Local singer-actor approaches 15th show with RMTC
Red Mountain Theatre Company once again mounts two full productions for its summer season. “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” and “Mamma Mia!” will both show at the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater.
One cast member of “Beauty and the Beast” will be familiar to Birmingham audiences. Amy Johnson was born in Birmingham and grew up in Randolph and Montevallo, where she eventually attended the University of Montevallo and in 2006 earned her bachelor’s of arts in theatre.
“I actually just finished a stint this spring as a guest artist performer with the theatre department in their production of ‘Urinetown,’” she said. “It’s been amazing to connect with the students, reconnect with the campus and perform a dream role of mine, Penny Pennywise. Such an incredible experience.”
ArtsBHAM recently spoke with her about her role in “Beauty and the Beast” and her experiences with RMTC.
Q: How long have you lived in the Birmingham area?
A: I moved to Birmingham shortly after I graduated college and have lived in the Homewood/Southside area ever since. I love Birmingham and have really enjoyed watching it grow and change over the last several years.
Q: When did you first perform with Red Mountain Theatre Company?
A: My first experience with RMTC was “The Sound of Music” back in 2010. So, including the 2014-16 Holiday Spectacular shows, this is show No. 15. Fifteen? Holy cow. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to stay busy in the Birmingham theatre world, and RMTC has definitely been a pivotal part of that.
Q: What other shows have you done in the area?
A: Performing in the Magic City with companies like RMTC, Virginia Samford Theatre, The Dane and others has offered me the opportunity to cross some dream roles off the list like Ursula (“Little Mermaid”), Sister Mary Patrick (“Sister Act”), Lady of the Lake (“Spamalot”), and work on epic old and new shows like “Les Miserables,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Falsettos,” “Hairspray” and others. When I look at the list over the years, I’m a little overwhelmed at how lucky I am.
Q: RMTC Executive Director Keith Cromwell will be directing ‘Beauty and the Beast’; how many times have you been in shows he’s directed?
A: Of the 15 RMTC shows I’ve done, eight of them have been directed by Keith, including “Beauty & the Beast.”
Q: What is working with him like?
A: Every director is different and definitely has a unique style of their own, and it can be tough as an actor to match your style with someone else’s. The thing I’ve learned with Keith is to make sure I have my multi-task switch turned on as soon as I walk in the door. The way he approaches work with actors requires you to perform and listen at the same time, which is much easier than it sounds. You could be mid-song thinking you’re nailing it and he’s known to redirect you and expect you to make new choices right away ... while you never stop singing. I love that challenge.
And it creates an environment where you can’t be afraid to really play and make off-the-cuff choices. Another thing I love about working with Keith is his passion about telling the story in a way that is relevant for our audiences and making sure we understand why we’re here, why what we’re doing is important, why this story is one that should be told.
Q: What do you think you'll bring to the role of Madame de la Grande Bouche?
A: In a role like this one, while The Wardrobe isn’t a central character, her moments on stage are important and you have to find a way to make them stand out without taking away from the focus of the show — for some reason, Madame de la Grande Bouche & the Beast wasn’t a big hit on Broadway.
I try to think early on about the things that make her different – things like voice, posture, accent, movement – and layer that in during rehearsal on top of what we know and don’t know about her story. Every character, no matter the size, has a story. If it’s not written, you build one, and that’s where the fun really is.
For this role, I’m really exploring her size and power, while still keeping her feminine and in the realm of the world. She’s an exception to the rest of the enchanted house objects because she’s not an employee, but an opera singer in real life who was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and wound up under a spell. So that gives her a whole different layer of history to play with. I’m really looking forward to it!
‘Disney’s Beauty and the Beast’
WHAT: Based on the 1991 animated feature film
WHEN: June 8-July 1; Tuesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, 800 19th St. N.