Interview: Mandy Morris Returns to Kansas City at The New Theater

Reprising her role from the New Theatre production of Hairspray, Mandy Morris returns to Kansas City as Amber Von Tussle. Hairspray with book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mark Shaiman runs through July 12 at the dinner theater. Dennis D. Hennessy directs the New Theatre production and Richard J. Hinds provides choreography.

Morris, who I considered one of the top female actors in Kansas City before moving to LA, sat down with me on Wednesday, just a couple of hours before her first of two performances on that day. Morris stated she was born in California, but grew up in the Kansas City area, graduating from Blue Valley Northwest High School. She went on to attend the University of Missouri at Kansas City, graduating with a degree in biology. A degree she stated she has never used.

How did you get involved in the performing arts?

"It's funny I kind of fell into theater on accident. A friend of mine in high school, she was auditioning for her church play and she was too scared and had me audition with her. I didn't go to her church or anything. I auditioned and got the lead part and like the second those lights hit me, I was like ought oh, I was in love. So I started auditioning at high school, choir, and orchestra but I wasn't really a big theater person.

What was your first professional job?

I got the role of Anita in West Side Story at Rockhurst and the choreographer owned Martin City Melodrama. That led to my first professional gig at 18, I think it was The Coconuts. That led to roles at Worlds of Fun and cruise ships.

What training have you received?

The Miller Marley School of Dance and American Dance.

What theaters have you performed at in Kansas City?

Egads! Theatre Company, American Heartland, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and The Coterie. (Referring to The Coterie) It's such good training for actors, you have 10 a.m. shows, and dealing with the children, it's awesome. This is my sixth show at The New Theater.

I know you did Hairspray in 2012, what other shows have you done there?

I did Grease in 2003, Buddy Holly, Spelling Bee, Move Over Mrs. Markham and it was with Loretta Swit from M.A.S.H.

How long have you been acting professionally?

Since I was 18.

You're playing Amber in Hairspray?

I'm playing Amber, the villain. It's such a fun role.

What's the difference between doing the show at the New Theatre where dinner is included and a staged show at the KC Rep or other?

You know it's really the same; you're not seeing anyone eating or anything. The New Theater just has so many subscribers. We have pretty much a sold out house every night it is unreal. . . I feel like they're my family at The New Theater. They are wonderful people and take such great care of their talent and very professional with quality shows.

When did you move to Los Angeles?

We moved January 2014.

Why did you move to Los Angeles?

I hate winter; I think because I was born there I just feel like I belong on the West Coast. He was kind of itching to get out of KC for a little bit and I said the only way I would do that is if we went to California. I've done New York and traveled the world. I had my studio here and it was very hard to leave. We just wanted to dive in there and see what commercial film was like.

What are you doing out there? Are you doing any auditions?

We've been auditioning.

What have you been audition for?

We've been doing small roles on Tattoo Nightmares, My Crazy Ex, just little features nothing crazy. We opened a show that he (Phillip Russell Newman) wrote and produced on Hollywood Boulevard, Our So Called Loved Ones. We were hitting it hard for a year, but knowing we were coming out here, we were just working to save money to get out here. We'll hit it hard again when we go back.

What are your aspirations?

I've been doing this for so long and I did LA a long time ago and did a lot of stuff before. I think my aspiration is just to do what I love.

What has been your strangest audition?

This is a classic story. I auditioned for Wicked when it was out in Los Angeles about six years ago. While I was visiting LA, I was living in Nashville with my boyfriend at the time, and while I was in LA to audition and visit my grandpa, we broke up. I spent three days in L.A. not sleeping, horribly upset knowing I was going back to Nashville to move my stuff out, it was terrible. As I was going to the airport, I went to the audition and I sang, "Maybe This Time." I've auditioned for them a few times so they knew me. The words, the lack of sleep, the emotions overtook and I probably had the worst crackup of my entire life when I got to the end of it.

What is your favorite role?

Amber is one because I never get to play the villain. This has been the only time I get to play the evil bitch. It's hard at the same time because the audience just hates you. Janet in Rocky Horror Show with Egads! Theatre Company.

Is there anyone that inspired you?

Growing up I was obsessed with musicals like Annie was my movie that I would sing and dance in my room for hours. Kristi Tucker (daughter of Kansas City legend Marilyn Maye) she was my voice teacher. I saw her in Guy and Dolls, I grew up coming to The New Theater, she was Adelaide, and I flipped out. I saw that show three times and I found out she was teaching at Miller Marley. I immediately got in with her and she changed my life. I had such low self-esteem in high school. I was doing theater just yet. She just built me up, she trained me, helped me with my auditions. I thank her for believing in me and seeing something in me because I never did. She literally changed my life.

Hairspray at The New Theatre stars Lena Mary Amato, Cathy Barnett, Melody Betts, Christopher Brasfield, Martin Buchanan, Jon Daugharthy, Seth Golay, Katie Karel, Jim Korinke, Mandy Morris, Tim Quartier, and Cheryl Weaver. The show runs through June 12.

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