Thursday, March 3, 2011
Interview with the Writer/Actress that plays Bella
Ashley Griffin Interview
I recently had the wonderful opportunity to interview Ashley Griffin, (over the phone) the main writer behind Twilight the musical. Ashley also plays Bella in the musical. Ashley is absolutely wonderful and down to earth.
You can watch excerpts from the Concert at the Twilight youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaandtheCullens?feature=mhum
Bio:
Ashley Griffin is a NYC based performer and writer. A Los Angeles native, Ashley recently performed as Elphaba in the For Good, “Wicked” special event concert at the Gershwin Theater. Select performance credits include: Off-Broadway: Changed For Good (for which she also wrote the book, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, www.changedforgoodmusical.com) (Ellie), Twelfth Night (Viola), The Five Borough Plays - for which she received a NY Innovative Theater Award nomination for her performance as Jayne. National Tours: Mary-Mary (Mary-Mary), Dreamward (Mary), International Tours: Mary-Mary (Mary-Mary) Regional: Damn Yankees (Lola), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Chicago (Velma). Film and TV: most recently seen performing with Jason Alexander in A Capital Fourth – Live from The Kennedy Center at Capital Hill (PBS), American Dreams, Alias, Ecstasy (Dreamworks.)
As a writer/composer, Ashley’s plays have been produced off-Broadway in New York, as well as in Los Angeles, and Chicago. Highlights include: Theater: Twilight: The Musical (http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaandtheCullens?feature=mhum), Changed For Good (for which she also wrote the book, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, (www.changedforgoodmusical.com) which had its premier in 2006, and is currently in development at the York Theater Company, Fairy Tales, Subtext, and Lily: A dark faerie tale. Film/Web: The 8th Square (currently in preproduction: Doug Jones and Pat Carroll attached), Blank Paige (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blank-Paige/183671583245?ref=ts). Ashley is a featured composer/lyricist (as well as performer) in the ongoing Comix Comedy Club Broadway Comedy Series (most recently featuring “Epic Fail: Broadway’s Future Flops.”) Ashley was twww.changedforgoodmusical.com) which had its premier in 2006, and is currently in development at the York Theater Company, Fairy Tales, Subtext, and Lily: A dark faerie tale. Film/Web: The 8th Square (currently in preproduction: Doug Jones and Pat Carroll attached), Blank Paige (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blank-Paige/183671583245?ref=ts). Ashley is a featured composer/lyricist (as well as performer) in the ongoing Comix Comedy Club Broadway Comedy Series (most recently featuring “Epic Fail: Broadway’s Future Flops.”) Ashley was the recipient of 2007 outstanding playwriting commendation from the NY International Fringe Festival, and a Grand Prize winner in the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festivals Literary Competition. Ashley holds a BFA in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and has studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music, and the Hamilton Academy of Music.
Ashley has a Facebook Fan page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashley-Griffin/143987672287262
Q:Before we begin what would you like to say about The Musical:
A: The Musical was created by some of NYC’s best and brightest talent: “Twilight: The Musical!” is an hysterical parody that definitively proves that with the right combination of cast, story, and creative team, you can have a successful vampire musical!
“Twilight: The Musical!” was originally performed and filmed in March, 2010 at the LABA Theater, NYC. The book was written by Ashley Griffin, with music and lyrics by Jade Bartlett, Kim Dunbar, Jeremy Ezell, Ashley Griffin, Sean Mahoney, David Mallamud, Elyssa Samsel, and Michael Sutherland, with the (fake) twirock sensation: Bella and the Cullens. It was directed and fight choreographed by Michael Mannin, with choreography by Eddie Gutierrez. The performance was filmed by Case Aiken. The cast included Martin Landry, Ashley Griffin, Elyssa Samsel, Brik Olson, Cotton Wright, Eddie Gutierrez, Mark Epperson, Kim Dunbar, Mandee Kulaga, Jack Holahan, and William Cruz Candelario.
“Twilight: The Musical!” (In Concert) was presented June 29th at the LABA Theater. It was directed by Georgia Hair, and choreographed by Eddie Gutierrez (with additional choreography by Michael Bennett and The Hillywood Show). The cast included Kristen Marie Ernst, Martin Landry, Ashley Griffin, Stephanie Leh, Michael Sutherland, Brik Olson, Lauren Ruff, Eddie Gutierrez, Drue Penella, Kim Dunbar, Mandee Kulaga, Jack Holahan, Carly Sakolove, and William Cruz Candelario.
