July 10, 2012
Celebrity Buzz Cue & A: Alternate 'Evita' Star Christina DeCicco
By MATTHEW BLANK
Christina DeCicco, who usually stars as Eva Peron twice a week in the Broadway revival of “Evita,” will play a six-performance week July 12-18. She fills out Playbill’s questionnaire of random facts, backstage trivia and pop-culture tidbits.
DeCicco appeared as Glinda in the first national tour of “Wicked” and was part of the original Broadway cast of “Sister Act.”
Other theatre credits include Cindy Lou Huffington in “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” Elmire in “Tartuffe,” Maria in “West Side Story,” Eponine in “Les Misérables” (Barrymore winner), Betty Schaefer in “Sunset Boulevard,” Belle in “Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ ” and Hope Cladwell in “Urinetown.”
Full given name: Christina Marie Anne DeCicco
Where you were born/where you were raised: Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Raised in Long Island, N.Y.
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio... to a fault.
What your parents did/do for a living: My mom is the secretary to the cuperintendent of schools in the town I grew up in. My dad is a Local 3 electrician.
Siblings: One fabulous older sister, Diana.
Special skills: I just finished my first half marathon in under two hours! I think that’s a pretty special skill.
Something you’re REALLY bad at: I’m terrible at going to bed at a reasonable time!! Which is probably why I am so clumsy and always falling!! I fall all of the time. Maybe if I start getting more sleep...
First Broadway show you ever saw: “Annie” in 1983 and I sang along the entire time! Oops.
If you could go back in time and catch any show, what would it be? The original production of “Evita” (on a Wednesday or Saturday matinee).
Current or recent show you recommended to friends: “Venus in Fur.” Nina Arianda was a powerhouse!!
Favorite showtune(s) of all time: The “Tonight” quintet from “West Side Story”
Some favorite modern musicals: “City of Angels,” “Light in the Piazza”
Some favorite classic musicals: “West Side Story,” “A Chorus Line” (Does that count as a classic? It’s a classic to me!)
Stage or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: How about TV stars? Because it would definitely be Lucille Ball or the entire cast of “The Honeymooners.”
Music that makes you cry, any genre: “Yesterday” by the Beatles
Mac or PC? Mac
Most played song on your iPod: Since I’ve been running a lot lately, it’s probably something by Ke$ha, Katy Perry or Rihanna!!
Last book you read: “Eva Peron: A Biography” by Alicia Ortiz. Elena Roger and I have read and re-read this book throughout the Evita rehearsal process, although she had Spanish text and I had the English!
Must-see TV show(s): “Mad Men”!!!
Last good movie you saw: I loved “My Week With Marilyn”
Some films you consider classics: “The Wizard of Oz.” “Moonstruck.” “A League of Their Own.” “Godfather” I & II. “Elf.” (“You sit on a throne of lies!!!!”)
Pop culture guilty pleasure: I like to keep up with the Kardashians...
Favorite cities: NEW YORK!! San Francisco & Chicago
Favorite sport/team/player: Baseball/Yankees/Derek Jeter
First CD/Tape/LP you owned: New Kids on the Block!!! Ahhh Joey McIntyre...
When you first realized you could sing: In the third grade when I got a solo in “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
First stage kiss: Evan Klein during “The Leader of the Pack” in the 7th grade
Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: I was cast as Nicely Nicely Johnson in “Guys and Dolls” my senior year of high school and I was so upset. I ended up having the best time singing “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” every night!!!
How you got your Equity card: As one of Picasso’s lovers in a show called “La Vie En Bleu” at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philly
Favorite liquid refreshment: Green smoothies!! Or wine. Green smoothies WITH wine... Okay, just wine.
Pre-show rituals or warm-ups: Bikram Yoga
Most vocally challenging role you have ever played: Gonna have to go with Eva... but Glinda is definitely a very close second.
Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: At one performance of “Wicked,” I was extra exuberant during “Popular” and accidentally flashed the audience. I was hoping no one noticed until a spotlight operator above the stage yelled to another crew member, “Hey! Did you see that pink nipple?!” So much for playing it cool...
Worst costume ever: Leather fringe pants, a leather fringe coat and a huge floppy hat while playing Annie Oakley in “Annie Get Your Gun” in a non-air conditioned barn theatre during a record-breaking heatwave.
Favorite Lloyd Webber tunes not featured in this show: “Anything But Lonely.” “Tell Me On a Sunday”
How you kill time during the 6 shows a week that you’re offstage: “It won’t be easy, you’ll think it strange, when I try to explain” what I do.
Memories from your first time going on as Eva: I don’t remember ANYTHING from my first performance as Eva!!
Leading lady role you’ve been dying to play: Billie Dawn in “Born Yesterday,” Catherine in “Proof,” Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady,” Louise in “Gypsy”
Leading man role you wish you could play: Guido Contini in “Nine”
Something about you that surprises people: I am such an NY Italian.
Something you are incredibly proud of: I am SUCH an NY Italian!
Something you’re embarrassed to admit: I have a really hard time getting rid of my New Yorker “aw” vowels! Cawfee (coffee), Mawl (mall), Chawclit (chocolate) and so on...
Career you would want if not a performer: Can a girl who can’t play baseball be on the NY Yankees roster? Because I’d like to do that!
Three things you can’t live without: Blair, Liahna and Ryan (my two nieces & my nephew)
“I’ll never understand why…” ... people don’t follow basic subway etiquette. Let the riders exit before you try to squeeze through the doors! Come on people!
Words of advice for aspiring performers: When you think you can’t work harder, work harder!
