Mikkie Bradshaw (center) as Carrie White | Photo Courtesy of Atlantis Productions By Andressa Niña V. Flores
Performing on stage is nothing new to musical theater actress Mikkie Bradshaw.
From playing supporting roles in different hit Philippine musical productions like The Sound of Music, Rock of Ages, Nine, and Aladdin, to landing on her first lead and title role in Carrie the Musical, Mikkie sure is ready to take the lime light for herself.
Just before closing the Manila run of Carrie, a horror musical based on the 1974 Stephen King novel of the same name, Streamline News got to chat with an excited Mikkie, who's ready for bigger roles and opportunities that will come her way.
Performing on stage is nothing new to musical theater actress Mikkie Bradshaw.
From playing supporting roles in different hit Philippine musical productions like The Sound of Music, Rock of Ages, Nine, and Aladdin, to landing on her first lead and title role in Carrie the Musical, Mikkie sure is ready to take the lime light for herself.
Just before closing the Manila run of Carrie, a horror musical based on the 1974 Stephen King novel of the same name, Streamline News got to chat with an excited Mikkie, who's ready for bigger roles and opportunities that will come her way.
Your first big lead role is “Carrie White” in Carrie the Musical. How has the experience been?
It’s been incredible! We’ve been through a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions. Rehearsals were really difficult. It’s a really dark show, so it takes you to a really dark place. And then, you know *what happened to me. It was just really difficult, but so worth it, because I feel like, for this to be my first role, is amazing. I’m so honored, and really, I couldn’t possibly ask for more.
*Mikkie Bradshaw took ill right after the opening night of Carrie the Musical, and was unable to continue for a number of shows. "Carrie" was then played by K-la Rivera, until Mikkie fully recovered.
It’s been incredible! We’ve been through a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions. Rehearsals were really difficult. It’s a really dark show, so it takes you to a really dark place. And then, you know *what happened to me. It was just really difficult, but so worth it, because I feel like, for this to be my first role, is amazing. I’m so honored, and really, I couldn’t possibly ask for more.
*Mikkie Bradshaw took ill right after the opening night of Carrie the Musical, and was unable to continue for a number of shows. "Carrie" was then played by K-la Rivera, until Mikkie fully recovered.
Mikkie Bradshaw just before closing Carrie the Musical last October 6 |Photo by Andressa Niña V. Flores
One of the major themes of Carrie is being different. How do you think differences make somebody more beautiful?
You know, we live in a world with stereotypes, especially in the Philippines. Let’s say, the best example I can think of [are] these Sunsilk commercials, where all the girls have long, black, shiny, straight hair. That’s not me, OK? That doesn’t mean I’m not beautiful. My daughter has the curliest hair in the world, and she’s gorgeous! And you know, I think there’s so much more room in this world for variety and differences don’t mean that it has to be ugly. It just means that it’s adding something in this world to create a big picture that is just so much more than we can have.
Carrie has the gift of telekinesis. Now, what’s the superpower you’ve always wanted to have?
I’ve always wanted to fly. I kept throwing this idea at our director Bobby Garcia na maybe her telekinesis is so strong, she can lift herself off the ground! Wouldn’t that be great? And he just said “no”. Flying, definitely.
A movie adaptation of Carrie (a remake of the 1976 film) will be released soon. In your most arrogant opinion, how does Carrie the Musical stand out?
Ha! That’s a tough one, because when the Carrie musical first came out in the 80’s in New York, it flopped, and people were saying that a show like this should never be made into a musical. But I begged to differ. For me, any story that holds this much emotional content can only be made better, adding music to it, and putting it on a stage and doing it every night live, I don’t think it gets much better than that.
Tonight would be your last show as Carrie. What are your other dream roles that you’d love to play?
It’s so hard! OK, I want to play Vendla from Spring Awakening. I want to play Glinda in Wicked. I want to play Elphaba in Wicked, for who cares? I’ll do it. I will play any of the girls in Songs for a New World. I would love to play Lucy in Charlie Brown. I would, ugh, play Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, which I really like – I hope someone doesn’t [play her]. I want that so bad. Uhhh, think, think, think, think!
