Right out of school, I did this show called ‘Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.’ It is based on a classical text with new music – not necessarily confined by a certain genre. It was a diverse, interesting group of musicians, actors, nonactors, and singers all creating this thing that is bigger than all of us. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
My grandmother was a classical pianist, so I grew up with Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven. I studied piano as a kid. My musical background and upbringing was very much a mix. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
Hamilton’ is, of course, closely tied to the Obamas because Lin first performed the opening number at a White House poetry jam. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
Doing something out of town is so beautiful because it really becomes about the process, and the product will be a result of it, but process is what is the goal – to really see what works and create the best story possible. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
There’s a huge shift in the way we connect with people as humans in the technology age versus right before that, when we still had a little bit of mystery. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
When I go into a theater, I’m very excited to turn off my phone. But then, of course, I get anxiety. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
On long car rides, we would always listen to the ‘Blues Brothers’ soundtrack and try to emulate everything that Aretha Franklin was doing. There was soul and grit in it that I think a kid from the suburbs really needed. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
There’s the cool factor, right? You see your face on a sign or your name on something, like, ‘Ahh! Here I am!’ And then there’s a huge responsibility and the scary part of it, which is like, ‘Now what happens?’ And then you realize, ‘Oh, yeah, this is my job.’ Phillipa Soo Read Quote
We did a student-initiated project of ‘A Little Night Music’, which was the first time that all of the divisions – music, dance, drama, opera – came together and put on a piece. It was a black box kind of feel. We had to get costumes that were pieced together. We had our own lighting that we finagled. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
I took dance from a very early age, although my first recital, I remember refusing to go onstage. I think I was three. It’s funny because that stage was also my high school theater stage. Phillipa Soo Read Quote
