Today we are talking to one of the most accomplished bring young stars on Broadway all about her many exciting endeavors new and old including headlining the most recent revival of mega-hit ANNIE as well as playing a major part in the new Disney feature film edition of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's INTO THE WOODS - the gifted and talented Lilla Crawford. Opening up about her experiences participating in the big screen edition of the fairy tale-centric Sondheim classic, Crawford offers insight into her iconic character of Little Red Riding Hood and sheds light on the filmmaking process with director Rob Marshall as well as comments on sharing the screen with such Hollywood heavyweights as Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, James Corden and Meryl Streep. Additionally, Crawford illuminates her time spent headlining the most recent Broadway revival of ever-popular Charles Strouse/Martin Charnin/Thomas Meehan musical ANNIE as well as working with recognizable Miss Hannigans two-time Tony-winner Katie Finneran and GLEE's Jane Lynch, in addition to recounting her experiences meeting the star of the big screen ANNIE remake, Quvenzhane Wallis, and her own thoughts on the updated film remake. Most importantly, Crawford discusses her participation in this weekend's open house Family Day event to benefit Rosie's Theater Kids and shares her enthusiasm for joining Broadway proponent and Tony Award Honors recipient Rosie O'Donnell in bringing attention to the acclaimed theatre program for young performers, as well as clues us in on what she will be performing at the event, too. All of that, participating in Marvin Hamlisch's star-studded PBS tribute, BILLY ELLIOT memories, who she would love to play in the forthcoming WICKED feature film and much, much more!
More information on Rosie's Theater Kids Open House on January 31 is available at the official site here.
Know Things Now PC: I saw on social media you recently visited Rosie's Theater Kids and hung out with Rosie O'Donnell herself. Was that a fun experience? How did it all come about?
LC: Oh, yeah! It came about because I was invited to come and see their Winter performance showcase. They presented it to the founders and supporters of Rosie's Theater Kids. And, I have to say, I think it's such an amazing thing what Rosie does - giving all of these kids the chance to do theatre. I mean, the kids there were just incredible! Of course, some kids don't have the right circumstances and wouldn't be able to do this kind of thing, so this is such a great opportunity for them - and, not only that, but they are really, really talented, too! I mean, there were two girls who did a duet together and it was just amazing - amazing. The kids are so talented - and, they are so interesting to watch, too. They just took my breath away. I loved it.
PC: That's certainly a seal of approval.
LC: It was so great. And, meeting Rosie... first, let me tell you, my mom is a huge fan of
Rosie O'Donnell and she always watches her on THE VIEW. Also, I remember that we used to live in
California so we used to have a car and everywhere that she drove me I always remember she had the Rosie radio show on when she did the radio show at Sirius. I was like 7 and I would listen along - every night. Then, when she got that TV show on OWN we would watch it every single day - we were so mad when they cancelled it! We always watched it. So, meeting her was just incredible.
PC: It seems as though it was a long time coming for you.
LC: Yeah, I mean, I kind of grew up with her because my mom loved her so much and I was there with my mom watching it all.
PC: She was one of the most vocal supporters of Broadway back in the 1990s with her first talk show, too, of course.
LC: That's right. I mean, I wasn't around for that, but I know she had a great show. I've seen some clips from it, of course.
PC: What specifically can we expect from the Rosie's Theater Kids Family Day event this weekend?
LC: Well, it's a family day open house and there will be lots of special activities for people to do and there will performances, too - it is going to be like one big party. It's very casual and fun. And, there is going to be this big thing where kids and students are performing and I am actually performing in that. It's all going to show what the kids are learning - kind of like an open house at school where you can see all of your kid's artwork and stuff. It's going to be really fun - I am really excited.
PC: Can you give us a hint about what song you will be singing?
LC: It's actually a song by
Scott Alan that I recently did at his
54 Below concert - it's called "Fly Away". It's my favorite song to sing and my favorite song that he has written. It's very uplifting, too - I love it.
PC: ANNIE is one of Rosie's personal favorite shows and she often says Miss Hannigan is a dream role. Would you be open to performing ANNIE with her sometime in the future if she asked you to do so?
LC: Aww, of course! Yeah! I would love to! I remember that when they announced
Katie Finneran was leaving, there was a rumor that they were going to get a celebrity to play Miss Hannigan and I remember thinking, "Oh, I hope they get Rosie O'Donnell to play Miss Hannigan! How cool would that be?!"
Jane Lynch was really great, though, and I loved working with her, too. But, to answer your question: yeah, totally; I would love to do it again, especially with Rosie.
PC: Were you familiar with any ANNIE productions or films prior to becoming involved with the most recent revival?
LC: Of course! I remember seeing the national tour of ANNIE when I was like 3 or 4. I actually did ANNIE JR., too, with my youth theatre group.
PC: Who did you play?
