Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hey, it's Bob Delmont here talkingto my good new friend Caroline Bowman,
who is a Broadway star. She'sfrom Howard County, went to Glenelg High
School, and she's here with menow talking about her performance as Elsa but
the Broadway production of Frozen that's goingto be at the Hippodrome June seventh through
the eighteenth. Caroline, Hello,Hi, Hi, This is Bob Delmont
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from w POC in Baltimore. Howare you, Bob? I am so
excited to finally do press for myhome. Really, I have been waiting
to do Frozen near somewhere near youknow, Baltimore, DC for the last
four years. No way, really, yeah, yeah, I'm really stoked
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by the way. I see thatyou still have the four one zero number,
which very respectful. I love that. That's great. Oh yeah,
oh yeah. So where are younow? School? Nice? Yeah,
Glenelg High School, right, Howardtime. That's right, awesome? Right?
So where are you now? CanI ask you that I'm just curious.
I am in Omaha, Nebraska.Are you doing Frozen there? I
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am? And how long have youbeen been doing this particular show since twenty
nineteen? So I was cast inMarch of twenty nineteen, and then we
then we went out on the roadin the fallow twenty nineteen. Then obviously
we took a break starting March twentytwenty, and then came back in August
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of twenty twenty one. And I'veplayed Elsa probably close to seven hundred times.
Oh my gosh. And first ofall, let me just tell you
I haven't seen it yet. Ican't wait to see it when it comes
to the Hippodrome June seventh through theeighteenth. Tickets available now at Ticketmaster.
And you get to see somebody local. I mean, you're out of the
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entire city looking at you, CarolineBowman from Howard County. This is gonna
be so exciting. But I sawa portion of this. I went to
Disneyland, pouring down rain as soonas we got into the park, so
like, all right, listen,stuck into this show. And what they
do is they do like I guessan abbreviated one act of Frozen maybe in
Disneyland. I was blown away atthe production and the talent. This is
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going to be a great show.I understand. It's going to be different
from what you guys are performing atthe Hippodrome. But just the stage,
the talent, the effects, itjust blew us away in the short amount
of time that we were there.So this is going to be incredible.
Oh totally, totally. And Iactually didn't get a chance to seem Frozen
at the Hyperion, which was inDisneyland. But yeah, that they they
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really Disney knows how to put ona great production and really knows how to
put magic on stage. It's it'sreally sensational. Yeah, it really is.
So I want to know more aboutYou went to Glen Elk High School,
graduated two thousand and six, isthat right? That's right. So
so during that time, I assumeyou did a bunch of musicals during that
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time, probably as a freshman.You've been seeing all your life, right,
Yeah? Absolutely, yeah, Imean I was. I've been taking
dance classes and choirs all over allover Maryland. UM, my entire life.
My my, my sweet parents.UM just took me to all my
dance classes and all my voice lessons. And my mom's an actor, so
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I started performing with her pretty young. Um, and then I you know,
caught the bug, as they say. And then I went to high
school and my high school drama teacher. Her name is Sue Miller, and
she is like a second mama tome, and um, she basically took
me under her wing and she pushedme and in high school and kind of
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she gave me roles that would reallychallenge me. And um, she's really
influential in my life and me choosingthis as a career path because she was
super supportive of this choice. Andso yeah, um, glenn Ow,
Um, as you know, it'sa public school, but we had a
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really great arts program. Yeah,yeah, so I assume, yeah,
I was going to ask about theirdepartment in the high school if it was
probably a little better than maybe otherschools in the country as far as being
a public school, I feel likein Maryland we had a lot of school
So so when I was in highschool, we performed in or participated in
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the Cappies program, which I don'tknow if you've ever heard of. It's
a it's like high school Tony Awards, And so we did the Baltimore Cappies.
I actually think like the last timeI performed at the Hippodrome was for
the Cappies, and they're like highschool Tony Awards and we got to all
come together and and you know,I mean, I guess in a way
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compete, but more just celebrate theater. And there's just so much talent.
And I grew up doing working atToby's Dinner Theater in Columbia, Maryland,
and I did all of her summerprograms and so I met some of my
best friends who all went to likethe neighboring high schools, and I was
doing theater programs outside of school withall of them, and so there,
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Yeah, there's just like a lotof there's a lot of opportunity in UM
in our small little state. It'sreally like it's we're really lucky. And
also we have DC in Baltimore,which and also the just so many theaters
and UM local theaters and Baltimore CenterStage and UM just theaters that I grew
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up going to see my first quoteunquote Broadway shows. Wow. Yeah,
there's so much culture in this areaif people are really take advantage of it.
There's a lot to do, alot to see in Baltimore Theater and
so many more things in the arts. Definitely, So have you want a
cappy or two? I did?I did? I want two cappies?
In high school. Nice. Niceand and so you said that your your
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your mentor teacher pushed you to dothis. I assume you're because your mother
is an actress. Has she doneanything that we would know about or is
it a local theater or your momshe's actually, oh yes, so more
she did more community theater and thenkind of transition to TV and film.
So she was in an episode ofThe Wire, which is you know Baltimore
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show. Um, and she's doneit. She's done a bunch of stuff
and um, she's she's kind ofUm, she does everything. She is.
She's one of my biggest inspirations inlife. And she's she kind of
just like sets off. So she'shad a lot of different careers. But
um, yeah, she's been anactor, she's a yoga teacher, she's
Ricky certified. She's in seminary rightnow to become a priest. Yeah,
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she's kind of yeah, she's.Um, she's a wonderful woman. And
um, my dad to both myparents were super just they My dad didn't
know as much about this industry.My mom has always been kind of a
yes woman. She can tell andso she's kind of told me to go
for it. And my dad toohas always been supportive, but he didn't
really understand this crazy industry. Um, but he was always He's been at
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every single show that I've ever done. Couple times he comes. He'll randomly
show up in a city and justcome seeing me in Frozen and wow.
