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BWW Exclusive: Emily Padgett Discusses Life Post-SIDE SHOW; Plus Listen to Debut of 'Ready to Play/We Share Everything' from ADDED ATTRACTIONS!

By: Apr. 16, 2015
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The critically acclaimed cast of the Broadway musical revival SIDE SHOW recently re-united at 54 BELOW, the famed performance venue in New York City. The concert performed included never-before-heard material such as cut songs, extended versions of familiar hits, and additional fun surprises for only those in attendance. This special once-in-a-lifetime LIVE event has been preserved on this brand new album as a fitting companion to the Original 2014 Broadway Cast Recording, also available from Broadway Records. You won't believe your ears... it will never leave you. The album, 'Side Show: Added Attractions', is et for a May 12 release. Click here to pre-order today.

On May 11, the cast will return to 54 Below yet again to celebrate the release of the album, and Daisy herself, played by Emily Padgett, is already preparing for the big night. Below, BroadwayWorld catches up with Padgett on her post-SIde Show life. Read on for the full interview, plus, catch an exclsuive debut of "Ready to Play/We Share Everything" from the new album! This song is a mashup of "Ready to Play" from the 2014 version of Side Show and "We Share Everything" which occupied a similar position in the show in the original version. Additionally, this song features the two male leads (Ryan Silverman and Matthew Hydzik) singing the twins' part on "We Share Everything".


Now that we are a few months out of Side Show, what are your thoughts looking back on the whole experience?

Nothing but joy. It was such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing that score, and do that show, and be attached to another human being! I feel so thankful that I had the experience. And we got to put up the show three times! That's the silver lining in closing prematurely. We did it three times. The cast became very close. I will remember it for the rest of my life.

Do you miss Daisy?

I do miss her. There are parts of Daisy that are so much like me. I put a lot of myself into her. I see glimpses of her every day though. I do miss living in that time period. I enjoyed being in the 30s and getting to sing those kinds of songs and wear those kinds of costumes. I miss the glamorous side of it. She is a lot like me though, so I see her everyday.

The cast album debuted at #1 on the cast album charts- that must be very exciting, because that is something that is going to be around forever...

Absolutely. I actually hadn't listened to it until three days ago when I was at home. I didn't want to listen to it on a computer- I wanted to listen to the album itself, from the CD. So my dad was driving me to the airport and it was actually the perfect amount of time. We listened to the whole album in the car. It was really great to remember all of the little things. I felt so proud to have my voice on a cast album. This was my first one. It was a really cool experience to hear all of it with the orchestra. That score is so special.

And now anyone who didn't get to see it on stage now has a chance to enjoy your performance!

And that's how the original was for me! I never saw the original production but I knew the soundtrack. I think it touched so many people. I think we're hopefully doing that for the next generation!

And you're heading back to 54 Below soon, correct?

Yes, we have a show coming up on May 11. When we were making the cast album we couldn't fit EVERYTHING, so it was billed as being some of the song that didn't make the album. And then we also did a mashup of songs from the original show and from our version. That was so fun. And then Erin [Davie] and I switched roles! That was really fun, and it felt so crazy. When you're doing it, you think, "Oh, I could play Violet." I was terrible! I am so not a Violet at all!

We had such a good turnout the last time and people wanted us to come back. So we're doing two more shows at 7pm and 9:30pm, and it's sort of an album release party. Van Dean at Broadway Records recorded the reunion show, so now we have a live recording, and we're releasing it that day.

We are debuting "Ready to Play/We Share Everything" from the album (below). What can you tell us about that mashup?

Yes, this is one of my favorite songs that we did! We had Terry and Buddy stand next to each other like they were conjoined. It was the four of us singing this amazing mashup. It was so fun and the boys were so goofy. We even did a little bit of choreography. [Laughs] I'm so excited to hear how it sounds! We had so much fun learning it and performing it. It's a gem.

I've heard that you are working on a Maltby and Shire piece now?

I'm in my second day of rehearsal, actually! I'm doing Waterfall. It's based on a Thai novel. I'm the only Caucasian person in the show- everyone else is Asian. It's beautiful. It's very lush. It's about an American woman who marries an older Thai attache. He brings her to Japan and she ends up having a love affair with this younger Thai student, who is played by Bie Sukrit. He is this amazing superstar in Thailand. He's a recording artist and he does movies and TV shows. He's so lovely in helping me with pronouncing things and I'm trying to help him with his English. Our director is from Thailand as well, so it's very authentic with the culture. The music is so beautiful. I think it's going to be amazing.

We're taking it to Pasadena for a little while and then to Seattle. And then hopefully back to New York. It's kinda like Side Show- we're doing two out-of-town's. I think Broadway is always the goal, but I think the project is so special for everyone that we're just digging in and playing to figure out what we've got.

Padgett's Broadway credits include: Rock of Ages (Sherrie Christian), Legally Blonde, Grease. Regional: Side Show (La Jolla, San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award; Kennedy Center), White Noise(Royal George Theatre). First National Tour: Grease (Sandy) Flashdance - The Musical(Alex Owens). TV: "Louie" "America's Got Talent." NY workshop: Nobody Loves You dir. Pam MacKinnon; Diner dir. Kathleen Marshall. Thank you to Bill Condon for this incredible opportunity. Love to family, friends and Brandt. Proud client of Soffer-Namoff.







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