Name: Jennifer Davis
Role in the show: Silly Girl 1
What led you to a life in theatre?
My first major obsession was the original Annie movie. My parents got to hear my charming 9 year old voice belting out "Tomorrow" and "Maybe" non-stop 24/7. It wasn't until high school, just after I started dance classes, that I decided to teach myself how play the guitar as a vehicle for singing popular songs. I played the flute in middle and high school and started dance when I was 14. High school is where my real practical application started and I realized music, dance, and drama didn't have to just be a hobby. I went to school and became heavily involved in Community Theater. My first major musical was Crazy For You. I've done it many times again since, and still love it :)
What other shows/roles have you toured with?
My first tour I traveled through Japan and the U.S. with 42nd Street as ensemble understudying Maggie Jones. Secondly, I was the Steam Heat girl on The Pajama Game and now I am a Silly Girl on Disney's Beauty and the Beast!
Do you have any insights or advice for young students pursuing musical theatre?
Do it because you love it. Give yourself a well-rounded education and don't be afraid to ask questions! There is so much more to this business than just being on stage, and I find it not just beneficial, but fascinating to learn it all... backstage knowledge as well as practical applications like music and dance therapy, etc.
What are some of the pros and cons of touring?
You get to see parts of the country, and sometimes the world, that you never would otherwise. I feel very grateful to have experienced what I have thus far. Though, it isn't always easy to live out of a suitcase and travel in close quarters with the same people day in and day out... the fact is, if you keep looking at the bright side and see that you get to see parts of the country like California and Hawaii for FREE... you can deal with it. ;)
What are your favorite hobbies on the road?
Ha! Well I've adapted the nickname "Buttons" on tour for my MANY uses of buttons in my crocheting projects. I make scarves, hats, gloves, etc. and incorporate buttons as functionally as possible into all them. I've even started to make my own buttons (with help from my mom) out of coconut and shell pieces.
Do you have any dream roles you'd like to play in the future?
Well, I feel QUITE fortunate to have already played a few but I have yet to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret or Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Funny that they're both leading ladies because the wise-cracking sidekicks always to turn out to be my favorites! ;)
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