And I've got some pretty amazing parents. And then you went to Penn State.
I assume you studied their theater aswell. Four years there and during
that time, how many shows didyou do in your like four years?
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So yeah, I got a Bachelorof Fine Arts a musical theater from Penn
State. And it was awesome becauseI really wanted to go to a school
that had had a really conservatory likeprogram, but I wanted to be able
to go to football games. Andthey have friends outside of the theater department,
and which was lovely because the threeof the four years I was there,
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I lived with um for women whoare still I'm still close with that
were completely kinesiology majors and advertisement andnursing and just I don't know, I
think it. I actually think itkind of makes you a better performer an
actor if you have more well roundedpeople around you. So, uh,
yeah, I did I did afew shows at Penn State, but mainly
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it was about the training I Ididn't have, you know, because you
don't as a freshman. You kindof have to like work your way up
and you don't really start performing untillater. You kind of just focus on
the training, and I got reallygood training there. Um, and then
I kind of when I graduated intwenty ten, and I've pretty much been
working consistently since then, which letme ask in such a blessing when you
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were in Penn State, weren't youalready working professionally before you graduated? Or
did I find that information wrong?No, you're right. So my senior
year of college, well, betweenjunior and senior year, I said,
you know what, I'm just goingto go to New York and audition for
whatever I'm right for. I juststill kind of get my put my foot
in. What was it saying,throw my hat and ring whatever, put
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your foot in the door or whatever. But is that a common posing?
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, dip it in? And is that
common for people to do in theaterin junior your senior year trying to go
to New York or do most ofthem wait until after graduate. I'm just
curious about the thinking of the theaterperson. I mean, we, like
some of my friends who were inmy program with me, would drive to
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New York from Penn stateon do auditions. Um so, and I had.
I've been in New York so manytimes in my childhood, and so I
knew the city really well. Andum so, I was just really trying
to prepare myself to feel what itfeels like to be in the audition scene
and do like the hustle, likewhat you have to do when you get
to New York, hit the groundrunning. And um I auditioned for two
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things and I got them both.No, did you have like representation?
Were like open casting calls or somethingor they were open casting call, Okay,
they're open casting calls. One wasa reading of a brand new musical.
Um I can't remember. I couldn't. I couldn't end up doing that
reading because I also booked the internationalTour of Fame, which was going to
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China, and I I really waslike not, I really didn't think I
was going to get it, andI turned it down because I was like,
no, I have to go bea senior in college just for fun.
And then I ended I told mymom, and of course, yes,
woman, she was like, youknow what, try to figure it
out. You're going into your senioryear. You don't have vent me credits
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left. See if your professors wouldwork this out for you. Because it
was really only going to be acouple It was three months total, but
part of it fell over my winterbreak. So I talked to every single
I called every single one of myprofessors individually, including my genets, which
I had to have a couple morejenets to graduate, and they all agreed
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to let me leave at Thanksgiving,finish my semester as long as I was
in good standing, and then comeback like it was a mid February when
I came back, and I justhad to double up on voice lessons,
and I love voice lessons, soI was like, Okay, this is
awesome, yea, And yeah,I didn't want to know. I didn't
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want to not graduate with my classor graduate on time, like I really
wanted to finish that chapter, mycollege chapter. But yeah, I started
my professional career before I graduated,which is so that department. Obviously at
that point, you're you're taking allclasses with your major, with your career,
and so they helped you, theyworked with you so you could do
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this unbelievable life changing thing going toChina. Right, Yeah, they were.
It was an amazing program. Andmy professors were really supportive and they
kind of were like, you know, you this is what we work towards,
right, We worked towards you gethaving a career in this and if
we were to tell you know that, would you know? And obviously every
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single student is it's kind of subjective. I happened to be in really good
standing and I had most of mycredits done. If I hadn't, they
might not have been so m youknow, able to let me go do
that. But was in a goodsituation. What are your first auditions in
New York is between your junior andsenior year. Let me see if I'm
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getting this right, and you getthe touring of fame going to China,
that is incredible that you must havebeen blown away. I mean, what
was that experience like at somebody soyoung going over to a foreign country performing
such a famous show. What wasthat like? Yeah, I never thought
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I would go to China, youknow, it's on the other side of
the world. I really never hadthe thought. Oh I and also I
didn't know I would go to Chinato do theater, you know, like
that's I would. I kind ofhad a really I didn't realize that this
career would take me to so manyplaces that it has taken me. I
thought I would kind of end upin New York and kind of stay there
for a long time, and nightI have had a career in New York,
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and I've done a lot in NewYork, but I've done a lot
elsewhere. And yeah, China wasit was a really cool experience to have
that young and to experience a differentculture, and they love the show.
Yeah, oh my gosh, Yeah, I love the show over there.
And I got to see a country, a lot of the country that I
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would not have, you know,probably seen otherwise. So I don't think
a lot of people here realize oreven I didn't know that New York theater
people do shows overseas. I Idon't know, I didn't do that.
I mean I read that you didGreece and Turkey as well. I mean
that's sort of the same thing.Or was it Was it a coincidence that
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you were again going over or wasit kind of related to it? Was
the same company in the same companyhired me to do that. Yeah,
a lot of shows go overseas,and you know, there's so many there's
so much performance opportunity. It's notjust Broadway, but my career has been
doing Broadway shows, but it's youknow, yeah, a lot of it.
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There's so much theater and you cango to London work on the West
End and there's there's theater all overthe world. Yeah, and there's there's
and there happens to be five fiveFrozen companies. The Australian company just closed,
but um, there's five Frozen companiesaround the world that Disney is making
their money, aren't they. Ohmy gosh, you don't even know how
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they're making their money. It's incredible. You started, uh doing Wicked?
