Anastacia McCleskey is a familiar face on the Broadway circuit. At 19, soon after graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, she landed a role in Hairspray and has flexed her vocal chords in shows such as the uber popular The Book of Mormon, Hair, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Tarzan.
The Tennessee native, who also fronts a funk, blues and soul band, is in London for the first time to star in the UK Premiere of What’s it all about? Bacharach Reimagined, showcasing at the The Menier Chocolate Factory.
McCleskey admits to Joy Francis she is looking forward to meeting the legend that is Burt Bacharach, explains how The Lion King made her fall in love with musical theatre and how she avoids being put into a stereotypical box where roles are concerned.
Welcome to London Anastacia. You are starring in What’s it all about? Bacharach Reimagined at the Menier Chocolate Factory. What is it about, and tell us about your role?
The show is a celebration of Burt Bacharach’s music reimaged. It’s a younger take on his work as his music is timeless. There is no narrative, no plot. It’s all about the music. Burt is very on board with this project and he was very gracious to allow us use his music in this show.
Have you met the great man himself?
No, not yet. He is in London and will be at the opening night. I will get to meet him then. Kyle Riabko [who conceived the show] has met him as have the original cast members from New York, James Williams and Daniel Baline.
How did you get into musical theatre?
I am from Tennessee and I moved to New York when I was 18. I am 31 now. I went to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. My parents registered me and I hopped onto the train by myself and met up with some new buddies who were also going to school. That was where I was supposed to be. When I graduated at 19, I joined my first Broadway show, Hairspray.
Did you always desire to be on Broadway?
I did dance, sports and was into the arts, but I wasn’t into plays or musicals until about the seventh grade. But after my mum took me to see The Lion King, I remember weeping through the whole show and saying to her, I want to do this. My parents have supported me ever since.
Musical theatre is hugely popular, especially in Britain, and is growing in mass appeal. Why do you think that is?
I think your average person loves music. Give a person a story and a plotline on top of music, and it moves the soul in a different way. Music is like dance in that you use a part of yourself that a lot of people can’t. Most people can speak, but not everyone can dance or sing to tell a story, so it is like watching something magical.
You performed in the provocative The Book of Mormon for over a year, as Ms Brown and Kimbey. Were you worried about how the biting satire about Africa and the missionary zeal of the Mormons would be viewed?
I auditioned for the show four times and they offered it to me twice, but I turned it down each time as I wasn’t in a place in my life where I could do the show. Then my agent said, they want you to play this role in New York, so I said yes. I learnt that a lot of the things in the story are facts. In reality it happened in a dark light, but Matt [Parker] and Trey [Stone] try to make light of it. The character General is based on a real person. When you join the company they give you a book filled with all the research they did. The show is all about having faith in something and not just falling for anything. It’s a hilarious show.
How easy or difficult is it to have a career in musical theatre, especially as a woman of colour?
I guess I would say it’s 50/50. It can be hard. You do get put into a box and they expect you to sing and dance a certain way. Traditional musical theatre didn’t have a lot of people of colour in it when it first started, so the shows were the typical Southern story about a black family. Now a lot of people are creating stores that are outside of the box, and are colourless, where it doesn’t matter what race you are, as long as you can tell a story, like Burt’s show. It really sucks when you go for something and it calls for a white woman, but the role isn’t race specific, so why can’t I do it?
Who do you admire on the stage?
There’s my mom. I couldn’t do all this without my mother. She puts me in my place and is my biggest fan. One woman I’m a huge fan of is Nina Simone. I watched the new documentary on her on Netflix – What Happened, Miss Simone? She fell into her singing career. She wanted to be the first African American female pianist. She bared her soul through her music and I’m a big fan of her on stage. I admire so many people today. One is Audra McDonald, because she is such a humble spirit, has accomplished so much and has broken down colour barriers like nobody’s business.
Any advice for budding musical theatre stars?
That’s easy. My niece, who is now 11, gave me a piece of advice when she was just seven. The only one who can hold you back is you. That’s the one piece of advice I would pass on.