anything else. |
| Three things you can't live without: | Aside from the most important being my loving and supportive fiancé, family and friendds... I would have to say ice cream, being a performer, and pictures of loved ones. I have a picture of my grandma and I on my first birthday and it has been to every dressing room of every show I've been in, so I always have her with me. I'm crying just thinking about it. |
| Words of advice for aspiring performers: | Don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough. Follow your heart and pursue your dreams because anything is possible. |
