On The Heels Of...Erin Driscoll

Photography by Carol Pratt
On this, the closing day of Urinetown at Signature, I thought that we would have a conversation with the show's young starlett, Erin Driscoll.
Unlike the other ladies that I have had the honor to interview, (Lynn Filusch, Donna Migliaccio, Sherri Edelen, Karma Camp, Amy McWilliams), Erin is a relative new comer to DC audiences, sparking publications from Culpepper to Damascus asking the question..."Where did they find her?"
Erin and I met during Regina at the Kennedy Center, and became fast friends shortly there after. I caught up with her on the eve of closing night...

SGS- Erin! Glad you could untie yourself long enough to answer a few questions...first of all...the question that everyone seems to be asking about you...Where did you come from???
ED- From right here in DC! I grew up in the area and then went away to school (James Madison). I did some theatre in Cincinnati OH, then Dollywood, TN and then I moved home and got some gigs.
SGS-The second...are you Kristen Chenoweth's long lost sister??
ED- Ha ha! No, but is an honor being compared. I love her and really admire her talent! She has paved the way for the short, female comediennes in musical theater! Love her!
SGS-Tell me a little bit about Hope...how did you develop her character, voice, ect...
ED- Well, she wasn't easy. In fact, during the rehearsal process my director gave me the note ... (and I quote) " I don't want Hope to be crazy but I want the actress playing her to be crazy." What??? Hope, in Urinetown, is the icon of an ingenue. She does the stupid blonde thing because she is that type but you can tell that underneath she has something a little more brewing. Will and I knew that our characters had to be played as real people and not jokes, therefore, the stakes had to be so high to create the comedy of the situation. That is what I was going for anyway. :) I have no clue where the voice came from. I just was reading the script and that is how she sounded when I heard her say the lines.
SGS- Any films/actresses inspire her character?
ED- I mean I would be lying if I didn't say that I am influenced by Kristen's unique style of comedy. But, mostly her character was created out of the Joe's style of the show and the experimentation of rehearsals. You just try stuff and see if it fits what you think "Hope" would do. Joe and I agreed about a lot of her mannerisms... like the posing and head tilts.
SGS-You are going to be appearing in several upcoming shows at our regional houses in the Metro area...what are they?
ED- I am going immediately to "A Year with Frog and Toad" at Round House Theatre. Will and Sherri are also in that show! Then, in March, I am going to Olney Theatre to be Bonnie in "Anything Goes." I will be in "Into the Woods" as Rapunzel with the ever talented Stephen G. Smith! :)
SGS- *Aww shucks* How did you come from The Spirit of Washington to your current position, hot new "It" girl ingenue/charactress?
ED- Who told you I came from the boat!?
SGS-YOU did!!!
ED-AHHH! Well, I am not sure about the "hot new it girl" thing, but I can tell you how I got the part. CONNECTIONS! I am a firm believer. Follow this, if you can, I did Regina with this guy at the Kennedy Center. His boyfriend was writing a show and asked me to do a staged reading at the Signature. At the rehearsals for the reading, the Signature casting director asked me to come to the Urinetown auditions. Then, I auditioned.
SGS-Wasn't Patti LuPone a treat? Or should I say, "Pat-whah"...
ED- oh my! Patti was ... well... Patti. She was fascinating to watch in rehearsals. She definitely got into the role. She is a character on stage and off. :)
SGS- We ate way too much pizza together during that show...where are your favorite places to eat in the ol' Shirlington strip?
ED- Gotta love the Happy Hour at Capital City Brewery! But, if I could, I would eat at that Thai place every night!
SGS- What's in your CD player right now?
ED- Sara Evans' new cd. I love county music females! They can wail!
SGS- Last movie you saw?
ED- Proof... it was good! I loved the play. Can I write that off for tax purposes?
SGS-Totally! And the Sara Evans CD, too! Favorite 5 films?
ED- Usual Suspects, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, West Side Story, American Beauty. any Reese Witherspoon movie (love her as well) at the moment... Sweet Home Alabama
SGS- Last time you were left speechless?
ED- Tonight, when Sherri Edelen said that I was going to be impregnated by Hot Blades Harry! (ONSTAGE!)
SGS- In this series, I have talked to established DC actresses about how hard it is to rise up in the ranks and get your shot in the theatre scene...you are a young actress, and seem to be well on your way to doing just that....any advice to your peers?
ED-I am a firm believer in everything happening for a reason. If you didn't get a show, something better was probably meant to come along. Stick with it! You will have ups and downs in this career and all you will have at the end of the day is your own belief in your talent. So, believe in yourself and when a door closes .... look for the opened window.
SGS- Will you be sorry when Urinetown is over?
ED- Yes! I have loved doing this show! I never have been cast as the girl who gets her boobs and butt checked out before! Very cool! This show has been exhausting though, so I change of pace will be nice. However, I will miss this show tremendously.
SGS- Did you ever think that Urinetown would be the hit that it is?
ED- Hmmm... well I thought it would do well because Joe did such a great job with it and the material is so wonderful! But, I never thought would sell out as fast as we did and that they would add more shows and stuff. I am so happy that it has done so well!
SGS- Sum up your experience with Urinetown...favorite memories?
ED- The are so many memories, but a few favorites come to mind. The night the trap door almost didn't open was fun! When Will couldn't get his shirt to rip! When Sherri had to cover for peoples lines and she just made stuff up! :) This show has been hard work but so rewarding. I love the cast! Every night someone does something clever and funny! I love that everyone can keep it so fresh! It has been an awesome experience.
SGS- What is the secret to being a happy actress?
ED- That is a tough question and probably different for every actress. For me, it is having a job, having a nice apartment, and most of all having friends and family whom I love and who support me. All I need now is a pet! :)
SGS-Thanks so much, Erin...I will be catching up with you soon, I promise! ED- Thanks Stephen! Hope to see you soon.