LC: I was Bert Healy and I was also the butler, Drake.
PC: Had you seen the films, as well?
LC: Yes, I was very familiar with ANNIE before I did the revival - I had seen both versions of the film, too. Of course, I sort of feel like everyone is familiar with ANNIE - doesn't everyone know what ANNIE is?!
PC: It's pretty ubiquitous.
LC: I mean, this is kind of random, but I have friends from Japan and even they know what ANNIE is! [Laughs.]
PC: Was it exciting to get to meet the new big screen Annie, Quvenzhane Wallis? I saw on social media you two have met.
LC: Oh, yeah! It was amazing! She was so sweet. I actually went to the new ANNIE movie premiere...
PC: What did you think of it?
LC: Well, I mean, of course I had my doubts that they were going to make it all modern and change it a bunch and so I was like, "Ugh, what is this going to be?!" But, I actually thought it was really good! I thought it was so sweet. I got really choked up at the part when she gave the picture to Benjamin Stacks and she was like, "That's Sandy, that's me and that's you." I thought that was so sweet. But, yeah - I really loved it.
Jay Z did such a good job on the music, too, I thought.
PC: Did you enjoy the new Sia-penned song, "Opportunity"?
LC: Oh, yeah - I thought that was a great addition.
PC: Would you consider singing it someday?
LC: Sure! It was a great song.
PC: It's a shame that some people can't seem to get around the idea of a contemporized ANNIE that is not set in the Depression.
LC: I know. You know, I think it's such an appropriate time for them to make a remake that is modern so that it can reach new audiences and be something that people can understand better since it is set in a time that everybody is familiar with.
PC: The slumber party "Maybe" was inventively presented, in particular, I thought.
LC: Oh, yeah - I think so, too! I also thought it was great how they had lots of little hints to the original version - like how in the original movie Daddy Warbucks takes Annie to
Radio City Music Hall to see the
Shirley Temple movie and now in the new version he takes her to see that vampire movie.
PC: Speaking of Jay Z and Sia, who are your favorite current music figures?
LC: I have to be honest, Pat: I am a total nerd and only listen to Broadway people. [Big Laugh.]
PC: Do you have any favorite current songs you'd like to share - pop, Broadway or otherwise?
LC: Well, I do like
Taylor Swift's "Blank Space". I have always liked
Taylor Swift - there is just something about her that is very genuine and sweet. She also has naturally curly hair like me, so that's cool. But, to answer your question: I do really like Beyonce. I am a big fan of hers. But, I don't really have a favorite pop artist - I just listen to some pop songs here and there. Mostly, though, it's Beyonce and show tunes.
PC: What are your favorite cast recordings of all?
LC: Well, I absolutely love BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL. That show really got me into the music of
Carole King and I am a big fan of hers now. I also really like A CHORUS LINE - I love that cast album.
PC: On the note of A CHORUS LINE, you stopped the show at the recent PBS tribute to Marvin Hamlisch with "Disneyland". Not an easy song to do, either - was it difficult for you to learn?
LC: Really?! Is that true?! I guess I worked on it for about a month maybe. I had a lot of time to prepare. I don't know - a lot of people ask me stuff like that, like, "Was 'I Know Things Now' difficult to learn?" But, fun fact, that was actually my audition song when I was like 6 years old - "I Know Things Now".
PC: It's fate!
LC: I know, right?! I had no idea what INTO THE WOODS was, but a singing teacher gave that song to me and when I moved to New York for BILLY ELLIOT I went to a new singing teacher and they were like, "OK. What songs do you have?" And I told them that and they said, "Get rid of it!" [Laughs.]
PC: No way!
LC: Yeah, I know! They were like, "That's not child-appropriate!" And, so, now, in your face, because I am singing it as a child on the big screen - just kidding! [Laughs.]
PC: Do you think it would have worked in the movie to portray the Wolf more realistically and not in a stylized zoot suit costume like Johnny Depp wears?
LC: Well, I think that you want to be different, you know? A lot of people really enjoyed our adaptation - and I am very happy that they liked it.
Rob Marshall said something in a magazine about the movie that I think is a really smart thing to say - he said that when you are making a musical adaptation, you can't just slap it on the screen; you have to make it your own. You have to create it for the screen. People expect the movie to be exactly like the musical, but you can't do that - you have to change it to make it work onscreen. And, I know some people are like, "I wish it was more like the original," but to me that is just boring - then it's just the same thing as it was onstage, but in a movie, you know? So, I think that it was great that we changed the look of the Wolf and that we changed the look of all of the other characters because it brought something new and it brought something fresh to it. I know that there was some controversy about it and that some people didn't like it, but whatever - at least it was different and at least it wasn't the same old wolf costume that everybody usually does.
PC: Are you thrilled with the movie being such a big hit? It recently passed $150 million and it's still in theaters here in the US and about to open in many more internationally.
