On The Road: Lael Van Keuren
Today's edition of On The Road features the beautiful actor Lael Van Keuren! Lael was in the original Broadway cast of Sister Act and is currently starring in the national tour of Finding Neverland. While the tour was in Austin, TX., she took my awesome local photographer, Courtney Cope, backstage for a little photoshoot. Obviously, I loved getting a behind the scenes look at her costumes! I hope you enjoy her inspiring interview, and go check out Leal when her delightful show passes through your town!
How long have you been a performer?
I started dancing when I was two years old, and I grew up singing in church. Arts and music have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember! Professionally, I started working when I was sixteen and joined AEA when I was a senior in high school.
What is your favorite show you've ever worked on?
When I was 22, I went to an open singers chorus call for a new show called Sister Act, and amazingly I ended up getting the job. I didn't have an agent at the time, and I will never forget walking home from a dance class at Steps, seeing my phone light up with a 212 number, and hearing the casting director tell me that I would be making my Broadway debut in the ensemble AND understudying a principle role. (Cue screams of "WHAT?!" and many joyful tears as I stumbled past the Viande Cafe. I couldn't believe it.) I think that experience was one of my favorites because I had never before worked on a production from beginning to end. We lasted at the Broadway Theatre for about a year and a half, and I LOVED the relationships I was able to form with my creatives, cast, crew, orchestra, dressers, hair, security, ushers, box office... it was truly one of the happiest times of my life.
Who is the coolest celebrity you've ever met at work?
I loved meeting Neil Patrick Harris when we performed at the Tony Awards and he was hosting - he was so lovely. James Corden came to the Pantages to see Finding Neverland, and as I passed him with my bucket of BC/EFA collections, he winked, "Oh nice! Pocket that, yeah?!" Raven Symone used to invite us to her dressing room between shows to play this trivia game called Bezzerwizzer which I was hilariously bad at. Jimmy Fallon, Wendy Williams, Lana Del Ray, Sutton Foster, the list goes on. This business is a trip!
What is the most interesting day at work you've ever had?
We had a very interesting tech process for Finding Neverland! The first 20 minutes of the show are completely new and different from the Broadway production. New songs, new scenes, new choreography. Our transition from the Prologue to the new opening number became this gigantic puzzle that needed to be solved, and that type of collaborative work is endlessly interesting & exciting for me. Okay, so we need to exit stage left, do a head-to-toe costume/shoe/wig change, and re-enter stage right? In twenty seconds? Let's see what we all come up with.
What has been your most memorable moment on this tour so far?
My Sylvia put-in! Put-ins are always so funny because you are the only one in costumes and wigs - everyone else is sporting a mic belt, some lululemon, and an encouraging smile. I've done many understudy put-ins over the years, but this rehearsal felt particularly momentous because Sylvia is my first starring role. The overwhelming love and support of everyone in the theatre that Friday afternoon made all the difference, and I'll never forget taking the stage as a leading lady for the first time.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
The people. The relationships. Communing with my fellow actors on stage every night. The sheer joy of singing and dancing and telling a beautiful story.
What is the most challenging part of being an actor on tour?
Missing the birth of my niece... I'll get to meet her in March when we go home for our layoff, but it hurts my heart that I won't be there for the birth!
What is the most surprising part of your job?
Neverland is particularly unique in that the actors who play my children are on a rotation - 6 boys, 4 roles, and they each go on for multiple tracks weekly. They're extraordinary. I've never played a mother before, & I'm constantly surprised at how protective I feel of my on-stage children! I've also never played the love interest in a show, so I was surprised and relieved to discover how immediately effortless it was to trust and laugh with my costar Billy Harrigan Tighe! Honestly, I'm such a fan girl for my entire cast.
How long do cast members usually stay on tour?
It depends on the individual. Some people stay for six months, some for a full year, some from beginning to end, some (if you're like me) leave and come back! I opened the Finding Neverland Tour as Miss Jones (ensemble), and I left after 8 months to go back home to NY and start auditioning for the next gig. Three months later, I'm back in Neverland as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies! The possibilities are endless.
What are some items you absolutely can't live without backstage?
WATER. Pastilles & throat coat tea are very helpful when it's dry. I keep a little bottle of oil of oregano on hand at all times to stay healthy! I've never been a huge decorator, but I've received so many special cards/drawings/trinkets on this tour, and now I can't imagine my dressing room without them!
What is it about this job that makes you come back each day?
Ooh this question is going to make me go deep! Live theatre has always had my heart. I feel the most profound sense of homecoming whenever I'm gifted with the opportunity to perform. On top of all that, theatre is a shared experience with the audience every night, and to stand on stage and feel that connection is exhilarating. To quote Meryl Streep, "The exquisite living pleasure of transmitting a character's feelings to an audience is an actor's singular joy."
What is your favorite part about telling this story every night?
The final line we sing: "Believe and you will fly!" I love sending our audiences away each night with a message of hope and love & childlike wonder.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to move to NYC and pursue a career in the arts?
Never stop learning! Take as many classes as you can, and keep that creative fire lit!
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
"Plant your feet, look the other guy in the eye, and tell the truth." - Jerry Zaks
Fun Facts:
Where did you train?
I moved to NYC when I was in eighth grade to attend the Professional Performing Arts School - a public performing arts middle school & high school in midtown Manhattan.
What was the first Broadway show you ever saw?
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I was four. I LOVED IT.
What is your favorite Broadway show you've ever seen?
This question is so hard!! Today, it's The Glass Menagerie (w/ Cherry Jones). Tomorrow, it might be After Midnight. Or Cabaret. Or...
What is your favorite costume you wear in your show?
I love the blue skirt and white blouse I wear at the top of Act 2. I kind of love all of my costumes! They're so feminine and beautiful.
What is your favorite US city you've visited on tour?
Chicago
What are your favorite restaurants you've found on tour?
Souvla - San Fransisco
Pho Lang Thang - Cincinnati
Cheryl's - Portland