Was this a touring company of Wicked? As so Wicked was my Broadway debut.
I had at that point China Tourof Fame, the Turkey, Greece,
and then I went on the nationaltour of Spam a Lot. And
right after Spam a Lot, Imoved to New York because I was like,
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I want to be on Broadway.I want to I want to try
and so I was like it's timefor me to move New York. So
I moved to New York in Octobertwenty eleven, and three weeks later I
had no representation, but I hadjust been auditioning and putting myself in front
of the people that I the rightpeople, and um, three weeks later,
I got a call from the castingoffice asking you, so I would
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come in or elf of the understudyfor Wicked on Broadway and so, and
I was like, this is mycall. Yeah, yeah, this is
the call I've been waiting for.And I went in and I got it,
and this is this is two thousandand eleven, right now? How
long had the show? And Iforget when Wicked first hit Broadway? What
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year was that? Was it earlytwo thousand three? Okay, so it's
been off for a while. Yougot understudy as as the Witch? And
then what happened after that? Didyou do a couple of shows? And
because I know, you left andcame back? Right? Yeah? So
I I did Wicked for ten months. And while I was doing Wicked,
I was doing workshops of you're nevernot working and you're never not looking for
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your next job as an actor.Yep, yeah, because things end right,
eventually, I mean, they couldend h So we're constantly it's exciting
and scary at the same time.It's all it's all of it, which
is I think that's why I'm soinvigorated by this, this career path,
because I just you know, younever know what could happen. So while
I was doing Wicked, I auditionedfor Kinky Boots. Um, and I
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was doing workshops of Kinky Boots.Isn't that the original cast like when it
began like in twenty twelve, thirteenor something like that. Yeah, So
I was in the original cast ofKinky Books. Wow. Wow. So
I left Wicked and I did theout of town tryout in Chicago, and
then we transferred to Broadway in twothousand thirteen, and I did that for
a little while. And then whileI was in Kinky Boots, I was
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auditioning for Avita and I went onthe Avida National Tour. And then while
I was on a Vita, Iauditioned to be Alphaba on Wicked on Broadway.
And so that's brought me back toWicked on Broadway. You're doing avorit
porn, right, You're doing thisa lead, right. So I was
incredible unbelievable. So at this point, is Kinky Boots like, is it
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blowing up on Broadway and you're inthe ensemble and you get a vita?
No, it was blowing up onBroadway. I remember when we won our
Tony. I think I knew Iwas either in the running. No.
No, I think I had gottena vida And we won the Tony for
for Kinky Boots, and I waslike, oh my gosh, how am
I gonna leave this show? Iwas like I was gonna like, as
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a as a career, do youstay? And obviously I know you're a
lad and it's it's a huge justa pun it's a vita. I mean,
that's an incredible role for an actress, but you know it's the touring
company. Is it better career wiseto stay in the ensemble if something is
huge as Kinky Boots? I guessnot. I mean, do you are
you battling that in your head?Or was it just like a no brainer?
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I gotta do a vida. Um. When I got the role of
a Vita, I can't There's noway I could turn it down. I
mean I worked so hard to getthat role and it's a role of a
lifetime and I was in the ensembleof Kinky Boots and so it's kind of,
um, I was transitioning to likemy Broadway leading lady days, Like
it was like I was becoming Iwanted the industry to see me differently,
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and um, so yeah, no, it was. It was a hard
decision because I didn't want to leavethis show that I helped create and and
it's such a so so much apart of me and it's such a good
show and all the things. ButI, um, I knew I couldn't.
I couldn't turn down Ava, Likethat's just it was. Um,
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it was such a dream come trueto slay that wrong, you know,
just talking to you and going throughyour stuff. I mean, I'm just
the theater watcher and a radio guy. I don't I don't know anything,
but it sounds like already you havehad an amazing career, Caroline, something
you should be incredibly proud of.And sure you've got the talent to back
it up, and we can't waitto see that. I mean, it's
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it's just amazing now doing a vitaEva? Is that the hardest as a
performer? Was that the biggest challengeas a singer to pull off as far
as anything you've ever done before.So you know what I've got. I
do some pretty heavy things if Icould. And thank you for saying that
about thank you for that compliment thoughit was very nice. Um. I
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actually Felfaba has been the hardest rollout of Like if I call them the
Three East, you know, Alphaba, Alsa, and Avida. So I've
got them, I've checked them off. Alphaba is is a different beast.
Um, It's just she also livesin a place of anger a lot of
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the character itself. So um,Avita I've kind of found. I found
she kind of lived within me alittle bit. Um, I don't know.
I was I was able to findher and and not get so tired.
But Alphaba was was exhausting to me, Like it was just it's a
really long show too. And yeah, and Alaba just never leaves the stage
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and she's green and you know,she's just like it's just the whole thing.
So so as Elsa somewhere in themiddle as far as a challenge or
difficulty to pull off or is itjust secondhand for you right now? Yeah,
Well, you know, I'm twoand a half years into playing her.
A little bit more than that.So I do. I have found
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her. I have found my Elsaand I however, yeah, I mean
it depends on the day and um, but yeah, I would say she
falls somewhere and there and there's nothingthere's nothing easy about any of these roles.
