Gracie Brantley, first-year Resident Actor in our 46th season, has shined in the character of Alyssa Greene in our season-opening production of THE PROM! Get your tickets here before it closes on September 17, and read on to hear about how she’s prepared for this dynamic role.
Please introduce yourself! What are you looking forward to with Charleston Stage as a Resident Actor this year?
I’m Gracie Brantley, in the role of Alyssa Greene in The Prom, and I’m a first year Resident Actor here at Charleston Stage! Being here has been an absolute blast so far, and I can’t wait to continue to make some cool theatre magic happen with this incredible group of people.
What do you love about theatre as an art form?
My love for theatre really presented itself during quarantine. There’s something so special about the communal aspect of theatre that I missed during lockdown, and now that things have returned to a relative normal, I’m reminded of how freakin’ awesome it is to be in a room full of people who are collectively gathered to be moved by art. It’s especially great when the story we’re telling is as relevant and powerful as The Prom.
How have you been preparing for your role in The Prom?
Jhonika, my fellow Resident Actor in the role of Emma, Alyssa’s girlfriend, and I did a lot of our preparation for this show together. Emma and Alyssa have been in a relationship for about a year and a half, so we wanted to really define what their communication with one another would look like after that amount of time. Their relationship is a huge part of the show, so we wanted to make sure we got it right. But in all honesty, the finale is what required the most of my preparation. Singing and dancing at the same time is not easy, and lots of cardio was required!
Tell us more about your character. What do you want us to know about her?
Alyssa’s song “Alyssa Greene” wonderfully explains who Alyssa is. She’s smart, she’s popular, she works hard to be involved at school, and in a way, she is very similar to her mother. Our Director (and Charleston Stage’s Artistic Director) Marybeth Clark and I talked a lot about Alyssa’s need to please her mother simply because that’s what she’s been trained to do her entire life. She has a “Miss Congeniality” complex that forces her to perform with a smile even the things she doesn’t want to do at all. This creates the stress we see Alyssa experience in the show as she’s torn between being inspired be herself like her girlfriend Emma feels confident to do, or continue to please her mother and keep the peace at home. It’s important to know that Alyssa wants nothing more than to be brave and openly display her true self, but she lets her fear be bigger than her courage. Thus, she unintentionally makes a mess of the situation before she realizes that her life would be a lot easier if she was honest with herself and the people she loves.
What has come easily in preparing for this show? What has been more difficult?
The easiest part of preparing for this show has been building the relationships Alyssa has with Emma and her mom. Working with Jhonika (Emma) and Jenna (Mrs. Greene) has been an absolute pleasure, and I feel so lucky to tell this story with them. They also make one of the more difficult parts of the show so much easier. There are a few sequences in the show with two scenes happening simultaneously onstage, and getting the cues right with the orchestra and other actors seemed very daunting at first. Thankfully, everyone has been so prepared and professional that we were able to easily put the pieces together!
We also have a pretty difficult quick-change backstage during the finale, and figuring out the logistics of that proved to be a challenge. Luckily, we have a fantastic crew made up of our phenomenal TheatreWings apprentices, and with their help, we’ve been nailing it every time!
What do you hope audiences will receive and take away with them after seeing this show?
I hope our audiences will take away the importance of being open and receptive to everyone; I hope they pick up on how peaceful life could be if everyone felt free to live truthfully and unapologetically as they are without fear of judgment.
What is your favorite show of all time?
Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George – a masterpiece!
Gracie Brantley is thrilled to be joining Charleston Stage’s Resident Acting Company for their 46th season! Originally from Tennille, GA, Gracie studied acting at Columbus State University where she graduated with a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance. Her previous productions include the Riverside Theater’s productions of Pippin (Leading Player) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), both of which she received an Irene Ryan nomination for. While in school, she often worked at Georgia’s Historic State Theater, the Springer Opera House, where she was involved in productions such as The Bodyguard (Karaoke Girl/Back-up Singer Swing), Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Ensemble/ Shy U.S.), and educational children’s theatre productions of Click Clack Moo (Cow 1) and The Rainbow Fish Musical (Starfish). Recently, Gracie won Region 4 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival’s Irene Ryan award for Classical Acting. Keep up with Gracie through Instagram: @gracierbrantley.
Charleston Stage’s THE PROM runs August 23 – September 17 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre in the heart of downtown. Get your tickets here before they’re gone!