By Mary Ann Bourbeau
RED BANK – Alexandra Bradley is a swing performer in the national tour of “The Sound of Music.” As a swing, she performs two different roles in the ensemble, filling in whenever another actor is out. The 9-year-old Rumson resident plays Gretl and Marta von Trapp, which means she is responsible for learning the dialogue, songs, staging and choreography for both roles.
A swing is one of the most difficult jobs in the theater. An actor never knows when he or she will go on, sometimes up until the show begins. Alexandra had the unique opportunity recently of performing both roles in the same day – Marta in the matinee performance and Gretl in the evening.
“It can be challenging sometimes,” said Alexandra. “But the time I played two roles in one day, I was more excited than nervous.”
The fourth grader at Rumson Country Day School auditioned for several shows this year and was excited to learn she was cast in “The Sound of Music,” which makes a stop at the Count Basie Center for the Arts for four performances Feb. 23 and 24.
“I was screaming,” she said. “I was so happy!”
Alexandra is currently on a nationwide tour that includes more than 30 stops. A tutor and a nanny go along with her, but sometimes she gets a little homesick.
“I miss my family, my bed and my stuffed animals,” she said.
Her parents, Colin and Sarah, join her on occasion but with three other children – two of whom are also actors – their life is quite busy. Colin, 13, is the oldest and prefers sports over theater. Catherine, 11, was featured in the National Broadway tour of “A Christmas Story Musical.” Aubin, 8, performed with her sisters in a New York City Kids of the Arts production of “High School Musical.”
“It’s really fun when we all perform together,” said Alexandra.
Alexandra’s other credits include the off-Broadway productions of “Dance Divas” and “Legally Blonde” as well as a ballet production of “The Nutcracker.” She is a member of the NYC Tap Crew and the Project Dance competition team and hopes to continue on this career path.
“I just want to do what I’m doing now and be an actor, and maybe be on the Disney Channel,” she said. “I’m really excited that the tour is coming to Red Bank. I hope everyone in school wants to come see it.”
Set in 1938, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” is the story of a young woman in Austria who is sent to the home of a retired naval officer and widower to be governess to his seven children. The Academy Award-winning score includes many memorable songs, such as “My Favorite Things,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Edelweiss,” “Climb Ev’r y Mountain” and, of course, the title song.
One of the leads in the national tour is Jill-Christine Wiley, who takes on the role of Maria von Trapp.
“I first watched ‘The Sound of Music’ in kindergarten,” she said. “When I saw the role of Maria, I was totally starstruck. My mother said I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. I knew right then I wanted to be on stage singing, acting and dancing.”
After two years studying musical theater at Pace University, Wiley was offered a role in the national tour of “Beauty and the Beast.” She is excited to now be following in the footsteps of Mary Martin and Julie Andrews, bringing “The Sound of Music” to a whole new generation.
“It’s such a connecting piece of musical theater,” she said.
Wiley has nothing but praise for Alexandra, especially after seeing her pull off two different roles in one day.
“Alexandra does a fantastic job,” she said. “She’s a very talented young lady. She was so excited and eager to perform and she really nailed it.”
Alexandra is equally pleased to be working with Wiley, who plays the governess to all the von Trapp children.
“Jill is really fun to work with,” said Alexandra. “She’s nice and sweet and very good at the role. And she’s sort of a mother to all of us.”
Showtimes are 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24. Tickets are $45 to $79 and can be purchased at thebasie.org.
Arts and entertainment reporter Mary Ann Bourbeau can be reached at mbourbeau@tworiver times.com.