It's just this is the I've I'venever played a role so long,
Um, in my career. I'vegot I've had the blessing of of really
get diving deep into who and likediscovering new things about Elsa. And I've
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really like I've gotten to like reallysink my teeth into her, which is
such it's so cool to do asan actor, and um, I don't
have to worry, like it's justkind of like I know, I know
her journey. I know vocally howto do it. I've I'm constantly working
on it. And obviously there aredays that are harder than others, and
depending on travel, you know,I'm traveling around the country every two weeks
pretty much, and so there arethere are, um the things that make
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it difficult, but it's um,I do feel like Elsa. Elsa has
fits me pretty well and what Ido really well. I'm sure you visit
for the holidays. Are you excitedto come home though for a couple of
weeks? Hang out? Maybe?And so I'm so excited. I cannot
tell you how excited I am.I have been waiting for this for so
long. The very first the veryfirst day we had our cast gathering,
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meet and greet, the first dayof rehearsal, I said to our major
main produce, because we didn't haveone back in twenty nineteen, we didn't
have Baltimore or the Kennedy Center onon the the docket on this tour,
And I said, I was like, Tom, I was like, we
got some good theaters down in Maryland, DC area. Come on hello,
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I mean, this would be thefirst time you've been in working on the
Hippodrome, right You've have you beenon the stage before? Yeah? Yeah,
this is the first time I'm touringwith one of my shows and performing
at the Hipodrome. Like I said, I I host is the Cappies a
couple of years ago m U andI helped like with the High School Awards
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and so yeah, but I havenever never professionally performed at the Hippodrome.
So it's exciting. And what doyou miss, like, what are some
of the things locally. I knowyou left in high school and visited with
the college, but are there arethings in Baltimore Howard County? You you
just miss being on the road andeverything you ever think about stuff at home,
like out of crabs. Oh mygosh. Well, yes, every
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time I come, I'm sure becausewe're going to be there in June.
We're definitely gonna get crabs. Ialways asked my dad, especially because my
birthdays in May and his birthdays inMay. So sometimes we'll try to get
crabs early. But I we spentyou know, we those eighteen months during
the pandemic, we lived with myparents in Howard County, like I was
back home. Yeah, because wemy husband and I. My husband used
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to be on the tour and wegot rid of our New York City apartment
and committed to life on the road, and so we didn't have a place
to live, and so I calledmy parents we could live with you.
So we've spent a lot of timein Maryland. My dog loves Maryland.
My dog loves Maryland more than NewYork City. Sorry, Kodak, I
mean I always call Maryland home,even though I'm a New York City girl.
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Now I feel like I feel atpeace. I mean, it's where
it's where I'm rooted, and sojust kind of that. I mean,
and I love going you know,I know Columbia Mall so well, yeah
Maryweather the concerts there, Yeah yeah, and I really I used to go
down to the Inner Harbor and hangout on in the Inner Harbor and my
dad is and my dad has aRavens Mobile, so he's like, he's
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a big Ravens guy. I'll goon tailgate with him and his friends.
We used to have. We usedto have front row seats at the Orioles,
like right in front of the firstbase Um. So I used to
sit right next to the ball girl, and the ball girl used to bring
me the ball, like the ballsthat would like the foul balls. Wow,
you're a real Baltimore Howard County girl. I mean, saw you know,
(24:00):
I'm a I'm a real ball Mooregirl. You know Donald On,
Hey, you mentioned your husband.What does he do in the business.
He's an actor. He used toplay Prince Hans in a Frozen and he
did that for the first year andthen he left and went back to New
York and auditioning and doing other otherprojects now. Um, but he's performed
(24:22):
locally to used to perform at Toby'swhen Toby's. Um used to have Toby's
at Baltimore. He both of usperformed there. Um, Columbia one performed
it. Um, there's a Columbiaone and then there used to be one
at the Baltimore Battle Plaza right.Um. And I like I was in
one of the opening shows when theyopened it up there. Um and then
he performed. Both of us performedat Olney. Actually met him Olney Theater
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Center in Olney, Maryland. Um. He I actually met him because I
went and saw a show he wasin at Olney's. Yeah, but we
met in Maryland. Wow, that'sfantastic. And yeah, what show did
you perform at Toby's Dinner Theater?May? I ask? I started working
there in high school. I thinkmy first show there was Greece. Yeah,
(25:07):
and then I did Aida, Idid foot Loose Universary. What did
you do aniversary? Forty fifth anniversary? I did Joseph So I came back
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Cupas the narrator as a narrator. Yeah,
I came back in twenty seventeen becausethey were celebrating the forty fifth anniversary
(25:29):
of Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts.I said, yeah, I'll come back
and do it, and so theywere. I did a week of performances
as a narrator. Was so fun, so nostalgic, just being back in
that theater. By the way,excuse me, you're talking to also a
cast member of Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolor Dream nineteen eighty seven North Alleghany High
(25:49):
School in Pittsburgh as one of thebrothers. Thank you, Thank you very
much, guys, round of apply, Thank you, nineteen eighty seven.
But by the way, probably oneof the first high schools to do it
and get rights to it, becauseI think it hit Broadway like an eighty
two. I think so. Andso in eighty seven we did it,
and I didn't have a lead.I didn't do I didn't have like Reuben
(26:12):
had the French one and Levi hadthe Cowboy one. But I was is
a car? They said, whatdo you want? I'm like, is
a car? As an ice name. So I was one of the brothers,
the lead, but you're the narrator, the big one. That's awesome.
Uh, it's a fun show.Alleghania High School, I feel so.
My mom went to Laurel High Schooland my dad might have gone to
(26:32):
Alleghany High School. But I'm surePittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's North
Alleghany High School and it's a Pittsburghschool. Okay, I was thinking Alleghany
County. Oh, that's all right, Allega county in Maryland. There is
there's an Alleghany county in Maryland.There is one in Pittsburgh as well,
So you're right, there is anAlleghany County. So I grew up in
(26:52):
Pittsburgh. But but yeah, you'rethe narrative that was that was such a
cool And then I didn't realize whatI out older that that show was kind
of like a kid show. Ididn't really because I had so much fun
to it into high school and oh, this is kind of for kids,
but it's a it's a fun show, you know, sort of there's like
elements in it that are ye thatare not so kid like. I love
that show. I think it's sofun. Some folk stream of the Wonders.
