Alyssa Milano may be known for her screen work, including the television show Charmed. But she actually got her start in theatre. 鈥淲hen I was eight years old, I was in the second national touring company of Annie
for 18 months. That was my very first professional gig,鈥� recalls Milano. 鈥淚 did the first musical version of Jane Eyre when I was little, which was a very special experience, because my dad actually helped with the props. Theatre, that's the beauty of it, is the community that you create.鈥�
Though Milano鈥檚 career has taken her away from the stage, she has now returned. She鈥檚 playing Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway in a limited engagement through November 10. Watch the video above, where Milano tells 半岛体育's Jeffrey Vizcaino what inspired her to do musicals again.
Milano says she was inspired to do musicals again because of her daughter, who is now doing musicals in her elementary school. 鈥淚 just had a moment where I was like, 'Wow, she's really powerful and strong, and I don't know how she's doing it.'鈥� And then Milano realized, it was because of theatre, which led her to thinking: 鈥淚 did that at that age. Why aren't I doing that now?鈥� Milano says it鈥檚 been a family tradition to go to New York every year and see a Broadway show.
鈥淭he great thing about musical theatre at a young age is, not only does it give you confidence, and also all of those things that you need to be a functioning adult, but also, it gives you community,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here's such an ease knowing that she's going to be in middle school and know who her people are.鈥�
And the process of rehearsing Chicago, including learning the Kander and Ebb songs and Fosse鈥檚 intricate choreography鈥攊t鈥檚 taken Milano back to her younger self.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really hard,鈥� she says with a smile about learning the choreography. 鈥淚 remember being eight, and rehearsing for Annie, and there was this one dance step that sent me off the stage crying because I could not get it. I could not get it. And there have been those moments in [Chicago]. But I鈥檓 not crying, mind you, because now I have faith that I will get it eventually.鈥� And the most astonishing thing is? 鈥淚 still remember that move from when I was eight years old. It's never left my body," marvels Milano. That means that Chicago will also never leave her body. 鈥淎nd that's really cool,鈥� she says with a smile.
And it鈥檚 also shown Milano what she鈥檚 capable of: 鈥淲hat an amazing thing to be older than I ever intended to be and to still be doing something for the first time.鈥�
