Here, via email, we hear from Emily Young, who plays Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel in The Roundabout Theatre Company production of Fiasco Theater's Into the Woods, which was recently given a three-week extension through April 12 at the Laura Pels Theatre.
What show recently impressed you?
During rehearsals for Into the Woods, I saw The Marriage of Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera, and it really stayed with me. I hadn’t been to Lincoln Center in so long, and it’s always such a magical experience, especially at the Met when the chandeliers start to rise and you know you’re about to be transported. Set in Seville in the 1930s, the set was so lush and magnificent, and the way the performers threaded through it as it rotated was mesmerizing. The voices were sublime. It was kind of a meditative experience. Though the opera sometimes feels distant from our experience on the theater scene, this felt accessible and in line with what we’re doing. The libretto was funny, and the actors’ comic timing was spot on. I just wish it were easier for everybody to sit in good seats!
What production are you most excited to see?
On the other hand, I have my ticket for Pretty Filthy, The Civilians new porn musical, or from their website, “a new musical about the other Hollywood.” It’s a musical about the adult entertainment industry, inspired by real interviews done over many years with people who work in the porn industry. I’ve been hearing a lot about the workshops of this piece over the years, and I can’t wait to finally see the mounted version. No pun intended. The Civilians are great and I’ve heard many of the songs, by Michael Friedman, which are terrific.
What play/musical would you most like to revive on Broadway, and which role would you want to play?
Funny Girl. First, it’s got a great title. It says right there in the title that women can be funny. I’d love to see a fresh version of it, one that celebrates the genuine journey of a girl dreamer as she becomes a woman with a voice. I would love to play Fanny. The process of getting a foot in the door, then a knee and then your whole self and finding out what you really have to say resonates personally with me. Oh, and the rip-roaring score!