***How about Disney?
Disney! Does that count? OK, I would play Belle, Ariel, Mulan, any Disney character. You know, I think, for me, really, the sky is the limit right at this point. This show has made me so optimistic about my career. I could only hope that more roles would come, oh, oh, and if you ever heard of Peter and the Starcatcher, there’s a girl there named “Molly”; I would love to play Molly. I’d love to! [She’s] so me! But you know, I would take any role under the sun, because I feel like, at this point, the doors have opened, and I’m ready. I’m ready! So, bring it on!
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Carrie the Musical is written by Lawrence Cohen, with the music of Academy Award winner Michael Gore and lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford.
The Philippine production of Carrie the Musical was directed by Bobby Garcia, and is the first international production of the musical. It featured a stellar cast, which included multi-award-winning musical theater actress Menchu Lauchenco-Yulo, who played Margaret White, the religious fanatic mother of Carrie, Markki Stroem as Tommy, Yanah Laurel as Sue, and Jamie Wilson as Mr. Stephens - among others.
Catch Mikkie Bradshaw next in Atlantis Productions' coming musical The Addams Family, which will run from the 15th of November to the 1st of December this year at the Meralco theater.
You know, we live in a world with stereotypes, especially in the Philippines. Let’s say, the best example I can think of [are] these Sunsilk commercials, where all the girls have long, black, shiny, straight hair. That’s not me, OK? That doesn’t mean I’m not beautiful. My daughter has the curliest hair in the world, and she’s gorgeous! And you know, I think there’s so much more room in this world for variety and differences don’t mean that it has to be ugly. It just means that it’s adding something in this world to create a big picture that is just so much more than we can have.
Carrie has the gift of telekinesis. Now, what’s the superpower you’ve always wanted to have?
I’ve always wanted to fly. I kept throwing this idea at our director Bobby Garcia na maybe her telekinesis is so strong, she can lift herself off the ground! Wouldn’t that be great? And he just said “no”. Flying, definitely.
A movie adaptation of Carrie (a remake of the 1976 film) will be released soon. In your most arrogant opinion, how does Carrie the Musical stand out?
Ha! That’s a tough one, because when the Carrie musical first came out in the 80’s in New York, it flopped, and people were saying that a show like this should never be made into a musical. But I begged to differ. For me, any story that holds this much emotional content can only be made better, adding music to it, and putting it on a stage and doing it every night live, I don’t think it gets much better than that.
Tonight would be your last show as Carrie. What are your other dream roles that you’d love to play?
It’s so hard! OK, I want to play Vendla from Spring Awakening. I want to play Glinda in Wicked. I want to play Elphaba in Wicked, for who cares? I’ll do it. I will play any of the girls in Songs for a New World. I would love to play Lucy in Charlie Brown. I would, ugh, play Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, which I really like – I hope someone doesn’t [play her]. I want that so bad. Uhhh, think, think, think, think!
***How about Disney?
Disney! Does that count? OK, I would play Belle, Ariel, Mulan, any Disney character. You know, I think, for me, really, the sky is the limit right at this point. This show has made me so optimistic about my career. I could only hope that more roles would come, oh, oh, and if you ever heard of Peter and the Starcatcher, there’s a girl there named “Molly”; I would love to play Molly. I’d love to! [She’s] so me! But you know, I would take any role under the sun, because I feel like, at this point, the doors have opened, and I’m ready. I’m ready! So, bring it on!
----------
Carrie the Musical is written by Lawrence Cohen, with the music of Academy Award winner Michael Gore and lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford.
The Philippine production of Carrie the Musical was directed by Bobby Garcia, and is the first international production of the musical. It featured a stellar cast, which included multi-award-winning musical theater actress Menchu Lauchenco-Yulo, who played Margaret White, the religious fanatic mother of Carrie, Markki Stroem as Tommy, Yanah Laurel as Sue, and Jamie Wilson as Mr. Stephens - among others.
Catch Mikkie Bradshaw next in Atlantis Productions' coming musical The Addams Family, which will run from the 15th of November to the 1st of December this year at the Meralco theater.
