Andrew Elhamalawy (pronounced El-hah-MAH-law-ee) is an aspiring Broadway performer from Staten Island, New York who will star as slurpee-loving killer J.D. in iTheatrics' official world premiere of Heathers—the revised high school edition. He's also the winner of BroadwayBox's BC/EFA Flea Market raffle to be featured on our site, so get ready to freeze your brain and be seventeen (again) as we get to know Andrew Elhamalawy.
1. My favorite line or lyric in Heathers:
JD's line "The extreme always seems to make an impression".
2. Performer I feel most inspired by:
Matt Doyle. I feel like he doesn't do it for the fame; he actually cares about who he is performing for, and each time he performs, he changes it up. He has different intentions—it's not the same performance every time—and that's just really inspiring.
3. French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts experience I will always cherish:
French Woods is a place where everyone shares the same passion and really inspires each other. I would say all of my memories at French Woods I'll keep forever. I was a camper there, and I did Kiss Me, Kate and My Favorite Year and it really broke me out of my shell. I was terrified of auditioning for stuff so I led myself to believe I was only good enough for ensemble, but the people there were so supportive and encouraged you to do more and more. When I left there, I started auditioning outside and it turns out I was good enough for important roles.
4. My go-to Broadway YouTube clip:
I mean I watch the Heathers show non-stop.
5. Song I’m dying to sing on a New York stage:
"Role of a Lifetime" from Bare because I feel like that is such a sensitive song and show and everyone can relate to it in one way or another. If I can someday master that song I'd love to share it with everyone else.
6. The show or movie that made me love musicals:
My first performance was in sixth grade, I was The Herald in Cinderella, and that had a huge influence on me. I went to see Cinderella on Broadway and I was so infatuated with the show—I was literally reciting it.
7. The most played musical theatre album on my iTunes:
Next to Normal. I really love it, and I love that the show is such a continuous story that's told through the songs.
8. Original Broadway production I wish I could go back and see:
Hair because that was such a turning point in musical theatre and I wish I could experience everyone's initial reaction to it.
9. Musical theatre song I’d use as a personal theme song:
Probably "Magic To Do" from Pippin because you have to always put on a performance no matter what you are doing. Even going to the grocery store is a performance. You have to get set and put your heart into everything you do.
10. After high school, my plan is:
I'm thinking about majoring in musical theatre and minoring in journalism because I enjoy writing a lot. Also if someday I choose that musical theatre isn't what I want to do, but I want to stay involved in that profession, I can still write scripts or be a drama teacher. I'm thinking UCLA or Emerson.
