Interview: Sarah Chelli of NINE at Garden Theater

In her second go around in the musical NINE, Sarah Chelli has gone from being the one cheated on to the one being cheated with.

As a senior at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa. in 2017, Chelli played the role of Luisa del Forno, a long-suffering wife whose marriage to film director Guido Contini is falling apart, thanks to his many infidelities.

 In the Short North Stage version of the Maury Yeston (lyrics and music) and Alfred Kopit (book) musical, Chelli takes on the role of Claudia Nardi, the muse of many of Contini’s greatest films. The show runs Jan. 23 through Feb. 16 at the Garden Theatre (1187 N. High Street in downtown Columbus).

“Contini (played by Matthew Curiano) uses Claudia for inspiration when creating films and they have a shared love for each other,” Chelli said. “He’s trying to pull her on board for this film he's working on throughout the course of the show.

“One of the advantages (of doing NINE a second time) is I’m familiar with the material. When you're coming into a show for the first time, it can get a little overwhelming learning something from Ground Zero. However, it’s been eight years, so I’m kind of relearning everything.”

Chelli got a refresher course when she returned to her native Pittsburgh over the recent holiday break. Her mother Vicki saved a box containing the actress’ old scripts including a dog-eared copy of NINE.

“It wasn't that helpful since I’m playing a different role, but (re-reading my notes) was interesting,” she said. “The memories I had from doing it before started flooding my brain. I’d go ‘I remember when this happened’ or ‘I forgot about that.’”

To prepare for the role, the actress also did a deep dive into the life of Italian film director Federico Fellini, whose life and his movie 8 ½ provide the framework for the musical.

“Doing research gave me some insight on Fellini,” Chelli said. “I learned about his relationship with his wife, the actresses who were his muses and the infidelities he had as well as what the atmosphere on his films sets were like.”

Vera Ryan Cremeans (Contini’s mother), Dionysia Williams Velazco (Luisa del Forno) and Cason Leavitt and Leo Messinger (who share the role of young Guido who revisits the director throughout the show) represent Contini’s family circle.

Other cast members who impact Contini’s life include Tirzah Washington (Saraghina), Alyson Snyder (Sophia), Beth Siegling (Diana), Laura Weatherby (Maria), Lizzie Huelskamp (Juliette), Dana Delisa (Olga Von Strum), Shauna Davis (Lady of the Spa), Miss Jaye (Carla Albanese), Kate Lingnofski (Annabella), Heather Patterson King (Liliane La Fleur), Arriah Ratanapan (Lina Darling), Chrissy Stridsberg (Stephanie Necrophorus), Eli Brickey (Donatella), Rachel Courtney (Bianca), and Lisa Glover (Renata).

While she said this run with NINE, directed by Edward Carignan, still feels like a fresh start, Chelli is on familiar territory. This is her third show with the Short North Stage, following performances in KINKY BOOTS in Nov.-Dec. 2023 and JERSEY BOYS (last November and December). She’s worked with many of her castmates before. In JERSEY BOYS, Chelli played Mary Delgado, who was Frankie Valli’s first wife and his muse of sorts. Even Columbus, once a foreign territory for the New York City resident, is beginning to feel like a second home.

 “I had never been to Columbus before doing KINKY BOOTS,” Chelli said. “I’ve started to get the lay of the land since I’ve been here a couple of times now.

“Honestly, it’s such a cute town. I love to walk around and go to the local restaurants and thrift stores. Plus, Columbus is close enough to Pittsburgh so my family can come and visit.”

Chelli’s path to her career began when she started singing when she was seven years old.

“As a little kid, I was always singing, putting on my little plastic heels, and playing dress up,” she said. “In middle school, I joined the drama club and after playing Jan in GREASE JR., I fell in love with musical theatre.”

While Chelli’s love affair with acting and singing is ongoing, her chosen profession hasn’t always loved her back. Since moving to New York City seven years ago, she has found out how difficult it is to land a role on Broadway.

The actress remembers arriving for her first audition for DEAR EVAN HANSEN at 9:30 a.m. and waiting until 4:30 p.m. to sing her 16 bars. Then came the week and a half wait to find out that she got a call back.

Although ultimately she didn’t get the part, Chelli took away a lot of positives from the experience.

“It was a nice little ego boost. In my first attempt at an audition in New York, I got a call back,” she said. “I was like, ‘Maybe I do have a knack for this.’

“The biggest thing I’ve had to overcome as a professional performer is not to compare myself to other people. We tend to do that a lot because we’re going against people who look like us or maybe have the same skill set as us.

“(As an actor) you often feel rejection. Maybe you made it to the final callback and it went to someone else. You just have to snap yourself out of it and remember you’re talented and gifted.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Fyrebird Media

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