AYAA Interview: Lily Castle

Today, AYAA is proud to present an interview with Lily Castle. Lily is a young actress who has worked with many theatres, including Desert Foothills Theater, Theater Works, Musical Theater of Anthem, Phoenix Theater, Valley Youth Theater. She has won a plethora of NYA awards and been nominated for even more! Lily is known for her portrayal of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray and Kate Monster in Avenue Q, both at Desert Foothills. 

Full Real Legit Name
Lily Castle

Where were you born?
Winfield, Kansas

What’s home like? Siblings?

I have two brothers- Liam is a freshman at ASU and Owen is in sixth grade at Fireside Elementary. I love them both to death, but I can't help but wonder what it would be like without them sometimes :)

Parents? Pets?
My mom’s name is Erin and my dad is TJ. They are incredible- I couldn't be nearly the performer I am without them. I have a French bulldog named Remy and a rescue mutt named Stewart that we’re guessing is a mix between a pitbull and a shar pei.

When and why did you start performing?
I started performing when I was in third grade. I was actually in my school talent show and one of the teachers came up to me after and suggested I take voice lessons. The lessons led to musical theater and I've been in love with it ever since.

First show you ever saw?
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown

First Broadway show you ever saw?
Wicked… Who'd have guessed??

Most influential show you ever saw? Why was it so influential?
I saw Once at Gammage when I was 13, and this show was the first time I realized that there was so much more to a musical than just the vocals. The actors found the majority of their emotions being expressed through actions and movement, and this was when I realized that acting was just as important, if not more important, than singing in musical theater.

Favorite show you’ve ever been in? Why?

My favorite show was Hairspray at DFT. This experience was so special to me solely because of the rest of the cast. The most interesting part of the show is that it was quite honestly not in very good shape during tech week. But towards the end of the week, something clicked and the show turned into what became a sold-out and magical run. It was incredible to be a part of.

Lily performing as Kate Monster in
Desert Foothill's Avenue Q.

Most challenging acting experience? Why?
I'd have to admit that puppetry is the hardest thing I have ever had to do onstage. Avenue Q was a blast, but it was incredibly difficult. As an actor, you get used to using your facial expressions and hands to express emotion- with a puppet, you can't do anything that might distract the audience’s eyes from the puppet.

You played Rapunzel in VYT’s production of Into the Woods. What was your favorite part about that production? What did you enjoy about playing Rapunzel? Do you think Into the Woods will continue to be popular in the youth theatre scene after this season?
The first thing that comes to mind with Rapunzel is the hair, and that was one of my favorite parts because I've always kept my own hair so short!!! It's interesting to think about whether or not Into the Woods will continue to be popular. The show is such a classic and Sondheim is one of the greatest, so it is hard to imagine it losing popularity. However it is definitely being overshadowed by more contemporary musicals recently, so who knows.

You recently played Fiona in Shrek the Musical Jr. at Musical Theatre of Anthem. How does Fiona differ from the typical princess role? What was the biggest challenge you faced in preparing for the role?
Fiona is a very funny role to play, and the thing I love about the role is how much it varies depending on the actress who plays it. There's so many things you can do with her because she is not a typical princess. The vocals are difficult, but it was an incredibly fun role to play.

You are playing Twilight in Theater Works production of Twilight’s Quest. What is the show about? What is your role in it? Do you enjoy participating in new works? What should audiences expect from the show?
Twilight’s Quest is such an amazing show and a very special thing to be a part of. It's written and directed by Chris Hamby about a young girl who goes on a quest after her father left her a riddle telling her to find a brave hero that will vanquish the darkness. I play the young girl, Twilight, and I have never played a role in an original show before. It's so cool to hear how special it is to Chris, and I love having the opportunity to create a character rather than base it off of someone else’s work.

Also at Musical Theatre of Anthem, you portrayed Paulette in Legally Blonde Jr. How was Paulette different from roles you had played before? How did you prepare to play her? What is your favorite thing about Legally Blonde?
Paulette was such a blast- she has the potential to be a really fun character. I don't think I've ever had to truly embrace my lack of dance skills and accept how crazy I look onstage. Legally Blonde is an underrated show- the message is great and the music is catchy.

You were Kate Monster in Avenue Q at Desert Foothills. What was your favorite part of playing Kate Monster? Why do you think many youth theatres shy away from shows with more mature content, like Avenue Q? What did you gain out of being in a show like Avenue Q, with more adult humor?
Kate Monster was one of my favorite roles to play. Avenue Q is an incredibly controversial show because of the topics it talks about, and nowadays it is almost impossible to share opinions and thoughts on these issues without someone getting offended. Avenue Q is a show that addresses these social problems in a way that very clearly gets the point across, but does so in a way that is funny and light enough that it's hard to get upset over. Theaters are scared of the controversy, but the show is hilarious and the adult humor is impossible not to love.

