Cassidy Janson star of the stage, currently staring in &Juliet, spoke with Music Promotions about her theatrical career, the hardest role she has had, releasing her own music, winning a Olivier Award in a supporting role and much more, full interview below.
You won Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2020 Olivier Awards, congratulations and how did that feel to win?
So winning an Olivier was pretty amazing, you always hope to win something but you never pin your career on it, it is such a lovely acknowledgement from the Olivier panel. You feel like there’s been a stamp of approval on your work.
Did you find out beforehand or was it a total surprise?
I did, I found out before which wouldn’t normally have happened, but because of the way they decided to put the Olivier Awards on, they gave the winners a heads up this year. So I did find out in a very random moment of time to which I wasn’t expecting and then I had to keep it a secret for a few weeks, which is very difficult.
How are you enjoying &Juliet (or was before the pandemic)
I loved it; I loved my part. I loved how David West Read, the book writer of the play, had created my character April. I love the cast, I just loved everything about it. The backstage stage management, the crew, just everyone, the wardrobe department, the wig department. It was a really great team; the dresses are amazing. There is a lovely, lovely atmosphere. I didn’t ever take it for granted
Are you a fan of all the music performed?
Max Martin, is just a genius. He has been writing over 25 year creating pop songs. I didn’t know of him until & Juliet as he doesn’t do publicity. When you find out how many songs he has written for different artists you immediately think god this guy is an absolute legend of a songwriter, he is the third biggest songwriter of all time behind Lennon and McCartney
Do you have much time before the show starts? what is a typical day like before a show?
We are called at six o’clock, to do an onstage physical warm up, which goes straight into a vocal warmup. And then we have parish notices from our company manager, or maybe an understudy has been thrown on so we need to do a little bit of rehearsal for them and then once all that’s done, we head up to our dressing rooms where we do our hair and makeup. And at some point we go to the wig department to have the wigs put on and then run downstairs to do the show. That’s about it really.
Being a singer would you like to release your own music?I released my solo album “Cassidy” 18 months ago, in June 2019, which reached number two in the UK country charts. My producer, Rupert Christie and I started writing it in 2016 so when it finally came to fruition, we were thrilled. Before that came out, I did an album with Beverley Knight and Amber Riley, which got into the top 20, in the UK Christmas charts in 2017. We performed on the Royal Variety Show, Strictly Come Dancing and Children In Need, we also performed on the New Year’s Eve Graham Norton Show.
Are you working on a new album?
Yes, I am. I’ve got plans for another album, but I won’t be sharing them right now. It is very exciting.
What was your first memory of the theatre?
My first memory of the theatre? Pantomimes aside, it was probably seeing Cats when I was 10 years old. And I always loved pop music and I always loved dancing. I’d always danced and sung since I can remember. I was so taken aback by the musical. I loved the fact that people were dressing up as cats and I just thought it was the best thing ever. I think that’s when I thought I want to do that for a living, that would be a great way to live.
You have been offering acting classes via zoom how has that been going?
I am teaching acting through song classes, which I just started about 4 days ago. I have taught at schools before, teaching groups of kids and it’s great. I probably get more out of it than the kids! I love trying to communicate what I need them to do and when they get it, it’s such a great feeling and they are very happy. It is such a great exchange of dynamics. I love it. And yeah, I’ve got quite a few bookings over the next couple of weeks, which I’m looking forward too, I have one just after this interview!
What have been some of your favourite venues to perform in?
Probably the Coliseum. It is a beautiful cavern of a theatre It’s huge and, I performed a hat trick there actually, I did Tonight at the London Coliseum. then ‘Man Of La Mancha’ and I did ‘Chess’, so I feel very familiar with that place. I also performed a gig with my four piece band in their front of house space last February. It is a very happy place, the backstage and onstage is enormous. And it is just very magical.
Would you like to write and star in your own theatre show?
Well, I’d love to probably write my own stuff. I just don’t know if it’d be any good. It’s a bit like anything. You know, I hire an accountant, because my accountant is going to be better at figures than me, and I will probably hire or work with someone who is an experienced, well honed writer, I might well come up with an idea or concept, but I don’t know if I could write it.
What movies would you like to see brought to the west end?
Not that I can think, maybe the Princess Bride, I love that film.
Any theatre shows you would love to be apart off?
Any show I would be privileged to be in, but not specifically that have my eye on.
What has been the hardest role you have had to prepare for?
Elphaba, because it was physically a very demanding role. And then on top of that, you had to get yourself covered in green paint every single day. Then you had the additional getting it on and then getting it off again, you know, which was a real drag. And then on top of that, it’s an incredibly demanding sing and it’s a big acting role as well. I think I lost weight one show, just by sweating so much during a performance. It’s such an enormous beast of a role!
What are your plans for 2021?
Plans for this year are to record said new album. Then I have a tour in September. called, “It All Happened in Laurel Canyon,” that I am very excited about, it got postponed from October 2020 to September 2021 so I’m really excited. And I’m pretty sure It will happen but who knows.