LC: Well, as soon as I read the script I knew it was going to be amazing. I mean, THE WOODS is such a beloved musical anyway and it is so popular anyway that my only big concern was, you know, "Is Disney going to screw it up?" And, as soon as I read the script, I was immediately like, "No, they are not. This is amazing!" I think that the key to movie musical adaptations is that you have to be true to the show but at the same time you have to do something different with it - and, I think we did exactly that. And, it's amazing. I knew people were going to like it, though - and now they love it!
PC: I have to tell you, the Dragons Stage School in the UK was so thrilled when you retweeted my article about their amateur production of INTO THE WOODS (available here) last year.
LC: Oh, I remember that! Are you connected to them?
PC: No, but I got a personal note from the principal sharing how overjoyed they all were that you wished them good luck.
LC: Oh, of course! I was so happy to show them support.
PC: Have you seen INTO THE WOODS performed in an amateur setting yourself, or perhaps one of the revivals?
LC: Well, of course I've seen the original production on tape, but my first professional production of INTO THE WOODS was the Shakespeare In The Park production with
Amy Adams and
Donna Murphy.
PC: A bit of an outside-the-box take on the show.
LC: Yeah, I remember I saw that during ANNIE rehearsals - and, I saw INTO THE WOODS at Shakespeare In The Park before they even announced that they were doing the INTO THE WOODS movie. So, of course when they announced it, I was like, "This is gonna be incredible!"
PC: The Shakespeare In The Park take on Little Red was more grown-up than the role is often played.
LC: Oh, I know - and, I actually know the actress who played it, Sarah [Stiles]. She was super funny! And, she was super sassy, too - a really funny, really good performance.
PC: What did you think of the concept of the narrator being a child? Was that valid?
LC: Actually, since you asked - he was also my friend, Jack [Broderick]! [Laughs.]
PC: You know everybody!
LC: Yeah - we were actually in BILLY ELLIOT together! So, besides being INTO THE WOODS, I also had two other good reasons to see it.
PC: It's a small world.
LC: But, to answer your question: it was very different from the original and I know that people who grew up watching the original or did it at their school or whatever were like, "Ugh, this is so different! I can't take it," but, that production was my first INTO THE WOODS experience seeing it live and I thought it was really, really great. I thought that's how it was done, but then when I saw the original production on tape I was like, "Oh, I guess not." But, I thought it was really sweet how he was the child of the Baker - I thought it was really cool how it turned out the Baker in the story was actually his dad.
PC: The last shot of the movie capitalizes on that connection, as well, of course.
LC: You're right - it does.
PC: What was the first time you saw the INTO THE WOODS movie for yourself?
LC: At the premiere.
PC: I'm curious: what exactly did you film when you went back for re-shoots a few months later?
LC: Well, they decided to add flashbacks for a few scenes, so we went back to do them like a year later. Actually, I was surprised that no one could see the age difference, because when I am going down into the Wolf's stomach I look so much older than I do in the rest of it. In the beginning, when I am on the bridge with James, that was filmed a year before the part where I am in the Wolf's stomach.
PC: What was it like to film the scene in the stomach with all of the pink silk?
LC: Well, they actually build a set just for that, so I basically just went down into his stomach.
PC: Was that a little bit creepy?
LC: [Laughs.] No, it was great!
PC: Had you met Johnny out of costume before you did the scene together?
LC: Yes. We had rehearsals before we shot it, so we met then. It was a really technical number - you know, there are a lot of different shots and specific angles and things, so we had to do a rehearsal for it and I met him at that.
PC: Was it all highly choreographed given Rob Marshall's involvement as director?
LC: Yes. For example, the whole scene with the Baker that we were talking about was super-duper technical - every movement that I had and every thought that the character had; it was all very, very choreographed. It looked amazing onscreen, though - it turned out so good. Rob is a great director.
PC: "Your Fault" is done so seamlessly, I was curious if you would run through the whole song when shooting it to make sure there was enough coverage and all the angles were hit?
LC: Well, that was broken up into like three separate sections. That song is also very technical camera-wise, so we couldn't do all of it in just one take, though.
PC: Was the rehearsal process one of the best parts of the project, particularly given all the big stars in the cast?
LC: Well, I wouldn't say it was the absolute most fun part of getting to work with all of these amazing actors, but it was definitely a bonus. For me, I think the best part of all and the most fun was just being a part of such an amazing movie and such an amazing show because INTO THE WOODS is just so incredible. I mean, the whole experience was amazing, but it definitely helped having all of those incredible people involved.
PC: How did you first find out you got the part? Do you remember who told you?
LC: Yeah, I do. I actually did an emergency Skyping session with Rob and then 30 minutes later my manager called me and told me I got the part. Those are usually the people who tell you if you got a role or not - your agent, your manager; your representation.