Lily as Tracy Turnblad with the cast of DFT's Hairspray.

In 2014, you played Tracy in Desert Foothills production of Hairspray. Why do you think the story of Hairspray still resonates with people? What did you try to express to the audience through your portrayal of Tracy?
Tracy Turnblad was an amazing role to play!! Hairspray is a show that people seem to love or hate, and the issues that it addresses aren't as apparent today but they are still present. It's a story that resonates because Tracy is just a genuinely sweet character, and it's a love story that an audience of all ages can follow. The thing I love about Tracy is her confidence and her focus on a big heart, not a big body.

Favorite character you got to play during the 2015-16 season?
My favorite character would have to be Kate Monster. It was so different from anything I've ever done before and I loved the entire cast.

Favorite person you got to play opposite of during the 2015-16? (Romantically or otherwise)
One of my favorite people is Spencer Claus, an incredibly talented young man with so much confidence. I played opposite him in the 2014-15 season in Hairspray. This season, Trey DeGroot was my favorite “romantic” opposite in Avenue Q- he is SO talented and such a good person all around.

Lily performing the the NYA awards.

Dream role? Dream role of the opposite sex?
My dream role forever is Cathy in The Last Five Years. I've never thought about an opposite role, but if I had to pick I would probably choose Birdlace in Dogfight.

Theatres in Arizona you would love to work with, but haven’t?
I would love to do a show at Greasepaint- I always find myself very impressed by the productions they put on.

Craziest stage experience (mishap, funny improvised joke, etc.)?
In Legally Blonde my Paulette wig fell off while I was bending and snapping… It was disastrous. It definitely wasn’t funny at the time, but it was hilarious 5 minutes later when there were so many bobby pins in my head I thought I might bleed out.

Favorite costume you’ve ever worn? Least favorite?
My favorite costume was probably the Rapunzel costume, and I'd have to say that my least favorite was our They Chose Me costumes in 2011. We wore clothes from our own closet, and by the end of the run I was ready to burn that outfit.

Best youth production you have ever seen?
I was SO impressed by Heathers at Greasepaint. The talent was overwhelming and they utilized every inch of their space.

What is your go-to audition song?
I tend to lean toward The Life I Never Led from Sister Act for beltier shows. I also love anything by Scott Alan.

Advice for young performers? Auditions? Behavior? Life?

This is a hard question because everyone is so different, especially when it comes to the audition process. In general, the most important thing is to make sure you are ridiculously comfortable and confident in your audition song while still challenging yourself and showing off your full range. As far as behavior- the most important thing in theater is so STAY HUMBLE. I find it so sad when someone climbs to popularity very quickly and becomes self-absorbed, because this completely distracts from their talent. Also, be kind to absolutely everyone, because the theater world is a very small world, and you never know the connections people have. And it's good to be kind in general. Theater kids make the best friends.

Favorite plays?
The Diary of Anne Frank has always been such an incredibly story to me. A play called The Pillowman has always interested me not necessarily to perform in, but to watch.

Favorite musicals?

I LOVE Dogfight, Catch Me If You Can and, of course, The Last Five Years :)

Musical/play on Broadway currently you’re dying to see?
I NEED to get to NYC to see Waitress before the cast changes!!

Favorite TV Show?My current Netflix obsession is The Following with Kevin Bacon. It is so good.

Secret guilty pleasure?
Any sweets. I love sweets. Not really much of a secret!!

Performer you would die to perform with?
Renee-Elise Goldsberry is my idol- if I could do anything I'd want to BE her, but performing 

beside her is probably as close as it gets!! :)

Lily performing as Annie in Annie.

How do you feel about the atmosphere of youth theatre around Arizona? What do you like about it? What do you feel like can be improved?
I always think about how much talent is in Phoenix- it's unreal. I like the talent because it keeps you on your toes, and I also like that no matter what theater you go to, you will feel welcomed. Improvement is a hard question. I think there’s different issues that vary with each theater you visit.

Most underrated show?
I think that Bring It On was considerably underrated until Spotlight brought it to the forefront. It is such an incredible show and it gets a little bit lost behind Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other successful works.

What’s your “adult” plan? Keep performing professionally or…?
As of right now I have no plans to do anything else. I would love to keep performing.

Upcoming projects?
None for right now- I'm on the east coast all summer and I'll actually be at Stagedoor in June.

Young actor/actress in the Phoenix area you'd love to perform with

I love watching Nathan Sheppard onstage and I’d love to work with him. As far as an actress, I'd love to perform with Maddy Rathbun because she is so sweet and talented!!

Thank you, Lily, for doing this interview with us! It's so exciting to learn about different actors and actresses from different parts of the Valley.