Taylor Louderman on Starring in Bring It On: The Musical
Photo courtesy of The Hartman Group1/5How do you relate to your character?
"This is a character I'm more like than any other character I've played. I transferred schools in high school, so I've been the new girl on the block. The way that Campbell feels about cheerleading is the way that I felt about musical theatre in high school. She and I have a lot of similarities, which makes it challenging and fun to perform on stage."
Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus2/5How did you land the lead role of Campbell?
"I was studying musical theater at the University of Michigan, and I was sophomore when I got an email from the casting director of Bring It On. I flew to New York and auditioned! I was only in fifth grade when the first movie came out, so I watched all of the movies. It was strange to go off the path that everyone takes and not finish college, but it's been a great adventure."
The Broadway show is different from the original movie. Can you describe the plot?
"The show pulls from all five of the Bring It On movies. It starts out with my character Campbell, who's a cheerleader at the uppity school, and everything is going her way. She gets redistricted to go to the inner city school, which doesn't have a cheerleading squad. Cheerleading was Campbell's path; it was what she was using to get to the top, and when it's taken away from her, she goes back to square one. She joins a dance crew and they end up becoming a cheer squad. Campbell makes good friendships along the way and realizes what's important to her. There are a few twists in there, too!"
Photo courtesy of The Hartman Group3/5With cheerleading stunts and hip hop dancing, this show is particularly physically demanding. How do ensure that you have enough energy?
"I sleep way more than I ever have in my life! We have stunt calls an hour before each show, and I'll do push-ups to get my blood flowing. My hair supervisor and I talk in strange accents and have funny rituals to loosen up."
Had you ever done cheerleading before?
"I didn't—not at all! I played soccer and basketball in high school, so I think being athletic helped. At first, it was scary! Your mind has to get over the fact that you're standing on two people's hands. Watching the other cheerleaders do it fearlessly really helped. Now, it's just like doing a dance move."
Photo courtesy of The Hartman Group4/5As the star of the show, how does it feel to be the leader of the cast?
"It's definitely challenging because some of the cast had been together previously in Atlanta. There was already a group that had formed, and coming in and trying to take over as the leader was difficult. Campbell goes through that a little bit. I try to pride myself on being nice to everyone and not letting egos get in the way. It makes it more fun to come into work."
What music do you like to listen to?
"I like country music! I'm from the middle of nowhere where the cattle population exceeds the human population. I grew up on country music, and it keeps me grounded."
Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus5/5Performing in a Broadway show is taxing and time-consuming. How do you balance it all?
"It's a lot! My life revolves around the show. I've had some great friends that I've made on the tour, and that helps. We all really trust each other. Socially, I can't put any energy into anything else but the show right now. Once we open and I have my days free, I'm excited to explore New York and get my life going here. The only other life I know is being in college—and before that, high school—so this is very different for me."
What do you have planned to celebrate opening night?
"I think that will be the moment I just sit down and breathe. I plan to enjoy it, but right now I don't have the time! This experience is a dream come true, but it's a lot of work, and I think that's something I underestimated as a little girl dreaming about Broadway. Opening night is going to be about enjoying it. I'm excited."
