Thank You, Five: Post Show Chat with Maggie Lakis
Performer: Maggie Lakis
Production: Something Rotten!
Role: Bea
Maggie Lakis and Rob McClure (Photo courtesy of The Hippodrome Theater official Instagram account)
Can you talk about your experience joining and touring with the production?
I joined the company in December when they were rehearing for the tour, so I’ve only been with it for a short period of time. When you go on tour, you don’t know who they’re going to be working with and it was just so lucky because it’s become a family so quickly. It’s really nice because we’re going to be spending a whole year with these people so I’m really just so thrilled. Everyone involved –cast, crew, management – they’re all just wonderful, fun people, so we’re having a great time!
Autumn Hurlbert and Josh Grisetti (Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel)
Can you talk about your costumes? There are some large skirts you have to wear!
They’re heavy too! I’m lucky I don’t have to do as much dancing as some of the ladies in their costumes, but they’re so beautiful. And a fun fact about Bea’s- she’s got a lot of earth themes going through. She’s always got leaves or vines or some sort of greenery in every piece. Even when she’s dressed as a boy, the shirt I’m wearing has leaves on it, even though the audience doesn’t necessarily see that. Gregg Barnes, who was nominated for a Tony for the costumes, is so specific and so amazing. The detail work is just beautiful. I love wearing them! I love wearing my costumes. They’re so gorgeous.
Adam Pascal and the cast of Something Rotten! (Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel)
What about the hip additions? Were they hard to maneuver?
Yeah! You need an extra umph to get up moving, and then you stop and then they like keep moving! I had to get used to the weight of it moving on me, but now I’m used to it. I remember the first day being like “oh my god.” When people walk by you, you aren’t used to giving this extra space. I tend to grab onto laundry baskets without knowing it. My skirt grabs them and drags it!