(27:17):
Will you remember right? Anyway,So one last question and I'll let
you go up. Kept it fora long time. But I've had a
lot of fun with you, Caroline. You're so wonderful and I appreciate the
time. By the way, whenthe pandemic broke out, of course,
everything shut down. How did youhandle that? How did that? I
mean you couldn't work right for thelongest time, or how did you deal
(27:38):
with that? Yeah, so itwas. It was really hard. It
was to be considered non essential workers, which I think is very wrong.
As an artist, I think,you know, we are very essential.
But yeah, we drove. Wewere all the way over in Portland,
Oregon, and so we spent sixweeks out there when the pandemic hit,
(27:59):
and then we both I was withmy husband and and our dog, and
we decided kind of after this sixweeks, we were like, Wow,
this isn't coming back time soon.We need it. We need to head
home. I need I was Icouldn't be this far away from my family.
I was so worried about my family. Yes, and so we drove
the country in three days back toMaryland. We got back and got hunkered
(28:22):
down with my parents, and thenwe kind of started I started teaching a
little bit online. I started teachingvoice lessons and I was doing like master
classes, and I was trying toyou know, stay you know, as
active as I could, and umand safe and Austin and I so my
husband's name is Austin. And wedid some at home concerts where we we
(28:47):
did it over zoom and people tunedin and we were doing like concerts from
our living room. Wow. Yeah. So we did as much as we
could. And then you know,Disney. Disney was really good to us
and they gave us some opportunities todo some things. And on the anniversary,
we performed on Good Morning America.We performed a Good Morning America from
Toby's Inner theater. I called.I called Toby, and I asked if
(29:11):
we could if if they you know, they would rent out the space to
the Good Morning America crew. Andwe performed in the morning of the anniversary
of the year or the year ofthe shutdown, and um, yeah it
was. We got to before inthe morning and went over to Toby's and
we did it there. And youperformed was that frozen at the time or
(29:32):
okay, okay, we did.We did some frozen songs. That's so
neat. Well, you made themost of a bad situation. I mean,
you seem to be creatively you did, you did a lot during that
time, so good for you andAustin. That's fantastic. Thank you.
Yeah, we did our best andwe got to spend a lot of really
quality time with my parents. They'relike our best friends. So it worked
out. Glad you're back out.My last question for you, I mean,
(29:53):
you've done so much wittier aspirations fromhere. Would you like to continue
with the Frozen tour or and definitelyor move on to something on Broadway,
another show that's a steady that's lockedin there, or what do you think
I want to work? I thinkif anything the pandemic taught me is that
(30:15):
I this is what I'm meant todo, and this is what I want
to do. Yeah, I dowant to get back to New York.
I have been on the road fora long time. You know. I
live out of living out of suitcasesand kind of having that eighteen months where
I still kind of lived out ofsuitcases. I'm ready to not have a
temporary situation. I'm ready to beback in New York. My husband and
I are working. I'm buying anapartment in New York. So I'm trying
(30:37):
to lay down some solid roots thereand so yeah, I would like to
be back on Broadway. I'd loveto do TV and film. Theater has
I you know, theater has beenthe calling and whenever TV and film wants
to call, I'm available. Hello, I'm available. So yeah, I'm
I'm kind of open to all possibilities. I really love what I do.
I really, I'm really passionate aboutit, and I am I don't take
(31:02):
any any day I get to dothis for granted. So I'm I'm open
to it all. But yes,I'm gonna I'm gonna make my way back
to New York, maybe sooner thanlater. You're a great example of how
somebody's super talented and can definitely makeit in the business. I don't I
think it's a small percentage, butyou've managed to do it. Caroline Bowman
(31:22):
of Howard County represent She's going tobe Elsa. She is Elsa at of
course Frozen, the Broadway production HippodromeJune seventh through the eighteenth. Tickets available
at Ticketmaster. Can't wait to seeyou perform. You're so nice and you're
so wonderful to give me so muchtime, and I apologize for taking up
so much of it, but it'sbeen good talking to you. Oh my
(31:42):
gosh, I'm so excited. I'lltake all the time with all my Baltimore
press. I can't I'm so excitedto be there. Oh good, we
can't wait. Caroline, Thank youso much again. And you're an Omaha
right now. You said you havea show tonight. I'm an Omaha,
Nebraska. I got a show tonight. Well break it lay and we'll see
in Baltimore. Okay, bye bye, Thank you.
Hey, it's Bob Delmont here talkingto my good new friend Caroline Bowman,
who is a Broadway star. She'sfrom Howard County, went to Glenelg High
School, and she's here with menow talking about her performance as Elsa but
the Broadway production of Frozen that's goingto be at the Hippodrome June seventh through
the eighteenth. Caroline, Hello,Hi, Hi, This is Bob Delmont
(00:24):
from w POC in Baltimore. Howare you, Bob? I am so
excited to finally do press for myhome. Really, I have been waiting
to do Frozen near somewhere near youknow, Baltimore, DC for the last
four years. No way, really, yeah, yeah, I'm really stoked
(00:46):
by the way. I see thatyou still have the four one zero number,
which very respectful. I love that. That's great. Oh yeah,
oh yeah. So where are younow? School? Nice? Yeah,
Glenelg High School, right, Howardtime. That's right, awesome? Right?
So where are you now? CanI ask you that I'm just curious.
I am in Omaha, Nebraska.Are you doing Frozen there? I
(01:07):
am? And how long have youbeen been doing this particular show since twenty
nineteen? So I was cast inMarch of twenty nineteen, and then we
then we went out on the roadin the fallow twenty nineteen. Then obviously
we took a break starting March twentytwenty, and then came back in August
(01:29):
of twenty twenty one. And I'veplayed Elsa probably close to seven hundred times.
