Having starred as Betty Haynes in five national tours of White Christmas, Kerry Conte brings a wealth of experience to Tuacahn’s regional production of the musical this season. Some might think that after so many performances, the role would get old, but Kerry explains, “You think you know the part, but then you do it somewhere else and you discover something new. I started performing this eight years ago, and, of course, I’ve changed as a person, so that changes how I portray the role as well.”
To many theater patrons, the difference between a Broadway musical on national tour and a regional production of a Broadway musical is hazy at best. Basically, the national tour of a Broadway show is a portable event that travels in semi-trucks and busses to perform in theaters across the country. Complete sets, props, costumes, and the actors themselves go from city to city in a two-month whirlwind of performances and hotels.
Regional Broadway productions, on the other hand, don’t involve intensive travel. Other than Tuacahn’s casting team, that is. They travel all over the country to bring in the very best professional actors. But once the actors arrive, they perform at the same venue each night until the end of the run. And while it is the same show with the same licensed script and music, there’s a whole new set of creatives who come together to produce it with their own unique twist, from directing to choreographing, to creating sets, costumes, and wigs. The result is a spectacular show that can only be seen at Tuacahn.
For Kerry Conte, the differences between the shows and how they are produced have been the key to delving deeper into her role. The first big change was rehearsal time. After a quick 5 days of rehearsals before performing on National Tour, Kerry was surprised at the thorough rehearsals at Tuacahn. “Having three weeks really gave me some time to think about the part, more than just ‘this is where I’m going,’ and ‘these are my lines.’”
Another difference that changed the role for Kerry was the venue. Tuacahn’s indoor Hafen Theatre is a much more intimate setting than she had been used to. “Performing here has made it more like a shared story, rather than a show,” Kerry says. “I’m much more connected to the audience.”
Playing Betty in White Christmas has been a big part of Kerry’s professional career, but it wasn’t the role she initially wanted. “I love the role of Betty,” she explains, “but when I was growing up, I wanted to be Judy. Unfortunately, the dancing part of that role is demanding, and that’s not one of my strengths, so I decided to try for Betty.”
The problem was that Kerry had always been a soprano, and there were a lot of lower notes she needed to be able to reach to sing Betty’s songs. She worked on it for months with her voice teacher before auditioning for the National Tour. “When I got it, it was nerve-wracking,” she confesses. “And when I heard that I got this role at Tuacahn, my voice teacher helped me whip things back into shape. I had performed it for years, but your voice changes with time. Now I feel like I’m truly making it my own.”
The team of actors and behind-the-scenes crew at Tuacahn have also had their impact on Kerry’s performance. “Having a completely different set of actors to play off of has changed up the role too,” she says, “making me put more thought into Betty’s interactions. Our director and choreographer, Mara [Newbery Greer], has created a great atmosphere to try new things, fail, and then find even better things. She and the Tuacahn casting team put together a group that is awesome. I feel like we are a family, and that chemistry comes across on the stage.”
While most of those involved in the Tuacahn production are new to her, there are a couple of familiar faces. “It’s so fun to work with Jessica [Wockenfuss] again,” says Kerry. “She was also on the National Tour as the understudy for Judy. We did it together in 2016, and so she knows the part well. And AJ [Sullivan] was our stage manager on the National Tour, so he’s tuned into what we need to make this show great as well.”
One of the struggles Kerry has faced performing White Christmas at Tuacahn after so many years on the National Tour was overwriting the old movements with the new. “I was really great in the rehearsal room,” she says, referring to learning the new choreography, “but then we put on the costumes and got on the stage, and I kind of reverted back. Muscle memory kicked in, and I had to remember to do the new steps. That was tricky, but I think I’m over that. I try not to think of the National Tour choreography at all, so that I don’t get confused.”
Another challenge has been wig changes. Tuacahn productions are known for their exceptional wigs, and White Christmas is no different. “The wigs here are insane,” Kerry says with enthusiasm. “They’re so nice, but I have four of them in this show, and I’ve only ever had two. It’s made this show pretty awesome because I have different looks, but at the same time, I have to do so many more wig changes. I was a little nervous about that, but Kiki [Kierra Lee, Wig Crew] is amazing. She’s made it a seamless transition to change them out.”
As in many romantic comedies, White Christmas is full of deliciously painful awkward moments that get all the laughs. The majority of them occur between Betty Haynes and Bob Wallace (played by Dan Fenaughty). For Kerry, this part of the role comes quite naturally. “The awkwardness is 100% me,” she says with a self-deprecating grin.
But even in this part of the role, Kerry has had to expand her acting repertoire at Tuacahn. “I’ve never had to do a “spit take” with real water,” she explains, “and that’s actually been a challenge. Dan asks me out of the blue, “Are you married, Miss Haynes?” and I react by spitting out my drink. Some days I really get it right, and some days I spit it out, and it’s all over the table, all over my skirt, and all over my face! Then I have to sit there, feeling it on my face,” she says, grimacing. She adds with a laugh, “So, I’ve been practicing that.”
Kerry’s favorite part of Tuacahn’s production is watching ‘I Love a Piano’ from offstage. It is a dazzling scene featuring a spinning, danceable baby grand piano on a raised platform. She says, “The dancing is so good, it makes me cry. It’s why I do musicals.”
Stage Manager A.J. Sullivan, who spent 3 years on the National Tour, calls this scene the biggest difference between the National Tour and Tuacahn’s production. “Our brave performers, Ben Lanham as Phil and Jessica Wockenfuss as Judy, make tap dancing on a not so large, spinning piano look second nature! Their willingness to work hard and Mara Greer’s attention to actor safety, all to make Paul Black’s scenic special effect appear effortless, make my job as stage manager fun and rewarding.”
Despite an upbringing in New York and her many travels across the country, Kerry recognizes the unique qualities of Tuacahn and the surrounding area. “I really like it here,” she says. “The landscape is like nothing I’ve ever seen, and I’m so proud of this show. When my family flew in to see it, I told them it would be different from tour, but so good, they wouldn’t even remember what the other one was.”
There’s no doubt about it. Kerry’s National Tour background with White Christmas gave her an exceptional foundation for the role of Betty. But she’s also felt the influence of the unique kind of magic that only Tuacahn productions have. Thanks to her efforts, and the rest of the exceptionally talented cast and crew paired with Tuacahn’s live orchestra, this show has been a phenomenal success!
Don’t miss out for next year’s shows! It’s going to an incredible year with Anastasia, Disney’s Frozen, and Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons in the Outdoor Amphitheatre, as well as Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash and A Christmas Carol, The Musical in the Indoor Hafen Theatre. Season packages are now on sale! You can be a part of the Tuacahn magic by buying a 2024 Season Package today! Visit www.tuacahn.org or call the box office at 435-652-3300 for more details.