PC: Did you sing "I Know Things Now" at your Skype audition?
LC: No, actually, I didn't. I did the "No One Is Alone" scene and that was it.
PC: That scene is played so sensitively and beautifully. Was it exciting to get to do the scene with Anna Kendrick?
LC: Well, to be perfectly honest... I didn't actually know who she was! [Laughs.]
PC: No way! You hadn't seen PITCH PERFECT?
LC: No, I had not! I've still never seen it. I mean, I knew that she was a well-known actress and that she is very up there when it comes to celebrities, but I had never really seen any of her work before. But, she was super-nice and I really loved doing that scene.
PC: What is your personal favorite moment in the show and/or the film?
LC: Oh, I love "Last Midnight".
PC: Was it incredible to see Meryl Streep film it?
LC: Yes. I mean, it was amazing. It's funny, though, because I remember when we were shooting it I would almost break character just watching her - like I was an audience member or something! [Laughs.]
PC: Getting lost in the moment.
LC: Yeah - exactly.
PC: Did you get a chance to work with Stephen Sondheim one-on-one at all while working on the film and the soundtrack?
LC: I'm sure James [Lapine] and
Stephen Sondheim worked with the cast more early on, but I joined the film late. But, yes, I did get to say a quick hello to
Stephen Sondheim when we were doing the soundtrack - he was working with the orchestra and supervising the orchestrations and I said a quick hello and he was so nice. If you know him, you know what he is like - he was really nice.
PC: Did you sing live on set or was it all pre-recorded, too?
LC: It was sort of a mix of both. There were a lot of songs we sang live, but then there were a few that we didn't, so it really depended on what the scene and the song was.
PC: Was it strange to have paparazzi stalking the set? Did you have any personal interaction with any of them?
LC: To be honest, I never actually really saw any of the paparazzi with my own eyes - but, when I would see those pictures, I'd be like, "Oh, there were people taking pictures of us?!"
PC: Unbeknownst to you! Perhaps they were hiding in the trees.
LC: Probably! Also, I don't really think they were there for me, anyway - they were probably there for
Meryl Streep! Most of the pictures were of Meryl and the other big people. It's kind of cool, but it's also kind of creepy - you know, it's like, "So there were people hiding taking pictures all this time?"
PC: Have you been bringing friends and family to see the film while it is in theaters?
LC: Yeah, I have. On Christmas Day, I saw it with my two really great friends and my mom and my sister. Then, of course, I saw it at the premiere for the first time and I was able to invite some of my friends and my family and stuff, too.
PC: As a notable star of a huge movie musical, do you have a dream part you'd love to play in another movie musical someday?
LC: Well, actually, I do... I heard that they are doing a WICKED movie and I was talking to some of my friends and they said, "You know what would be really cool? If you were in the WICKED movie," and I said, "But, who would I play? Elphaba?" and they said, "No, you should play Nessa Rose," and I thought about it for a minute and I think that could be really fun. So, actually, yeah - I'd love to do that. I also recently saw the SIDE SHOW revival and I really, really loved it and I am so sad that they are closing it early, but I was thinking about it and I think that could make a really good movie.
PC: Stephen Daldry is set to direct the WICKED movie and you have done BILLY ELLIOT already, which he also directed. Did you two ever meet while working on that production?
LC: No, we didn't - I was a replacement.
PC: Are there any other shows that you would love to do or roles that you would really love to play at some point in the future - onscreen, onstage or otherwise?
LC: I think SIDE SHOW is such an amazing show and every single person who sees the show loves it, but I think they didn't let people know about it as much as they should have - it wasn't out there enough. I know they marketed it a whole lot, but I still don't think a lot of people knew about it which is a shame because it is such an amazing show. So, I feel like if it was a movie it would do really well - and I would want to play Daisy, because I love her.
PC: I also wanted to touch on your performance in RAGTIME at Avery Fisher Hall - you were superlative in it. Also, last week was the anniversary of the Broadway opening, as well.
LC: Oh, really?! It was?! How cool! RAGTIME is such an amazing show. I did it at Avery Fisher Hall, but after it was over I would listen to the cast album over and over because it has such amazing songs and it is such an amazing story. I wish everyone involved in the original a big congratulations on their anniversary.
PC: Lastly, what's your favorite recent dessert? Your mouthwatering social media photos of them are to die for.
LC: [Laughs.] Recently? Hmm. I love Kinder chocolates from England, but they don't sell them here. At my school they have an ice cream special sometimes and they have this ice cream sandwich except the sandwich part is like an Oreo and the inside like cookies n' cream ice cream. I love that.
PC: Sounds scrumptious! Thank you so much for supporting Rosie's Theater Kids and for this fantastic chat today, Lilla.
LC: OK. Cool. Thank you so much, too, Pat. Bye.
Photo Credits: Walter McBride, Disney, Instagram, etc.