Oh my gosh. And first ofall, let me just tell you
I haven't seen it yet. Ican't wait to see it when it comes
to the Hippodrome June seventh through theeighteenth. Tickets available now at Ticketmaster.
And you get to see somebody local. I mean, you're out of the
(01:49):
entire city looking at you, CarolineBowman from Howard County. This is gonna
be so exciting. But I sawa portion of this. I went to
Disneyland, pouring down rain as soonas we got into the park, so
like, all right, listen,stuck into this show. And what they
do is they do like I guessan abbreviated one act of Frozen maybe in
Disneyland. I was blown away atthe production and the talent. This is
(02:14):
going to be a great show.I understand. It's going to be different
from what you guys are performing atthe Hippodrome. But just the stage,
the talent, the effects, itjust blew us away in the short amount
of time that we were there.So this is going to be incredible.
Oh totally, totally. And Iactually didn't get a chance to seem Frozen
at the Hyperion, which was inDisneyland. But yeah, that they they
(02:36):
really Disney knows how to put ona great production and really knows how to
put magic on stage. It's it'sreally sensational. Yeah, it really is.
So I want to know more aboutYou went to Glen Elk High School,
graduated two thousand and six, isthat right? That's right. So
so during that time, I assumeyou did a bunch of musicals during that
(02:59):
time, probably as a freshman.You've been seeing all your life, right,
Yeah? Absolutely, yeah, Imean I was. I've been taking
dance classes and choirs all over allover Maryland. UM, my entire life.
My my, my sweet parents.UM just took me to all my
dance classes and all my voice lessons. And my mom's an actor, so
(03:20):
I started performing with her pretty young. Um, and then I you know,
caught the bug, as they say. And then I went to high
school and my high school drama teacher. Her name is Sue Miller, and
she is like a second mama tome, and um, she basically took
me under her wing and she pushedme and in high school and kind of
(03:40):
she gave me roles that would reallychallenge me. And um, she's really
influential in my life and me choosingthis as a career path because she was
super supportive of this choice. Andso yeah, um, glenn Ow,
Um, as you know, it'sa public school, but we had a
(04:00):
really great arts program. Yeah,yeah, so I assume, yeah,
I was going to ask about theirdepartment in the high school if it was
probably a little better than maybe otherschools in the country as far as being
a public school, I feel likein Maryland we had a lot of school
So so when I was in highschool, we performed in or participated in
(04:21):
the Cappies program, which I don'tknow if you've ever heard of. It's
a it's like high school Tony Awards, And so we did the Baltimore Cappies.
I actually think like the last timeI performed at the Hippodrome was for
the Cappies, and they're like highschool Tony Awards and we got to all
come together and and you know,I mean, I guess in a way
(04:42):
compete, but more just celebrate theater. And there's just so much talent.
And I grew up doing working atToby's Dinner Theater in Columbia, Maryland,
and I did all of her summerprograms and so I met some of my
best friends who all went to likethe neighboring high schools, and I was
doing theater programs outside of school withall of them, and so there,
(05:02):
Yeah, there's just like a lotof there's a lot of opportunity in UM
in our small little state. It'sreally like it's we're really lucky. And
also we have DC in Baltimore,which and also the just so many theaters
and UM local theaters and Baltimore CenterStage and UM just theaters that I grew
(05:25):
up going to see my first quoteunquote Broadway shows. Wow. Yeah,
there's so much culture in this areaif people are really take advantage of it.
There's a lot to do, alot to see in Baltimore Theater and
so many more things in the arts. Definitely, So have you want a
cappy or two? I did?I did? I want two cappies?
In high school. Nice. Niceand and so you said that your your
(05:48):
your mentor teacher pushed you to dothis. I assume you're because your mother
is an actress. Has she doneanything that we would know about or is
it a local theater or your momshe's actually, oh yes, so more
she did more community theater and thenkind of transition to TV and film.
So she was in an episode ofThe Wire, which is you know Baltimore
(06:08):
show. Um, and she's doneit. She's done a bunch of stuff
and um, she's she's kind ofUm, she does everything. She is.
She's one of my biggest inspirations inlife. And she's she kind of
just like sets off. So she'shad a lot of different careers. But
um, yeah, she's been anactor, she's a yoga teacher, she's
Ricky certified. She's in seminary rightnow to become a priest. Yeah,
(06:30):
she's kind of yeah, she's.Um, she's a wonderful woman. And
um, my dad to both myparents were super just they My dad didn't
know as much about this industry.My mom has always been kind of a
yes woman. She can tell andso she's kind of told me to go
for it. And my dad toohas always been supportive, but he didn't
really understand this crazy industry. Um, but he was always He's been at
(06:57):
every single show that I've ever done. Couple times he comes. He'll randomly
show up in a city and justcome seeing me in Frozen and wow.
And I've got some pretty amazing parents. And then you went to Penn State.
I assume you studied their theater aswell. Four years there and during
that time, how many shows didyou do in your like four years?
(07:19):
So yeah, I got a Bachelorof Fine Arts a musical theater from Penn
State. And it was awesome becauseI really wanted to go to a school
that had had a really conservatory likeprogram, but I wanted to be able
to go to football games. Andthey have friends outside of the theater department,
and which was lovely because the threeof the four years I was there,
(07:43):
I lived with um for women whoare still I'm still close with that
were completely kinesiology majors and advertisement andnursing and just I don't know, I
think it. I actually think itkind of makes you a better performer an
actor if you have more well roundedpeople around you. So, uh,
yeah, I did I did afew shows at Penn State, but mainly
(08:05):
it was about the training I Ididn't have, you know, because you
don't as a freshman. You kindof have to like work your way up
and you don't really start performing untillater. You kind of just focus on
the training, and I got reallygood training there. Um, and then
I kind of when I graduated intwenty ten, and I've pretty much been
working consistently since then, which letme ask in such a blessing when you
(08:28):
were in Penn State, weren't youalready working professionally before you graduated? Or
did I find that information wrong?No, you're right. So my senior
year of college, well, betweenjunior and senior year, I said,
you know what, I'm just goingto go to New York and audition for
whatever I'm right for. I juststill kind of get my put my foot
in. What was it saying,throw my hat and ring whatever, put
(08:50):
your foot in the door or whatever. But is that a common posing?
