Cast Spotlight: Lily Kotansky

Full Given Name: Lily Katherine Kotansky

Role: Lady "Sheets" Rowena

Most Played song on your ipod (or cd player)? Billie Jean by Michael Jackson

What was the first play/musical you ever saw? Peter Pan

What do you like most about being on stage? Playing pretend

Are you learning any skills in theatre that you will be able to use after high school? How to handle crowds

Are you involved in any other extracurricular activities? (If so, which?) Literary Magazine, Spanish Club, YDR Teen Takeover, Susky Courier

Any shows you're just dying to be in? Spring Awakening

Who would play you in a movie about your life? Gene Wilder. What? He's talented.

Anything else you want people to know about you? I'm going to live in England.

York Catholic

So, as you all well-informed people know (Like the .5 of you reading and contributing to this blog. Way to go) Y.C. just did OUAM. Wham! I sadly did not get around to seeing it. I'm sure my insane laughter beats out Y.C.'s Lady Rowena's. And if it doesn't, well, just you wait. We're gunna be the goofiest ladies in waiting on this side of Camelot.

Anywho, I was wondering, for those of you who saw it, what was it like? Any good/bad/ugly parts? I'd like to know. Or, if you have intense carpel tunnel syndrome, just tell me later.

Yours not so truly,
Lily :)

Oh, P.S.

My name is Lily, and I play Lady Rowena in OUAM. (I'm also understudy for Fred, but just like the first rule of Fight Club, I never talk about that...I'm behind the scenes!) Lady Rowena is a spunky lady in waiting...for Dauntless to get married and the dreaded queen to shut up. Keep an eye out for us in the show. You won't miss us, we're always in a line. :)

As far as theatre goes, I did a lot of work when I was little at Dreamwrights in York. In high school, I never gave it a second thought until my thespian friends (hey Laura!) started to talk me into auditioning. Now, I love the experience of theatre. The people and the energy bring me back every year.

Dance magic dance

Musical auditions are, in a word: insane! Be ready to prepare a comedic monologue, a song, read from the script, sing from the script, and dance dance dance. (Or die!)

Everyone sweated it out by learning the Spanish Panic inbetween their auditions.

I never learned a dance routine in my life. And anyone who has been to a high school dance knows that all you need to know is how to 'grind.' Wrong. There is a lot more to dancing than that raunchy move.

We had three spunky dancers teach us step by step how to panic spanishly. By the end of the night, even the big tough guys were spinning and kicking their legs.

Now, every Sunday from 1-4, the cast gathers onstage to learn different dance moves. Anyone can shake their hips, but learning choreographed moves takes determination.

It's well worth it.

After last night's practice, I came home after three hours of dance...and instead of collapsing on the floor...I learned all the dance moves to Thriller.

There are vids online which help you learn all Mr. Jackson's dance moves. So impress your friends and get a glimpse of what musical dance practices are like:

http://www.tess-impersonates-mj.com/school.htm