"Pippin" Cast Profile: Crystal Coleman

Now that the show is getting closer, I'll be profiling members of the cast and crew to get everyone in the spirit.  Our first victim/subject/guinea pig is one of our Players, Crystal Coleman.  Crystal brings a lot of experience to "Pippin," and we will be seeing more of her next season.  Read on!

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
CC: Going back to high school, chorus roles in "Crazy For You," "42nd Street," "Li'l Abner" and understudying Frenchie in "Grease," as well as being rehearsal prompter for God's Favorite and Student Director for "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" (All BHS) and Elaine in "Arsenic and Old Lace" (Acrosstown). In college, Barbara Allen in "Dark of the Moon" and Rosamund in "The Robber Bridegroom." In the past couple of years, Violet in "It's a Wonderful Life" at High Springs Community Theater, Snout and Assistant Director in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (HSCT), Director of "Prelude to a Kiss" (HSCT) and Assistant Director of the smash hit "Leading Ladies" at GCP.

GCP Girl: What was your favorite show?
CC: I think every show has had its moments of favorite-ness for me. "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" was the first show I AD'd (in high school), so that holds a special place. "Wonderful Life" got me back into theatre after a few years' break. "Midsummer" was full of a terrific, crazy cast who all loved Harry Potter... and the show closed the weekend the last book came out. Good times. "Prelude" was my baby and I was so happy to see it come to fruition. "Leading Ladies" was a great experience and I was surrounded by an amazing director, production team and cast. And I'm having so much fun in "Pippin," challenging myself and getting to know all the wonderful people at GCP even more. So, I can't really pick.

GCP Girl: What do you feel is your area of expertise - singing, acting or dancing?
CC: Definitely not dancing... I try really really hard, though. I think acting is. If I can't sing a song perfectly, I can act the heck out of it if it's funny or emotional.

GCP Girl: What does your "Pippin" icon represent?
CC: That I'm kind of a geek. It's the Seal of Rassilon from the BBC series "Doctor Who." 

GCP Girl: What do you hope people take away from "Pippin"?
CC: Mostly, I hope the fun that we had putting it together translates in some small way to everyone who sees it. I hope that people who've never seen a show at GCP or at all come see it and it makes them want to see more and more and come back for all the great shows that GCP produces.

GCP Girl: What is your dream role?
CC: Oooh... it changes all the time. Beatrice in "Much Ado About Nothing" is definitely a list topper, but that's a dream show that I'd love to direct, too (and my university did it a couple years after I left... ARGH!). As for musicals, Cathy in "The Last Five Years" or Amy in "Company" are my serious and funny (respectively) dream roles. So, you know... if anyone wants to propose "Company" for the '10-'11 season, you've got one auditioner already. My dream show for directing would be someday, eventually, far away from here, to direct a version of "Eurydice," which is the amazing play running at The Hipporome Theatre until March 22nd. It's one of the best scripts I've ever read, and the production there is amazing and lovely and touching and heartbreaking.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite quote?
CC: Currently, "It is never too late to be who you might have been." - George Eliot

GCP Girl: What inspires you?
CC: My wonderful husband, Chris, who supports me in everything I do and is the rare husband who will come out and help with set construction and enjoy doing it. My family, who come see everything I'm in, even if they know they won't like it. My friends, who are some of the most wonderful, amazing, creative, caring and spectacular people in the world. My day job... I'm the office manager at The Hippodrome by day, and so I'm surrounded by theatre and creativity and getting paid for it.

GCP Girl: Tell me one thing about yourself you would like everyone to know!
CC: That I've absolutely loved being in "Pippin" and want to recognize the amazing production team for guiding us to create what's going to be a great production of the show that's got something in it for everyone. I think the hard work that both the production team and cast have put in is really going to show in how polished and enjoyable the final product will be.
Oh, and also, that I'll be directing Nuncrackers at GCP for Christmas 2009, and that it took a lot of restraint not to plug that earlier in this piece! I'm really excited about it and can't wait to start getting to work with my awesome production team.

Thanks, Crystal! Be on the lookout for more cast and crew profiles coming soon!

xo xo GCP Girl