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, dip it in? And is that
common for people to do in theaterin junior your senior year trying to go
to New York or do most ofthem wait until after graduate. I'm just
curious about the thinking of the theaterperson. I mean, we, like
some of my friends who were inmy program with me, would drive to
(09:11):
New York from Penn stateon do auditions. Um so, and I had.
I've been in New York so manytimes in my childhood, and so I
knew the city really well. Andum so, I was just really trying
to prepare myself to feel what itfeels like to be in the audition scene
and do like the hustle, likewhat you have to do when you get
to New York, hit the groundrunning. And um I auditioned for two
(09:33):
things and I got them both.No, did you have like representation?
Were like open casting calls or somethingor they were open casting call, Okay,
they're open casting calls. One wasa reading of a brand new musical.
Um I can't remember. I couldn't. I couldn't end up doing that
reading because I also booked the internationalTour of Fame, which was going to
(09:54):
China, and I I really waslike not, I really didn't think I
was going to get it, andI turned it down because I was like,
no, I have to go bea senior in college just for fun.
And then I ended I told mymom, and of course, yes,
woman, she was like, youknow what, try to figure it
out. You're going into your senioryear. You don't have vent me credits
(10:16):
left. See if your professors wouldwork this out for you. Because it
was really only going to be acouple It was three months total, but
part of it fell over my winterbreak. So I talked to every single
I called every single one of myprofessors individually, including my genets, which
I had to have a couple morejenets to graduate, and they all agreed
(10:41):
to let me leave at Thanksgiving,finish my semester as long as I was
in good standing, and then comeback like it was a mid February when
I came back, and I justhad to double up on voice lessons,
and I love voice lessons, soI was like, Okay, this is
awesome, yea, And yeah,I didn't want to know. I didn't
(11:01):
want to not graduate with my classor graduate on time, like I really
wanted to finish that chapter, mycollege chapter. But yeah, I started
my professional career before I graduated,which is so that department. Obviously at
that point, you're you're taking allclasses with your major, with your career,
and so they helped you, theyworked with you so you could do
(11:22):
this unbelievable life changing thing going toChina. Right, Yeah, they were.
It was an amazing program. Andmy professors were really supportive and they
kind of were like, you know, you this is what we work towards,
right, We worked towards you gethaving a career in this and if
we were to tell you know that, would you know? And obviously every
(11:43):
single student is it's kind of subjective. I happened to be in really good
standing and I had most of mycredits done. If I hadn't, they
might not have been so m youknow, able to let me go do
that. But was in a goodsituation. What are your first auditions in
New York is between your junior andsenior year. Let me see if I'm
(12:03):
getting this right, and you getthe touring of fame going to China,
that is incredible that you must havebeen blown away. I mean, what
was that experience like at somebody soyoung going over to a foreign country performing
such a famous show. What wasthat like? Yeah, I never thought
(12:24):
I would go to China, youknow, it's on the other side of
the world. I really never hadthe thought. Oh I and also I
didn't know I would go to Chinato do theater, you know, like
that's I would. I kind ofhad a really I didn't realize that this
career would take me to so manyplaces that it has taken me. I
thought I would kind of end upin New York and kind of stay there
for a long time, and nightI have had a career in New York,
(12:46):
and I've done a lot in NewYork, but I've done a lot
elsewhere. And yeah, China wasit was a really cool experience to have
that young and to experience a differentculture, and they love the show.
Yeah, oh my gosh, Yeah, I love the show over there.
And I got to see a country, a lot of the country that I
(13:09):
would not have, you know,probably seen otherwise. So I don't think
a lot of people here realize oreven I didn't know that New York theater
people do shows overseas. I Idon't know, I didn't do that.
I mean I read that you didGreece and Turkey as well. I mean
that's sort of the same thing.Or was it Was it a coincidence that
(13:33):
you were again going over or wasit kind of related to it? Was
the same company in the same companyhired me to do that. Yeah,
a lot of shows go overseas,and you know, there's so many there's
so much performance opportunity. It's notjust Broadway, but my career has been
doing Broadway shows, but it's youknow, yeah, a lot of it.
(13:54):
There's so much theater and you cango to London work on the West
End and there's there's theater all overthe world. Yeah, and there's there's
and there happens to be five fiveFrozen companies. The Australian company just closed,
but um, there's five Frozen companiesaround the world that Disney is making
their money, aren't they. Ohmy gosh, you don't even know how
(14:16):
they're making their money. It's incredible. You started, uh doing Wicked?
Was this a touring company of Wicked? As so Wicked was my Broadway debut.
