Past roles include Lisa (Dog Days, Montclair Peak Performances); Amy (Where’s Charley?, Encores!); Cunegonde (Candide, NYCO); Lili (Carnival, Goodspeed); Clara (The Light in the Piazza, Weston Playhouse) and Olive (Spelling Bee national tour).
She is co-founder of the music theatre company The Coterie and lead singer for the band Sky-Pony.
Full given name: | Lauren Worsham |
Where you were born/where you were raised: | Austin, TX, born and raised |
Zodiac Sign: | Aries |
What your parents did/do for a living: | College real estate for UT students |
Siblings: | One older brother, Parker Worsham (www.parkerainsworth.com) |
Current Audition Song: | "The Beauty Is" from The Light in the Piazza |
Special skills: | I can stick my tongue in my nose |
Something you're REALLY bad at: | Sports or catching any sort of flying object that's hurtling towards my face |
Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? | My mother always loved musicals and introduced me to them. My high school choir teacher Ms. Couch convinced me that I could sing soprano. My voice teacher of 8 years Virginia Grasso has been helping me grow my voice steadily. And my former boss and New York Mom, Ruth Hendel, showed me how much work goes into mounting a Broadway production from behind the stage. |
First Broadway show you ever saw: | Big |
If you could go back in time and catch any show, what would it be? | Ethel Merman in Gypsy |
Current or recent show other than your own you have been recommending to friends: | I haven't had a chance to see anything! But I know that I would want to see A Raisin in the Sun. |
Favorite showtune(s) of all time: | "If I Loved You" from Carousel |
Favorite musicals of all time: | Gypsy, The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific |
Broadway or screen stars of the past or present you would most love to perform with: | Beverly Sills, Ethel Merman, Gene Kelly |
You personal vocal idols: | June Anderson, Laura Benanti and Camille |
The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | Meryl Streep in Mother Courage |
Music that makes you cry, any genre: | Any time a soprano sustains an effortless high note |
MAC or PC? | MAC! |
Most played song on your iPod: | These days, Camille's "Ta Douleur" |
Most-visited websites: | smittenkitchen.com and thenewyorktimes.com |
Must-see TV show(s): | "Grimm," "Mad Men," "Game of Thrones," "Veep" |
Some films you consider classics: | "Little Women," "Home Alone," "Labyrinth" |
Performer you would drop everything to go see: | Meryl Streep |
Pop culture guilty pleasure: | The TV show "Once Upon a Time" |
First CD/Tape/LP you owned: | Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" |
First stage kiss: | High school. Guys and Dolls. I played Sister Sarah Brown. |
Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: | One of the wicked stepsisters in Beauty in the Beast when I was 12 and playing Duffy in Annie when I was 16 (I was the only orphan who could drive). |
Favorite pre-/post- show meal: | I don't eat post show. Pre-show I try to have an apple or something light. |
Favorite liquid refreshment: | Water |
Most challenging role you have ever played: | Lisa in Dog Days by Royce Vavrek and David Little |
Who were the first people you called/texted after learning of your nomination? | My parents |
Any ideas/hints about your Tony night wardrobe? | Not yet! |
Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: | Just catching the giggles and not being able to stop. It's the worst/best feeling! |
Worst costume ever: | Jonathan Livingston Seagull in the same-titled musical when I was 9. |
If you could trade roles with anyone in the cast for a week, who would it be? | Catherine Walker! |
What has been the most fun or fulfilling aspect of this project? | Playing onstage with such an amazing cast of brilliant people |
Craziest audition story: | The first time I auditioned for Darko Tresnjak for his production of Carnival at Goodspeed. I came in late and pretty mussed. I had spent the morning at the hospital with my husband who had injured himself. That one was fun. |
Leading lady role you've been dying to play: | Gypsy Rose Lee |
Leading man role you wish you could play: | Monty Navarro |
Any upcoming or side projects you can talk about? | My band Sky-Pony has a gig at Rockwood in July! And in 2015 I'll be singing Lisa in Dog Days with L.A. Opera and Fort Worth Opera! |
Career you would want if not a performer: | Mom and Caterer |
Three things you can't live without: | Greek yogurt, cute underwear and a nice big bed |
"I'll never understand why…" | … this winter was so long. |
Words of advice for aspiring performers: | Never give up! |