Thomasina E. Gross performed Mamma Mia!
all over the country; she performed Hair in Europe; she performed in your living room on Glee, My Name Is Earl, The Shield and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel; and now she's performing on Broadway as Sophie's bestie Lisa in our Show of the Month, Mamma Mia! Below, she chats with BroadwayBox about making her B'way debut, stage door selfies, and her comedienne idols.1. If my iTunes completely consisted of only one ABBA song, I’d pick:
Hmm, that's a tough call. "I Have a Dream", maybe. The lyrics have such hope. It reminds me to savor this journey. The worthy risk taken even if you fail. Seeing the good in everything and believing.
On the other hand, when I'm singing "Knowing Me Knowing You", I catch myself playing a mean air guitar...almost every time.
2. In the future, I’d be more of a Tanya, Rosie or Donna:
I'm definitely a Tanya. She's the closest vocally and type wise. My backstory as "Lisa" is, she looks up to her. Tanya has no qualms about her life and how she lives it. She's sassy, fun and has the best outfits. Who wouldn't want to be as fabulous as her?
3. My favorite Mamma Mia! tour story to tell is:
When we'd have bus parties! If we traveled between cities on 4-hour=trips or less, we'd dress up in costumes and have themed parties. It was a good way to pass the time and blow off steam to our favorite music. Man, I'll never forget those!
4. City I visited on tour that I would totally live in in another life:
I'd live in Savannah, Georgia—a little town with a lot of charm. It's full of cute shops and good food. It was restful, reminding me how nice it its to move at a slower pace, eat well and take care of myself.
5. Hashtag to describe being on set for Glee:
#LoveMyJob
It was one of my favorite gigs because it didn't feel like work at all. Everyone was kind, funny and so freaking talented. I felt lucky to be a part of it and didn't want it to be over.
6. My first memory of performing and loving it is:
My dance recital where we danced as "Barbie and the Rockers". I remember it being my favorite costume, the choreo was fun, and I was even caught on tape singing the words as I danced. I knew there was nothing else I'd rather do after that.
7. Novel I could read over and over again:
Memoirs of a Geisha. A young girl who came from nothing, had faith and eventually realized her dream. Sold into slavery, she inherited enemies threatened by her natural gifts—even though they were in a better situation than her. Being resourceful, she learned and prospered regardless. The book is filled with such beautiful imagery, romance and is truly unforgettable. I'm a book fanatic but I could always read Memoirs again. The movie is also lovely. I have a rule with any movie to "always read the book first".
8. Since making my B’way debut, my biggest “pinch-me” moment has been:
Leaving the stage door post-show every night. People actually want to take "selfies" with me and want my autograph. What the what?!
9. Something I’m passionate about outside of performing:
I'm passionate about teaching and outreach to young people. I use the arts as a vehicle for helping kids and teens going through abuse, any other hardship, or as a form of expression and encouragement for those who aspire to be an artist. I know I appreciated and thrived in programs geared towards the arts when I was young. It's my way of giving back.
10. Movie I love so much I know every single word:
Big Business with Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler, my comedienne idols. I've adored these powerhouses since I was a little girl.
You only have until September 12 to see Thomasina Gross as Lisa in 'Mamma Mia!' at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre.
