Rock of Ages’ Kelli Barrett Brings Her A-Game

If you saw Rock of Ages before it made its Broadway transfer, you may recognize my interview guest this week.

Photo: Ben Stothmann | l to r William Parry, Kelli Barrett, Cyrilla Baer & Walter Charles

The mega-gorgeous and insanely talented Kelli Barrett took a few minutes to gab with me about the important things – namely muffins, juke box musicals, and performing in The York Theatre Company’s 2009 Musicals in Mufti concert series in Knickerbocker Holiday.

This past weekend, Kelli Barrett appeared in the production as the rebellious ingénue, Tina Stuyvesant, who falls in love with a man who “cannot take orders from anybody,” (like me! oooooh burn), Brom Broeck, despite her father’s orders to marry the city’s new peg-legged leader, Pieter Stuyvesant.

Barrett has also appeared in the film Confessions of a Shopaholic as the “Woman in Black” and as “Maddie Coleman” on the CBS soap “As the World Turns.”

Kelli, thanks for taking the time to chat. Let’s start with the basic, have you always want to be an actor?

Oh, yes.  From as far back as I can remember I was putting on one-woman shows in my living room and singing Mariah Carey hits into my Fisher Price microphone.

An old babysitter of mine told me that I used to perform “Joseph” in my living room, constructing a stage set out of pillows. What would your dream role be if you could play ANY part on Broadway right now?

The crab in The Little Mermaid, the donkey in Shrek (or just Shrek himself), Angela Lansbury’s replacement in Blithe Spirit.

Wow. Let your Freak Flag flye indeed… How is it different performing a show in Mufti?

Fast and furious is the name of the game – I think I was halfway into a scene with Brom before I was introduced to the actor!  On the whole it’s a lot of fun and very focused on the task at hand which is how I like to work.

Every time I read or write “mufti” I think of muffins. What’s your favorite kind of muffin? And your least?

Lemon-poppy seed for sure.  I don’t care for anything with nuts (especially walnuts).

Photo: Ben Stothmann

Now I’m hungry… back to your last show: Knickerbocker Holiday is apparently difficult to describe. Give it your best shot.

-OK… here goes.  Knickerbocker Holiday is a political satire on America’s beginnings using the early (and not-so-intelligent) Dutch settlers to tell the story of how America’s governmental precepts came to be.  The central device of a love story between two rebels helps push the drama along.  Chaos ensues, hilarity abounds and the audience is left with the sad reality that our country is in much the state as it was in 1938 (when the play was first produced) and 1647 (when our government was founded).

And when was the last time you didn’t take orders given to you?

You mean besides that warrant out for my arrest?  (Just kidding.)  I changed a Paula Dean recipe so that I could eat it without dying instantly of a heart attack.

So you used 5 cartons of cream instead of 8 – genius! You were in Rock of Ages before it came to Broadway, what was that like?

It was a great experience.  I had a blast singing the songs of my youth and I got to work with many talented and lovely people – and act ridiculous, which is always a plus.

Photo: Ben Stothmann | Kelly Barrett & Martin Vidnovic

Now I have always had an issue with juke box musicals… even though I’m now currently working on one. So, if you could produce a juke box musical featuring any band, which would you feature? Why?

Well I just did a concert reading of Romeo and Juliet set to Jeff Buckley music at Joe’s Pub called The Last Goodbye.  I think it is really brilliant and would love to see a fully produced version happen.  Queen would be great too.

Why did I not hear about this?? I would have seen that! Jeez that sucks. Also, my brother once saw a Queen musical called “We Will Rock You.” Said it was atrocious. Now you’ve also been in TV, Film, and Theater – do you have a preference among the three mediums?

You know, I really enjoy them all but theatre is my first love and greatest passion.  Ideally, I would love to flip-flop between movies and theatre and have a career in both.

And last but not least, where will we be able to see you next?

Well, I have two bit parts in a couple of movies out next year.  I play Patrick Wilson’s wife (Jessica) in The Baster (I have like two scenes) and I just filmed two scenes in Remember Me opposite Robert Pattinson and Chris Cooper.  I’m hoping The Last Goodbye will be done in town sometime soon too.  Other than that, it’s back to the drawing board!

Please keep us posted on The Last Goodbye – I know a ton of Buckley fanatics that’ll be screaming in the first row!

Next up at The York Theatre Company are a one-night-only benefit production of The Musical of Musicals!  (The Musical) on July 8th and two forthcoming mainstage productions: Blind Lemon Blues (beginning in September) and Yank! (starting February, 2010).  Blind Lemon Blues tells the story of famed blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson through memories and various musical styles.  Yank! is a new musical about love and survival that offers a peek at the gay world that thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.

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Justin R. Buchbinder is an extremely proud theater queen and prolific writer living and drinking in New York City. His pride and joy is his blog, Justin Plus One, where he invites a different co-blogger on with him every week. This week is 4-time alum, Austin Helms!

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