BWW Interviews: Paris Through the Window - Rebecca Luker Breathes Life Into LITTLE DANCER

I'd been living in New York about a year. I was 24 and I was doing a concert for a new composer's evening in this tiny rehearsal studio above Times Square. Included in this evening was a piece being performed by an actor I'd admired for years, the one and only Rebecca Luker. Needless to say, meeting her that evening was a dream come true.

Since the day it was released, I owned the Original Broadway Cast recording of The Secret Garden. I was in high school and as a young gay kid, it was part of the little world that I could own. The other boys could quote you stats from baseball players and the make and model of their favorite cars. I could tell you that the lady from "Life Goes On" was actually a HUGE Broadway star. Suffice it to say, I KNEW Broadway. From the moment I put that Secret Garden cassette into my the player in my Dad's Chevrolet Beretta, I fell in love with Rebecca Luker's voice.

Currently starring in the Broadway-bound "Little Dancer," Rebecca Luker is playing the adult version of Degas' little dancer - a young lady whose image lives on in several differnet versions - many of which reside in Washington's National Gallery of Art.

Rebecca took a few moments from a very busy rehearsal schedule to chat with me about how she got to where she is today.

JM: How are you liking DC so far? I hope you've had a chance to visit the National Museum of Art and see some of the work by Degas that Little Dancer is inspired by. What do you think are the keys to making something as immobile as a sculpture or a painting into a living, breathing musical theatre piece?

RL: I love DC. My husband Danny and I have been many times. I have indeed visited the Nat'l Gallery and have seen Degas' "Little Dancer, aged 14". You asked how one breathes life into a musical based on something not living; in this case, a sculpture. I found the original statue of Marie van Goethem to be decidedly full of life. She looks as if she might leap from her pedestal and pirouette. This statue inspired both Lynn Ahrens and Susan Stroman at different times in their lives, and when Lynn mentioned it in a meeting, Stroman knew it was fate. And thus was born Little Dancer. I think the marriage of dance and art is a natural and Stephen Flaherty has written the most beautiful score I've heard in a long time.

JM: What is it about Europe? So many iconic roles you've played are set in Italy (Nine, Passion), The UK (The Secret Garden, Mary Poppins), and now two shows set in the same building - the infamous Paris Opera (Phantom of the Opera and now, Little Dancer). Is there something inherently more musical about this part of the world, do you think?

RL: You know, I never even thought about the fact that so many of my characters have been from Europe! And yes, two are in the Paris Opera Ballet Corp. What are the odds of THAT? I really don't think that part of the world is more inherently musical. I suppose my voice type, etc. has lent itself to some of these women. But then there's "Magnolia" (Showboat) and "Marion" (The Music Man), both Stroman shows, who are very American and very musical.

JM: What are your favorite and most challenging things about creating a role from scratch? RL: I love creating an original character. The opportunity doesn't come along very often and I'm happy and grateful for this one. When you get to create a character you have the chance to breathe your life into it, to bring your own ideas, and to work closely with the creators. In our case, Susan Stroman, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and David Loud (music supervisor) allow us to bring a lot to the table. It's a wonderfully collaborative atmosphere.

JM: Changing direction a bit, a lot of those visiting BroadwayWorld are people hoping to have a career as long and as luminous as yours has been. How have you done it? What's kept you sane and engaged for this long?

RL: I really love talking to young actors. I so wish I'd had more advice when I was starting out in the business. But here I am, almost 30 years in New York. How did that happen? You know, I truly think it's a combination of hard work, luck, and sensing which opportunities to choose. I also just want to be happy and have a full life.

JM: Finally, we're all a little in love with your wonderful and adorable husband, Danny Burstein. Additionally, any parent in their right mind has said "never marry an actor." What are your secrets to success when you've both failed to heed that advice?

RL: Danny and I work hard to have a normal life. We also love what we do and try to just make it about the work. In Danny's case, I've never met a harder working actor. I strive to be more like him. He's the love of my life and he makes life wonderful. I always say to any group of young performers, "your life can't just be about the business. Find something or someone to care about. You'll probably find that it even makes you a better actor."

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