Q&A with A Chorus Line's Carleigh Bettiol

The US tour of A Chorus Line may have wrapped a few weeks ago, but that only means a new chapter is unfolding for the company as many of them will be making the trip to Tokyo, Japan in July. Several of the US company members will be taking on new roles for the Japanese engagement, including the impossibly talented Carleigh Bettiol. Carleigh, who previously played the graceful Lois and understudied several other roles, will assume the role of Cassie full-time when the show heads overseas. Read on to learn what excites her most about stepping into that famous red dress and how she is spending her break (or lack thereof!) in the city.

Name

Carleigh Bettiol

Role

Cassie

Describe your favorite song / scene / moment in A Chorus Line.

My favorite moment in A Chorus Line is the "away from the mirror" section. It is the first and only time the entire company does the opening combination all together in the show and the build up to it makes it so exciting!

You played Lois and covered several roles (including Cassie) during the US tour but will be taking on the role of Cassie full time for Japan. What excites you the most about playing Cassie?

I am excited to play Cassie full time because I think it will give me a new perspective on the role. Understudying and performing the role makes you feel completely different than having the part as your own and performing it. As an understudy you are always thinking about what comes next because you don't go on all of the time. You are constantly thinking about things. Having a role as your own allows you to find comfort in your movements and songs so that you are free to grow as a performer each time you do the show rather than thinking about where to go or what to do next! I hope that playing the part of Cassie full time will bring a lot of new and good things to the role that I haven't quite found yet!

Carleigh Bettiol as Cassie / Photo by GION.

Have you ever been to Japan? Are you looking forward to playing this show for a foreign audience?

No, I have never been to Japan. I have never really been overseas so yes, I am extremely excited and honored to perform for a foreign audience! I am excited to see how the Japanese audience reacts to the show and to the cast.

What was the funniest thing that happened to you on or offstage on the first leg of the tour?

The funniest thing that happened to me during the first leg of the tour happened both on and offstage! I got very sick in December and completely lost my voice so the female swing had to go on for me. She hadn't received her own pair of ballet slippers yet so she had to use mine but her feet are MUCH smaller than mine. She tied the elastic on them a lot tighter than I had to when I wore them. I was back in the show for the first time since being sick and our stage manager called places and I was not ready! I finally started to put on my ballet slippers as the pre-show speaker was talking and realized that they were tied so tight that I couldn't get them on! They were knotted and I couldn't get one of the knots out! By the time we were told to go on the stage, I had only gotten one of the knots out of one of the shoes so I ran out on the stage with one shoe on and one shoe in my hand and just kept running until I was off of the other side of the stage. I had to watch the first part of the opening in the wings while I scurried to get the other knot out!

Which was your favorite stop on the tour and why?

My favorite stop on the tour was Fort Worth, TX. We played Bass Hall which is one of the most gorgeous theaters I have ever seen. The outside of it has beautiful statues with gold detail. It was also located right in the middle of downtown Fort Worth where great restaurants, little boutiques, outdoor entertainment, and the best gelato I've ever had were in walking distance! The weather was beautiful and we were there for a full week so we were really able to enjoy the city.

Name one item you could not have lived without while on the road.

I could not have lived without my computer while on tour. It was a way for me to see my family via Skype when I was away for months at a time. It also helped me to find a lot of different restaurants and fun activities in each area we stopped at!

If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show what would it be and why?

If I could go back in time and catch any Broadway show it would be Show Boat. The music and story are so beautiful and the dancing always looked like a blast when I would watch the movie.

What is your favorite showtune and why?

I don't have one favorite show tune. There are so many songs that are fantastic that are very different from each other but are equally as great. I love some of the music from contemporary musicals just as much as from musicals from the 1920s.

What are the top five most listened to songs on your iPod?

According to my iPod, the top five songs I listen to are: “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles, “Between the Lines” by Sara Bareilles, “To Make You Feel My Love” by Adele, “Chasing Pavements” by Adele, and “One Sweet Love” by Sara Bareilles. It is true that I LOVE the music of Sara Bareilles and Adele, however, I listen to all different kinds of music. I have numerous soundtracks from Broadway shows on my iPod as well as music from artists such as Jessie J, Barbara Streisand, Rihanna, Billy Joel, Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews Band, Fabolous, India Arie, and Louis Armstrong.

Do you have any pop culture guilty pleasures?

My pop culture guilty pleasure is "Glee." When the show first came out I thought it was too cheesy for me to get into and now I DVR every episode!

The world is dying to know… what are you doing in your downtime before the Japanese engagement of A Chorus Line?

In my downtime before Japan I have been auditioning, cocktail waitressing, and spending time with family and friends. There hasn't been much "downtime" at all actually...my schedule has been just as busy as when I was doing ACL but being busy is a good thing!