On The Road: Catherine Charlebois
I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you all to Catherine Charlebois for the inaugural On The Road interview! I first met Catherine backstage at Wicked on Broadway almost four years ago. At the time I had just started working as a swing dresser at Wicked and she was my very first Nessarose. (Elphaba's little sister AKA the Wicked Witch of the East) Catherine is as gracious as she is gorgeous and has a fabulous fashion blog called Charlebois Chic.
It is only fitting for Catherine to be my first On The Road feature because the idea for this series came to me while brainstorming ways to collaborate with her. She is currently on the road (and rocking a wheelchair) starring as Nessarose on the Wicked National Tour. Catherine was immediately on board with my idea so I set up a photo shoot for her in Cleveland with a fabulous local photographer Meghan Doherty. I hope you enjoy my new series and this interview with my beautiful friend!
How long have you been a performer?
My family would say “forever” as it seems like I was always singing, dancing and putting on shows in our living room! But I started performing in school plays from a very young age, started voice lessons and more regional theatre in high school and then got my B.F.A from Syracuse. After graduation, I moved to NYC and started working with WICKED less than a year later!
What is your favorite show that you've ever worked on?
I truthfully don’t think I can answer this! I have been so blessed to work on some fantastic shows with wonderful people and tell some great stories. Each one has been a learning experience filled with lots of laughs and creativity. Obviously, WICKED has been a huge part of my professional career, but I also cherish my time at Music Theatre Wichita, especially my first production there which was BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
Who is the coolest celebrity you've ever met at work?
I rarely am starstruck after working in the entertainment business, but the coolest celebrity that I have ever met at work is probably Diane Keaton. She came to see her friend Carol Kane who was our Madame Morrible at the time. She was dressed exactly like Annie Hall and was so chic, gracious and exactly how I imagined her to be.
What is the most challenging part of being an actor on tour?
The traveling. Living out of suitcases and in hotels without a kitchen, going through airports every few weeks, having to search for groceries and a pharmacy every time we get into a new city, dealing with new allergies and climates…the list goes on. Doing the show itself is the easy part! It is staying healthy and doing the everyday things that become the challenge while you are on tour.
What is the most surprising part of your job?
It always surprises people that Nessarose is actually a very demanding physical and vocal role. It tricks you! Spending most of the show in a wheelchair seems like it would be really easy, but it causes a lot of neck, back and shoulder complications. Since everyone around me is standing up, I spend the entire play with my neck engaged to look up at people, and then add in reaching down to grab the wheels on the wheelchair to push myself, and all of a sudden, things get tricky! I work with our physical therapist to strengthen muscles that will assist me and she does a lot of work to help me relax muscles that get overworked. Nessarose also doesn’t have a very demanding show as a singer, but there is a big scene in act two that is very emotional and high stakes. It includes a lot of yelling and I have to take special care to warm up and down my voice before and after the show so that it can do that as healthily as possible eight times a week.
How long do cast members usually stay on a tour?
It is totally a personal decision! In WICKED, principals usually stay somewhere between nine months to a year and a half. They like to rotate in new principals so that fans will come back to see new cast members and pairings. Ensemble members stay from anywhere between six months and ten years! Some people love traveling and touring, and it is more of a challenge for others.
What are some items you can’t live without backstage?
I like to make my dressing room feel warm and like I am surrounded by my friends and family. I put up cards and photos and quotes that keep them close to me, even when I am across the country! Other than that, I love some upbeat tunes, cozy clothes for when I am not in costume and lots of water.
What is something random about tour that people are surprised to learn?
I find this fact wildly impressive-most of the musicians you see and hear in the orchestra pit do not travel with us, but are local hires in every city! They get the score around a month in advance to practice and after two days of rehearsal with our music director, they jump right into a show!
What is it about this job that makes you come back each day?
The people. Hands down. The people that I share the stage with every night, the entire team backstage, and those who are out in the audience seeing this story for the first time. I am inspired by the artistry, passion, and playfulness of the people in our company every single day and I often think about the girls in the audience who are watching the two women in our show grow, make mistakes and love in their own, individual ways. Knowing how much we could potentially be inspiring and changing lives (as corny as that sounds!) is truly what it is all about.
What has been the most memorable moment on this tour so far?
It was probably during our time in Cincinnati. We had a gentleman who works for the Cincinnati Zoo reach out to offer us “backstage tours” at the zoo and it was probably the coolest perk I have ever received for being in WICKED. We got to see how the zoo runs on a day to day basis and get up close and personal with some of the animals; I pet a red panda and a wallaby, fed an elephant and hung out with a sea lion. I am a huge animal lover and was practically on the verge of tears the whole afternoon!
What is your favorite part of telling this story every night?
I love how despite being such a fantastical spectacle, WICKED is such a simple, human story. The characters are all flawed people, trying to do their best. And I think that is what audiences really connect with.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to pursue a career in the arts?
Be a person. First and foremost. Yes, be a performer and work as hard as you possibly can on your craft, but be a human being living in the world. Meet people, explore your city, get outside, make mistakes, follow other passions-all the things that will make you a happier, well rounded and fulfilled human being will translate into your work and make that stronger as well.
What piece of advice would you give your 18 year old self?
There are innumerable things I would love to sit down and share with myself at 18! Have patience. Don’t stress yourself out about things you can’t control. Have faith. Don’t compare. Don’t be afraid of failure But truthfully, myself at 18 would not have fully understood those things without growing through them and learning those lessons in the right moment of my life.
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
Be kind to everyone. You never know what battles other people may be fighting and you will never regret being kind.
Fun Facts:
What was the first show you ever saw on Broadway?
I know it sounds too perfect to be true, but WICKED was the first show I saw on Broadway. So to make my professional and Broadway debuts on this show was about as special a moment as I could have imagined.
What is your favorite Broadway show you have ever seen?
This question is so hard! We are so blessed to see the most beautiful performances and designs of shows on Broadway. But one that always sticks in my mind was the Lincoln Center Production of “South Pacific”. I remember the overture starting and I had tears in my eyes even before the stage pulled back to reveal the enormous orchestra! Then you add in Kelli O’Hara’s perfectly nuanced Nellie and Paola Szot’s “This Nearly Was Mine” and I left the theatre so moved. I saw that production three times, which is super rare for me!
What is your favorite US City on tour?
I am cheating on this one a little bit. We played North Charleston, South Carolina, but I spend 99% of my time in Charleston while we were there and I totally fell in love. I even went back a couple of years later for another vacation! The architecture, food, shopping and history was so exciting to explore and I could go back every couple of months for that southern food and a walk amongst those gorgeous old homes!
What is your favorite costume you have ever worn?
In the last couple of years, I have been blessed to do three productions of "Beauty and the Beast” and while that gorgeous, gold gown is pretty spectacular, the iconic blue dress, apron and pony tail is probably my favorite. I definitely exploded into tears the first time I saw myself as Belle. Playing that role has been my biggest childhood dream come true. It is not every day you get to play a smart, passionate, brave, kind woman; I just love stepping into her shoes and being inspired by her!
Since you're a fashion and beauty blogger, what are some fabulous stocking stuffers for the makeup lover in my life?
Personally, I love getting a new beauty treat to try out in my stocking! I don’t often break from products I know I love, so gifting your favorite goodies to your friends is a guilt free way for them to try something new without breaking the bank! I shared a full post on this on my blog that you can read here but my absolute favorites to gift are lipsticks (I LOVE Burberry Military Red for the Holiday Season!) and Fun Face Masks. They are inexpensive but feel like a major treat!
