In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works:Q&A with Jennie Sophia

Hello once again Blog Buddies! Kyle here again. Last week I chatted with the beautiful Emily Rogers who is playing Jane in our upcoming production of Brigadoon. The show is now in its fifth week of rehearsals. We have now officially moved into Cahn Auditorium! One more week until the show! If you don't have tickets now get them while you can! For our last week of rehearsals before our opening night on June 4th, I have our amazing leading lady, Jennie Sophia. Don't forget to check back next week for another Q and A!



Full given name:Jennie Sophia Grunseth

Hometown: Goshen, IN. Go Hoosiers!

Current audition song:" If I tell you then I will have to kill all the sopranos in Chicagoland."

Special skills: Falling on my face.

Skill/talent you wish you had or were better at: I have always wanted to be a Prima Ballerina so I would need to have greater flexibility, smaller feet, and years of training.

First musical you ever saw: When I was a wee little one, my Grandpa and Grandma Hepler took me to the Wagon Wheel Theatre to see my first production of Annie. I remember saying to myself, "One day, I want to be on that stage!" And guess what? For about 4 magical "summerstock" summers I was.

Current Chicago show you have been recommending to friends: Duh! Brigadoon at Light Opera Works. Oh, and any show or cabaret that has Doug Peck's name attached to it!

Three favorite musicals: Les Miserable, Ragtime, and Man of La Mancha,

Favorite showtune of all time: The Impossible Dream

The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: The one? There are so many!!!!!! Okay, it would probably be my first trip to New York as a teenager and I had front row tickets to Les Miserable. The story, the music, the marching, the flag, the voies, and the passion rendered me speechless, tearful, and outrageously inspired.

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage? Fell flat on my face in a wedding gown during my final bow as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Yes, as I gracefully lilted down the "dog" aisle at the Wagon Wheel (theatre in the round), I somehow missed the step and ended up sprawled upon center stage with every cast member's arm extended to me! LOSER! After a moment on the floor and a million gasps, I gathered up my gown and me and humbly stood to take my final bow. You can only imagine what was said to me in the meet-and-greet (zoo) line afterwards.

Most played song on your iPod: Well my ipod says Viva La Vida by Coldplay and my only explanation for this is that it is the first song on my "workout playlist". I would say Jane Monheit's rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is one of my absolute favorites. Can you tell I'm a dreamer?

Last book you read: Intent To Live by Larry Moss

Last good movie you saw: The King's Speech

Must-see TV show: I don't watch much TV, but I will watch anything that makes me laugh or cry.

Three greatest TV shows of all time: As a kid, it was the Cosby Show.

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Jesse Mueller

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss: Well lets see who was my first? Hmm.... I believe it was Ryan Caldwell in Arsenic and Old Lace at Goshen High School. I remember being very worried about which way to tilt, to the right or the left? Well we both tilted to the right and noses crashed, kids laughed, and to this day I get a little nervous about which way to tilt.

Worst job you ever had: Buffet attendant at Ponde"gross"a

Who would play you in the movie?Oh let's see.....the young Julie Andrews, Shirley Jones, Natalie Wood, or Audrey Hepburn? :) I would like to see Kate Winslet's interpretation of my life. Oh, and a recent reviewer said I looked like Barbara Parkins from A Valley Of Dolls.

Three things you can't live without: My dog, my Dan, and music.

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why... Eve ate the apple."