Thank you, it truly was an amazing play. I was at the June 29th performance. Let’s begin.
Q 1: What gave you the idea to write this musical?
A 1: I got the idea in the summer of 2009. I read Twilight over the summer, and I shockingly found twilight to be addictive. I read the first, then read all of the books. As I was reading the books I keep thinking of the Broadway play Spring Awaking. I keept imagining the characters singing about vampires. Also we live in a culture of obsession, witch is something we all can identify with. I noticed how Bella is obsessing over Edward. Also in both Twilight and Spring Awakening they have intense fans. I thought that by writing this play I would turn this obsession we have into a fun way to poke fun and hold a mirror to our culture.
My play Twilight The Musical parodied a lot of things, Spring Awaking being one of them. The play was something to have fun with and to bring in other elements as well.
Q2: What gave you the idea to use Harry Potter, Ron Wesley, And Hermione Granger as the bad guys, instead of James, Laurent and Victoria?
A2: It was a random/genius inspiration. I read the Twilight books first, then saw the poster for the first movie. I saw similarities with Victoria and Hermione, James and Ron, and Laurent and Harry. Victoria/ James dating. Hermione/Ron dating. Victoria/Hermione both are super smart, and have crazy hair. Laurent/Harry both are peace makers.
I thought that James didn’t have a good reason to go after Bella, WHY BELLA? I read an article on Twilight VS Harry Potter, and is twilight replacing Harry Potter. I made a connection, and thought it would be interesting to replace James, Victoria and Laurent with Ron, Hermione and Harry. They have a good reason to go after Bella. Team Potter fans don’t want to see them die. Its a dramatic tension to secretly be voting for the villain. Stephine Myers creates a world where supernatural beings exist. So why not make wizards real too. It works well.
Q3: What was the hardest thing about writing the musical?
A3: Well actually it was easy and fun. I guess if I had to say something it would be time. It was difficult, I had to write it in a month, and all the rewriting was done in rehearsal. The Music took longer. I did a detailed out line with the music to the play. We ended up using the outline to the T. The first act of the play was all of Twilight book 1, then book 2 was done in one song. Book 3 and 4 were done together because there were very similar. I combined Hermione (Victoria) coming with her army (book 3), and the Volturi coming with their army (book 4). I figured I could do that in one instead of two. I have a brilliant cast and a lot of what is in the play came out in rehearsal. So yea anyways I would say that everyone being pressed for time is the only difficult thing.
Q4: How did you meet the people in the play?
A4: There are two cast. The original and the Concert.
All of the cast had to audition for their parts.With the original cast I have known most of them for a long time. I meet them though various projects. The others I met through out the project, and some where recommendations from people already in the play.I also wanted to find composers that could do pop rock like me. We are all now close friends.
Original cast/crew
Directed/Fight Choreography by: Michael Mannin
Choreography by: Eddie Gutierrez
Filmographer: Case Aiken
Cast List (in order of appearance):
Martin Landry – (The Count, Tyler Crowley, Jasper Hale, Boy 2, Aro, Werewolf)
Ashley Griffin – (Bella Swan)
Elyssa Samsel - (Angela Weber, Hermione Granger, Leah Clearwater)
Brik Olson – (Mike Newell, Boy 2, Ron Weasley, Sam Uley, Bill Compton)
Cotton Wright – (Lauren Mallory, Esme Cullen)
Eddie Gutierrez – (Eric Yorkie, Emmett Cullen, Boy 1, Harry Potter, Caius, Seth Clearwater, Dracula)
Mark Epperson - (Charlie Swan, Biology Teacher, Carlisle Cullen, Marcus)
Kim Dunbar – (Rosalie Hale, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Mandee Kulaga – (Alice Cullen, Forks High School Mascot)
Jack Holahan – (Edward Cullen)
William Cruz Candelario – (Jacob Black)
Not everyone from the original cast was available for the concert version. We became a tight family. We received really great responses from the original Musical, so we thought it would be a great idea to do a concert version. It was thought of weeks after the original project was finished, but a lot of the people had other stuff going on.
Concert Version:
Directed by: Georgia Hair
Choreography by: Eddie Gutierrez (with additional choreography by Michael Bennett and The Hillywood Show)
Cast List (in order of appearance):
Kristen Marie Ernst - (Fan)
Martin Landry – (Count Von Count)
Ashley Griffin – (Bella Swan)
Stephanie Leh - (Angela Weber, Hermione Granger, Leah Clearwater)
Michael Sutherland – (Tyler Crowley, Jasper Hale, Boy 3, Aro, Werewolf)
Brik Olson – (Mike Newell, Boy 2, Ron Weasley, Sam Uley)
Lauren Ruff – (Lauren Mallory, Esme Cullen)
Eddie Gutierrez – (Eric Yorkie, Emmett Cullen, Boy 1, Harry Potter, Caius, Seth Clearwater)
Drue Penella - (Charlie Swan, Biology Teacher, Carlisle Cullen, Marcus)
Kim Dunbar – (Rosalie Hale, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Mandee Kulaga – (Alice Cullen, Forks High School Mascot)
Jack Holahan – (Edward Cullen)
Carly Sakolove – (Stephanie Meyer)
William Cruz Candelario – (Jacob Black)
Q5: What are you most proud of with the Musical?
A5: I am most proud of what we all have accomplished. We had hardly any time and no money. When Great passionate people get together anything can happen. I hope this play can be an inspiration. I’m proud of what I wrote, and my performance as Bella. Bella was an insanely difficult role to play. Bella is Funny, she belts high, there is a lot of fight choreography, she is clumsy, and Bella hardly ever leaves the stage. I’m proud of putting the entire play together with no resources and it was still successful.
Q6: If you could do anything different what would it be?
A6: More time to craft everything. I would tweak some things. But we did the best we could with the time and resources we had.
Q7: What made you want to play Bella instead of any of the other characters?
A7: Honestly, with the expiation of Alice and Hermione, there was no one else that would fit for me. Plus I look a little like Bella. I am most like Bella then of any of the other characters of twilight. Bella is the straight man to the crazy world around her. Bella in the play needs to be able to belt high, and dance, and do lots of stunts. Everything I wanted Bella to be in the musical, are my strengths. Also who wouldn’t want to play Bella?
Q8: You have already talked about this a little in Q5, but in what ways are you similar and different from Bella?
A8: Smiler, she is fearless, brave, passionate,and tries to do the right thing. She can be the same girl around crazy things.
Differences. She is angsty, and depressed, dark and brooding. I am energetic and happy. It was sometimes hard having to be serious, during the play, with all the funny things going on.
Q9: What else would you like to say about playing Bella?
A9: It was fun, I loved it. It was far more of a work out then I expected. It was an emotional journey of 4 books in one play. It was intense but fun.
Q10: What would you like to say to the fans?
A10: Thank you so much for all the support. It really means a lot to me. Keep watching and we will send you more good stuff.
Q11: What is the latest with the show?
A11: The full version of the show will be up on the Internet soon. More Recently there was two songs from the musical, Imprinted on an Infant, and What is it about him, was featured in the show Epic fail. You can watch it on our Youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaandtheCullens?feature=mhum
We are looking into other possibilities for the show.
Q12: What are you doing now?
A12: I am working on my personal Youtube channel, of performances that I have worked on outside of twilight. http://www.youtube.com/user/HelenaCampbell
Ashley thank you so much for taking time out of your day for the interview. You are amazing and good luck with everything.
Twilight The Musical
This Blog is all about Twilight The Musical. First Show Date, 29 June 2010.
Twilight the Musicalcomes from the BRILLIANT mind of Ashley Griffin, along with, Michael Sutherland, Kim Dunbar, Jeremy Ezell, David Mallamud, Elyssa Samsel, Jade Bartlett, Sean Mahoney, and Bella and the Cullens twirock band.
Twilight the Musical is fantastically funny, with laugh out loud humor. You have never seen Forks like this before. There are some surprise twist and turns, Twilight the Musical is defiantly something you can sink your fangs into.
Twilight The Musical Goes though all 4 books. It is Narrated by “Stephanie Meyers” played by Carly Sakolove. But near the end of the first book she is kidnaped, and the villains of the Musical take over. You might think that it is, James, Laurent, and Victoria, but it’s not. They got kidnapped as well, and 3 other jelouse and vengeful teenagers, that you all know and love take over. You can watch the concert version at http://www.youtube.com/user/bellaandthecullens you can also follow us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Amazing-Twilight-The-Musical-Fan-Page/173466696014183?v=photos#!/pages/The-Amazing-Twilight-The-Musical-Fan-Page/173466696014183?v=wall and http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Amazing-Twilight-The-Musical-Fan-Page/173466696014183?v=photos#!/pages/Twilight-The-Musical/110232188992519 also you can become a fan of Ashley on facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashley-Griffin/143987672287262#!/pages/Ashley-Griffin/143987672287262
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