Interview: Ashley Budinick of SESAME STREET LIVE! LETS PARTY! at MSG through Monday, 2/19
By: Marina Kennedy Feb. 15, 2018
MSG Live and Feld Entertainment is now presenting Sesame Street Live! Let's Party! at the Theater at Madison Square Garden through Monday, February 19th. With the holiday weekend ahead, it's the ideal time to see this stage show that will delight people of all ages.
Everyone's invited to take part in the sunniest and funniest street celebration in Sesame Street Live! Let's Party! featuring favorite Sesame Street pals Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Big Bird and more in a brand-new sensory adventure live on stage. From the moment the curtain rises, parents and children alike will be on their feet dancing along to a pop-infused soundtrack with new Sesame Street friends and live emcees Casey and Caleb. Planning a party isn't easy when everybody has a different idea of fun, but with some help from the audience, it becomes the ultimate reflection of what friendship plus teamwork can accomplish. Party guests will sing along to new and familiar songs, like "I Love Trash" and "C is for Cookie," with Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster; dance to the beat with Elmo; explore a wintry wonderland when Abby Cadabby's magic goes awry; take flight with Big Bird to learn about some of his fabulous feathered friends and discover new cultures in an interactive Spanish lesson with Rosita.
A unique, up-close-and-personal pre-show experience will be offered at an additional charge prior to select performances, allowing families the opportunity to tour the on-stage neighborhood of their favorite, furry friends before they arrive for the main show. The fun doesn't end there. A variety of interactive activities give children the chance to create, discover and learn as they help decorate for the upcoming party.
Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Ashley Budinick, the Female Swing and Dance Captain for Sesame Street Live! Let's Party!
Ashley Budinick's hometown is Brick, New Jersey. Ashley is an avid runner and like to take dance and yoga classes when she is on tour. She has also been involved in a lot of events with the organization, Dancers Responding to AIDS. Ashley has performed in several Disney Live! productions with Feld Entertainment. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from The University of the Arts.
Being born and raised in NJ, what were some of your earliest opportunities to engage in dance and the arts?
I started dancing when I was 3 years old at Denise Daniele Dance Studio in Brick, NJ. There, I learned from the best at a very young age. We participated in dance competitions, which opened a lot of doors for me, and with New York City so close, it was very easy to come train, audition and take dance intensives to further my skill set and knowledge.
How did your education and mentors influence your career goals?
I got my BFA from The University of the Arts where I majored in Jazz Dance. College really helped me learn more about which direction I wanted to go in with my career. I always knew the stage was my home but college is where I realized my goal was to make sure I was on a stage in front of an audience as much as possible. The feeling I get when I look out into the audience and see all the children and their families smiling, singing, and dancing is like no other. My mentors told me to never give up on what I love and I still live by those words.
Tell us a little about your altruism and how it connects you to the arts community.
I love helping and learning along the way. It is important to help out in the arts community because you can learn so much and further your knowledge as well as feeling good knowing that your small act of kindness made someone's day. I also pride myself in doing as much as I can to help the show and all the cast, crew and staff members. Which is actually an import key message in Sesame Street Live! Lets Party!
You have done a lot of touring. Do you have any favorite places to work and visit?
I think of all the places I have toured, Japan will always be my favorite! I have been lucky enough to tour there three times and each time gets better!
We'd love to know a little about the challenges of being a Dance Captain for such a big show.
Being Dance Captain for a new show is a challenge I love. Being a part of the build of a show you get to learn everything everyone does from the very beginning and watch it evolve. Don't get me wrong, it is challenging to know everyone's track in the show inside and out, but it is very rewarding knowing that you are capable. I am forever grateful that I was chosen to be Dance Captain for this amazing show!
Why do you think that children's entertainment is so important?
Children are the best audience! For many children who attend Sesame Street Live! Let's Party!, this will be their first live theatrical experience. Therefore, it's a huge responsibility to ensure that children are engaged and inspired while attending our show. I think it's very important to be inspired at a young age and this production definitely does that. It also teaches children important messages about growing smarter, stronger and kinder. Our show is musically driven and highly interactive and encourages the entire audience to join in. For instance, one of the games Big Bird plays with the audience is the Bird Game. The audience is divided into three groups, the Blue Owls, the Green Turkeys and the Red Birds. When a blue owl appears on the Community Billboard (CB) screen the audience members in the Blue Owl group "Hoot." When a green turkey appears, the Green Turkey audience members "Gooble." And when a red bird appears, the Red Bird audience members "Tweet!" Another game that we play with CB and the audience is "Donde estan los animales"? Three different animals appear on CB's screen and an animal sound is heard, then Elmo and Rosita ask the audience which one of the animals on CB's screen makes that noise.
What would you like audiences to know about Sesame Street Live?
Sesame Street Live! Lets Party! is an all new highly interactive and musically driven show and the first Sesame Street Live! production produced by Feld Entertainment Inc. The stage is a replica or Sesame Street, which includes the 123 Brownstone building and the familiar stoop with Oscar the Grouch's trash can, Hoppers store, Abby Caddabby's garden and more! There is also a pre-show that families can purchase in addition to their ticket, which takes place before the show. Families take a tour of the Sesame Street Live! stage and take as many pictures as they want of all the iconic spots. Families will also get to meet Big Bird and help us make decorations for our party! It is definitely a show the whole family can enjoy together!
For the future?
Right now I am having such an incredible time touring the United States and being Dance Captain for Sesame Street Live! Let's Party! that I haven't focused on anything else. I would like to continue inspiring and doing what I love!
Tickets for Sesame Street Live! Let's Party! are available at Ticketmaster Charge By Phone (1-866-858-0008) and all Ticketmaster Outlets.
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Photo Credit: Courtesy of MSG Live and Feld Entertainment
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