L'Ora Italiana: Karli Dinardo is Cassie in 'A Chorus Line'

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Carl DiNardo, Welcome to the Vinie Penn Project.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Thank you, thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Rumor has it there was one morning where you were,
like like many women across America, you were just calling
me and calling me and calling me. I apologize for
that that it was at a studio that day.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
And no worries at all.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Yeah, well no, now I'm looking at pictures of you
and I'm very angry that I missed that call that day.
Are you Italian, Carl, Are you Italian? I am, yeah, yeah,
Where are you from.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
I'm from Australia. I'm first generation Australian.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Wow, it's interesting, you know it was your childhood look
an Italian in Australia. That must have been must have
been a lot of arts, which lends itself to what
you're doing here. I mean part of a chorus line
just the fiftieth anniversary production of one of the most
pul Broadway shows ever. Yeah, it must have been dancing

(00:59):
since you were what two.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Probably yeah, two or three?

Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, it was a very Honestly, it was a great childhood.
I loved growing up in Australia and having support to
follow the things that I was passionate about and has
led me right here, which is so exciting because it's
such a as you said, like the fiftiest anniversary of
a show that's so iconic for so many people, not

(01:25):
just dancers and performers, such a human story. So it's
very very exciting and an honor to be a part
of it.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
Yeah. You know what I get a lot of here
when I do these these interviews, too, is when I
speak with people like yourself who've been having a lot
of success. I see you, you're in Hamilton on Broadway,
which is wild to see Hamilton in you know, the
Broadway show in movie theaters right now. You know, it's
just quite something. But I've been getting a lot of entertainers,

(01:55):
a lot of dancers, singers, performers lately who are like, oh, yeah,
this is the third time I've on the show and
playing different roles in it. Have you ever been in
a chorus line? But I know you're playing Cassie now,
but were you ever in it before and you played
a different character? Because I always find that interesting.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
I have done the show once before with different choreography,
but I played Cassie as well, so interesting.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, yeah, are you doing anything different this time, as
far as the characters concerned and as far as the
Good Speed Opera House is concerned.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Absolutely, I mean this production, first off, we're doing the
original choreography that was set in fifty years ago in
the original production, So that's super exciting and I'm just
so spectacular in so many ways. And then obviously, because
the Good Speed Theater is just a little smaller than
the Schubert Theater in New York City, we've had to

(02:52):
make some slight adjustments to supportmations or things to make
it fit on the stage. And I actually think that
that's so ex because it just shows you that it's
so good that it doesn't matter if you have to
slightly shift aligned with two lines, because it's still as
beautiful and powerful and character wise. Yeah. Absolutely, I feel

(03:14):
like as an actor, we play off of our seam partners,
and this is an entirely different group of people and
a different creative team and different people with their own,
you know, seeds that they want the show to look
like or be like. So we work all together and
we find what that is for us. And so I
do think that my interpretation of Kassie is very different

(03:36):
this time around, And also I'm older than I was
the last time I played it, so my life experience
gets to influence the way in which I, you know,
understand the role. And I think that's also what's really
cool about this show is that it's always relevant and
you always can bring what you've been through in your
life to the words on the page.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah. Yeah, And I as a you know, I'm been
a musical fan since I was a kid. I'm a
movie lover. I even saw the movie with Michael Douglas.
I remember when that came out. I was a senior
in high school. Tragically, I was a senior in high
school when that film cava. But I love stuff about

(04:20):
the industry, and what I always found interesting about a
chorus line is it's about Broadway. It's about people trying
to make it in Broadway. So it kind of pulled
the curtain back a little bit. And I think what
you just described right there must be really interesting because
at one time you played it, when you were a
little younger and a little maybe a little hungry, or

(04:41):
who know, now you're a little bit more experience, you
bring something different to it, you know.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean it's always you know, with everything
that we do. Every audition that we go to, we
have to bring ourselves into the room and it's a
high stress environment and it's fast, and that's what we
do to get jobs for a living, and so to
have a show that is created about that. Yeah, specifically

(05:09):
for Broadway is just so singular. Nothing else exists like it.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
Yeah. Have you ever been to the Have you ever
been to East Adam, Connecticut before, to the Good Speed before?
You know?

Speaker 2 (05:22):
I hadn't. I have many friends who have worked here
and absolutely loved it. Yeah that I had not been
here myself.

Speaker 1 (05:29):
No, isn't beautiful. It's just beautiful. The theater is beautiful,
the whole area, the walking around area. It's a very
creative environment. I don't know. Does it remind you a
little bit of back home? I could see it maybe
doing that.

Speaker 2 (05:42):
No, you know there are certain times, yes, in certain
areas where I'm like, oh, yeah, it's just lovely to
have so many trees and the water and it's very
peaceful and everybody's so lovely around here, and just like
a slightly slower pace of life, which is a beautiful thing.
So yeah, sometimes it does. I will say, all the

(06:03):
bugs remind me of home. That's for sure.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, we are having an interesting fall and you're here
with us until October twenty sixth.

Speaker 2 (06:14):
You're actually we just got extended. We are here until
November two.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
Wow, that's well, I'm not surprised, but that's good news.
At the good Speed in East Adam. Make sure you
check out a chorus line a Pulitzer Prize winning show too,
which is something you know. I never knew and I
hope you enjoy your time here in Connecticut. What's next
for Carly DeNardo after this? Do you have the next
move planned? Do you already have it lockdown?

Speaker 2 (06:40):
There are a few options in the air, and we
will see which one land.

Speaker 1 (06:44):
You're not going to break news on the mean, No, no,
no breaking news, Carly. This too is what many women
across America have said to me. No, you're just the
latest and a long line, but you're extremely talented. I
can't wait to see the show myself. I missed it

(07:04):
press night, but I'm looking forward to checking out course
line and Carly DeNardo just continued success. Thanks for being
flexible and enjoy your stay here in Connecticut.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Thank you so much. Look forward to having you at
the show. Have a great day, bye,