I recently had the opportunity to interview Stephanie Leh, (Via e-mail). Stephanie had many roles in the musical, Angela Weber, Hermione Granger, Leah Clearwater. Stephanie is an amazing actress. I loved her performance as Hermione and her song Die, Bella, Die. It gave me chills and to this day still gets stuck in my head. I know what you are thinking…. What dose Hermione Have to do with Twilight, she is from Harry potter, Well you will have to watch the play on our youtube channel to find out.
You can watch excerpts from the Concert at the Twilight youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaandtheCullens?feature=mhum
Stephanie Leh is a New York City-based actor. She received a BA in Theatre from Messiah College. She has been seen in the city as Hermione in Twilight: The Musical and Hope in Urinetown the Musical. She performed as the Lead Female Production Singer on Carnival Cruise Lines’ M/S Inspiration. Currently, she is on tour with ArtsPower’s National Touring Theater as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables, and this summer will be recording original music for Eric McGee’s Play The Music Softly. You can check out her website at http://web.me.com/stephanie.leh
Stephanie, Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to answer some questions. I really appreciate it. I really loved all the characters you played but especially Hermione, witch really was my favorite character in the play.
Q1: How long have you been singing and acting?
A1: My first real performance, other than singing to stuffed animals on my hearth, was at the age of 6, performing with LA’s Showbiz Kids when I lived in California.
Q2: What is it about Singing and acting that interest you?
A2: feel the most alive when I sing! I know it’s a gift that’s been given to me from God, and I get a lot of joy sharing that gift with people. I definitely feel the most comfortable on stage than anywhere else. It’s where I’m supposed to be :)
Q3: What other plays have u acted in?
A3: Besides high school and a lot of college productions, I have done two musicals at the Bethel Theatre in Minneapolis (Jane Eyre: the Musical and The Mystery of Edwin Drood). I did a production of Urinetown this past September in New York City, and I’m currently on tour with a children’s theater company playing Anne in Anne of Green Gables.
Q:4 What is your favorite play you ever acted in?
A4 :I think my favorites would have to be playing Jane Eyre, and Hope in Urinetown. Very different roles, but both were so much fun to play!
Q5: How did you come to be apart of the Twilight: The Musical, and how did you meet Ashley?
A5: I auditioned for Twilight when I returned from working on a cruise ship last year as a singer. I was away during the making of the film which was why I wasn’t involved in that. Ashley and I met in 2008 because we go to the same church and they hold a Musical Theater Singers Forum every month for people to come sing and get to know each other. We hit it off pretty quickly!
Q6: What was it about the play that made you want to be apart of the show?
A6:I’ve read all the Twilight books, but I’m even more of a Harry Potter fan and when I saw how brilliantly Ashley incorporated those characters I knew I had to be a part of it! And overall I just thought the book was extremely well written and I enjoyed the music a lot too!
Q7:What are you most proud of with the Musical?A7:Definitely my solo in Die, Bella Die. That took a lot of vocal strength and I was proud to have pulled it off!
Q8: Yes Stephanie I agree, your solo Die, Bella Die was one of my favorite part of the play. So you had so many parts in the play, what Character was your favorite to play and why?
A8: Hermione by far. Though Leah was fun to play too. I only played her for one scene but I thought the Pack song was hilarious.
Q9: If you could of played another part what role would you have wanted to play and why?
A9: Probably Bella, but don’t tell Ashley :)
Q10: If you could of dropped and character that you played witch and who would it be?
A10: Honestly I enjoyed them all!
Q11: In what ways are you similar and different from Hermione or any of the characters you played?
A11: Even though Hermione gets carried away, she is very loyal to her friends, and I’d like to think that I am too.
Q12: What was the most challenging thing about playing multiple characters?
A12: Once we got to Act 2 I was only playing Hermione which helped but I think just keeping track of which costume pieces to put on when was the hardest part about the reading.
Q13: Who was the most challenging to play?
A13: Hermione, because I had big monologues, she was definitely the largest role I played.
Q14: What is your favorite scene?
A14: Die Bella Die/Happy Birthday Bella
Q15:Have you read all the Twilight Books?
A15:Yes!
Q16: What Book is your favorite and why?
A16: The 1st and 4th…Hermione is right when she says the middle ones are just angst ridden teens! There were a lot of emotions to sift through !
Q17: So Team Edward or Team Jacob?
A17: Team Edward!
Q18:Harry Potter Or Twilight?
A18: Harry Potter…sorry :)
Q19: Is there any funny stories about rehearsals or the play that you would like to share?
A19:We had a lot of fun during rehearsals, I really enjoyed learning Eddie’s choreography to Dance Around! He’s such a talented dancer and choreographer, and watching him as he taught us was a lot of fun. Learning the Pack song and discovering funny parts (like flipping off Michael when he tells me to take my shirt off) was a lot of fun too. I made some great friend from the cast and I’m so thankful for that as well!
Q20:Is there anything else about the show that you would like to share?
A20: I’m just really excited for Ashley, she did such a great job writing the show and I hope great things happen with it!
Q21: What would you like to say to the fans?
A21:Thanks for keeping up with us, guys! You are the best! You’re the reason our job is so much fun!
Q22: What are you doing now?
A22: Finishing up this tour, and then who knows!
Thank you Stephanie for taking time to answer questions. Good Luck with your tour. I wish I lived closer by so I could see it. I recommend that anyone that is in the NY NJ area to go and see her In Ann. Stephanie you are amazing and I know you will go far with your career.
