TONYS 2009 Q and A: Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical Nominee - Josefina Scaglione

Josefina Scaglione is starring as "Maria" in the 2009 revival of West Side Story. The 21 year old Scaglione is a trained opera singer and has been in a production of Hairspray. She was set to portray Christine Daae in a production of The Phantom of the Opera in Argentina but had to give that lead up for her coveted casting in West Side Story. The story of how her YouTube video won her an audition and then the lead in Arthur Laurents's revival of West Side Story is already on its way to becoming Broadway legend.

Josefina hails directly from Argentina where she recently created the role of Amber Von Tussle in Argentinean premiere of Hairspray at the Astral Theater in Buenos Aires. She previously appeared in Argentinean productions of Cinderella opposite Argentine television star Sebastián Francini, Annie and Fame. In addition, she has also performed as a soloist in many of the nation's most prestigious concert halls.

She was honored with a 2009 Tony Award nomination for Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical for her soaring performance as "Maria". BWW spoke to her about learning of the news, finding her voice and how much the young actress adores performing on Broadway.

BWW: You had an exciting morning the day of the Tony nomination announcements didn't you?

Josefina Scaglione: It was awesome, just great, my best friend from Argentina was here, so she heard the news and she woke me up with 'WOWOWAHHH, you got nominated! So, I felt great about that.

BWW: It has been a thrilling journey for you, you won the role and were swept right up into the road to Broadway.

JS: Just amazing. It was great shaping and creating the role in a fresh way. Of course too, working with Arthur Laurents was iconic and amazing!

BWW: The work began in earnest very early on, I know you all dug in deep!

JS: All through the way to Broadway we were rehearsing, then to Washington D.C., then here with the opening, the joy of doing the show every night, and working on it, finding new direction, so the nomination, was such a great thing. We enjoyed it, the hard work brings these kind of things, we do our best, it's so exciting.

BWW: How was it after the nominations were announced, that night at the theatre?

JS: We were so excited at the theatre that night, all so thrilled to be nominated. We were hugging and singing, and then hugging more! Hah!

BWW: You are playing such an iconic role, how do you approach each night, each performance?

JS: Playing it every night is a thrill. The role keeps surprising me and I keep finding things new things every night in the role, in Maria. That keeps me from getting bored -hah, and I act it with reality on how I feel that day and every day is different. To be a part of this community, that inspires me every night too. 

BWW: It is such a rich season of shows, to have a new musical like Next To Normal and then a revival ofWest Side Story running, to have Exit The King, God Of Carnage, new works, classic favorites all in one season, what a gift!

JS: It is! I love that all these songs are being sung, these lines are being acted, every night when the lights dim! I honor the importance of Broadway and music and the work.

BWW: Speaking of roles, you were almost going to play "Christine" in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Would you still like to play that one day?

JS: Yes, yes I would, very much so, I love her, I love the music. I will, I will play her one day.

BWW: Well right now you are bringing "Maria" to glorious life every night, all the best at the Tonys, thanks for taking the time to talk to us at BroadwayWorld.

JS: Thank you! It's an honor. It's a big joy to be a part of West Side Story.

Nominations in 27 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony"® Awards were announced on Tuesday, May 5th by Tony Award Winners Cynthia Nixon and Lin-Manuel Miranda from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. 

The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

The American Theatre Wing's 63rd Annual Antoinette Perry "Tony"® Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7, 2009 (8-11pm, live EST, PT time delay) on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

Click Here to View the Full List of 2009 Tony Nominees!

The original Jerome Robbins choreography for West Side Stroy has been restaged by Tony Award nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The cast of 46 stars Matt Cavenaugh (A Catered Affair, Grey Gardens) as "Tony," Karen Olivo (In the Heights) as "Anita,"Cody Green (Movin' Out) as "Riff" and George Akram (The Farrelly's Stuck on You) as "Bernardo." The role of "Maria" is be played by Broadway newcomer Josefina Scaglione. The 21 year old actress comes directly, by special arrangement with Actors' Equity Association, from Buenos Aires after an exhaustive international search for the role. West Side Story also featuresSteve Bassett as "Lt. Schrank," Mike Cannon as "Snowboy,"Kyle Coffman as "A-Rab," Joey Haro as "Chino," Eric Hatch as "Big Deal," Curtis Holbrook as "Action," Michael Mastro as "Glad Hand," Lee Sellars as "Krupke," Tro Shaw as "Anybodys," Ryan Steele as "Baby John" and Greg Vinkler as "Doc" along with Nicholas Barasch, Kyle Brenn, Joshua Buscher, Isaac Calpito, Haley Carlucci,Peter Chursin, Madeline Cintron,Lindsay Dunn, Yurel Echezarreta, John Arthur Greene, Manuel Herrera, Matthew Hydzik,Marina Lazzaretto, Chase Madigan, Yanira Marin, Mileyka Mateo, Kaitlin Mesh, Angelina Mullins, Kat Nejat, Christian Elán Ortiz, Pamela Otterson, Danielle Polanco, Sam Rogers,Michael Rosen, Amy Ryerson, Jennifer Sanchez, Manuel Santos, Michaeljon Slinger,Tanairi Sade Vazquez and Mark Zimmerman. 

West Side Story is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winnerArthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut. West Side Story features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who's Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention) and sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair).

West Side Story is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Sellerwith Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Freddy DeMann,Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller,The Weinstein Company andBroadway Across America.

Tickets for West Side Story at Broadway's Palace Theatre are currently on sale at www.tickemaster.com, by calling 212-307-4100 or visiting the Palace Theatre box office. The playing schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday - Saturday at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $121.50 - 46.50.

Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.