by Priscilla

Aug.04, 2011, under Cast Blog

I cover two of the Divas. My first cover is Diva 2, which is for Lucinda and my second cover is Diva 3, which is for Charlotte. I’m also first cover Shirley and second cover Cynthia. Priscilla is a great show for female swings, because everyone we cover is featured and in other shows you often end up covering just the ensemble parts. Shirley, Cynthia and the Divas are completely different types of characters to play, which offers a lot a variety and fun.

I have only been on for Diva 2 at the moment, but I am looking forward to going on for Diva 3 as you get to sing I Will Survive, which is a real crescendo just before the end of Act One. I’d also love to do Downtown and open the show as Diva 1, but I don’t cover her solo track.

Olivia Phillip

I found the flying the Divas have to do very difficult to start with and cried at the beginning of rehearsals, but now I feel quite free and liberated when I’m up there. When you originally audition you don’t even think about the flying aspect of the role. Then when you get the job it slowly sinks in that you’ll have to be pulled up into the ceiling. When you first do it in rehearsal the curtain isn’t in so you can really see how high you are. It feels a lot higher when you are up there than when you are sat in the audience looking up.

Priscilla is my first show in the West End, but before this I did the launch of Ghost and recorded a few of the tracks up in Manchester. I did Chorus Line at the Manchester Lowry playing Diana, as well as pantos and a play at Edinburgh fringe called The Shade Ain’t Right. I was really glad to get Priscilla. I had a few other offers at the time, but I chose this one as it is very me. I love the glitter, glamour and the costumes. It’s such fun.

I love coming down for Downtown at the opening of the show. It almost feels like you are this fairy tale creature. I think I even love it more than the audience does. I’m also a massive fan of Joni Mitchell so my other favourite songs are Both Sides Now and Say a Little Prayer. Say a Little Prayer is very nerve wracking to do, because you are walking back and forth on the revolve as it is turning and you always worry about falling over.

Everyone should come to see Priscilla because it is fun and you’ll have a lovely time. Literally everyone I know that has seen it has come out with a massive smile on their face having had a lovely time.