I had at that point China Tourof Fame, the Turkey, Greece,
and then I went on the nationaltour of Spam a Lot. And
right after Spam a Lot, Imoved to New York because I was like,
(14:37):
I want to be on Broadway.I want to I want to try
and so I was like it's timefor me to move New York. So
I moved to New York in Octobertwenty eleven, and three weeks later I
had no representation, but I hadjust been auditioning and putting myself in front
of the people that I the rightpeople, and um, three weeks later,
I got a call from the castingoffice asking you, so I would
(14:58):
come in or elf of the understudyfor Wicked on Broadway and so, and
I was like, this is mycall. Yeah, yeah, this is
the call I've been waiting for.And I went in and I got it,
and this is this is two thousandand eleven, right now? How
long had the show? And Iforget when Wicked first hit Broadway? What
(15:18):
year was that? Was it earlytwo thousand three? Okay, so it's
been off for a while. Yougot understudy as as the Witch? And
then what happened after that? Didyou do a couple of shows? And
because I know, you left andcame back? Right? Yeah? So
I I did Wicked for ten months. And while I was doing Wicked,
I was doing workshops of you're nevernot working and you're never not looking for
(15:41):
your next job as an actor.Yep, yeah, because things end right,
eventually, I mean, they couldend h So we're constantly it's exciting
and scary at the same time.It's all it's all of it, which
is I think that's why I'm soinvigorated by this, this career path,
because I just you know, younever know what could happen. So while
I was doing Wicked, I auditionedfor Kinky Boots. Um, and I
(16:06):
was doing workshops of Kinky Boots.Isn't that the original cast like when it
began like in twenty twelve, thirteenor something like that. Yeah, So
I was in the original cast ofKinky Books. Wow. Wow. So
I left Wicked and I did theout of town tryout in Chicago, and
then we transferred to Broadway in twothousand thirteen, and I did that for
a little while. And then whileI was in Kinky Boots, I was
(16:27):
auditioning for Avita and I went onthe Avida National Tour. And then while
I was on a Vita, Iauditioned to be Alphaba on Wicked on Broadway.
And so that's brought me back toWicked on Broadway. You're doing avorit
porn, right, You're doing thisa lead, right. So I was
incredible unbelievable. So at this point, is Kinky Boots like, is it
(16:51):
blowing up on Broadway and you're inthe ensemble and you get a vita?
No, it was blowing up onBroadway. I remember when we won our
Tony. I think I knew Iwas either in the running. No.
No, I think I had gottena vida And we won the Tony for
for Kinky Boots, and I waslike, oh my gosh, how am
I gonna leave this show? Iwas like I was gonna like, as
(17:11):
a as a career, do youstay? And obviously I know you're a
lad and it's it's a huge justa pun it's a vita. I mean,
that's an incredible role for an actress, but you know it's the touring
company. Is it better career wiseto stay in the ensemble if something is
huge as Kinky Boots? I guessnot. I mean, do you are
you battling that in your head?Or was it just like a no brainer?
(17:33):
I gotta do a vida. Um. When I got the role of
a Vita, I can't There's noway I could turn it down. I
mean I worked so hard to getthat role and it's a role of a
lifetime and I was in the ensembleof Kinky Boots and so it's kind of,
um, I was transitioning to likemy Broadway leading lady days, Like
it was like I was becoming Iwanted the industry to see me differently,
(17:56):
and um, so yeah, no, it was. It was a hard
decision because I didn't want to leavethis show that I helped create and and
it's such a so so much apart of me and it's such a good
show and all the things. ButI, um, I knew I couldn't.
I couldn't turn down Ava, Likethat's just it was. Um,
(18:17):
it was such a dream come trueto slay that wrong, you know,
just talking to you and going throughyour stuff. I mean, I'm just
the theater watcher and a radio guy. I don't I don't know anything,
but it sounds like already you havehad an amazing career, Caroline, something
you should be incredibly proud of.And sure you've got the talent to back
it up, and we can't waitto see that. I mean, it's
(18:38):
it's just amazing now doing a vitaEva? Is that the hardest as a
performer? Was that the biggest challengeas a singer to pull off as far
as anything you've ever done before.So you know what I've got. I
do some pretty heavy things if Icould. And thank you for saying that
about thank you for that compliment thoughit was very nice. Um. I
(19:00):
actually Felfaba has been the hardest rollout of Like if I call them the
Three East, you know, Alphaba, Alsa, and Avida. So I've
got them, I've checked them off. Alphaba is is a different beast.
Um, It's just she also livesin a place of anger a lot of
(19:23):
the character itself. So um,Avita I've kind of found. I found
she kind of lived within me alittle bit. Um, I don't know.
I was I was able to findher and and not get so tired.
But Alphaba was was exhausting to me, Like it was just it's a
really long show too. And yeah, and Alaba just never leaves the stage
(19:45):
and she's green and you know,she's just like it's just the whole thing.
So so as Elsa somewhere in themiddle as far as a challenge or
difficulty to pull off or is itjust secondhand for you right now? Yeah,
Well, you know, I'm twoand a half years into playing her.
A little bit more than that.So I do. I have found
(20:07):
her. I have found my Elsaand I however, yeah, I mean
it depends on the day and um, but yeah, I would say she
falls somewhere and there and there's nothingthere's nothing easy about any of these roles.
It's just this is the I've I'venever played a role so long,
Um, in my career. I'vegot I've had the blessing of of really
get diving deep into who and likediscovering new things about Elsa. And I've
(20:33):
really like I've gotten to like reallysink my teeth into her, which is
such it's so cool to do asan actor, and um, I don't
have to worry, like it's justkind of like I know, I know
her journey. I know vocally howto do it. I've I'm constantly working
on it. And obviously there aredays that are harder than others, and
depending on travel, you know,I'm traveling around the country every two weeks
pretty much, and so there arethere are, um the things that make
(20:59):
it difficult, but it's um,I do feel like Elsa. Elsa has
fits me pretty well and what Ido really well. I'm sure you visit
for the holidays. Are you excitedto come home though for a couple of
weeks? Hang out? Maybe?And so I'm so excited. I cannot
tell you how excited I am.I have been waiting for this for so
long. The very first the veryfirst day we had our cast gathering,
(21:25):
meet and greet, the first dayof rehearsal, I said to our major
main produce, because we didn't haveone back in twenty nineteen, we didn't
have Baltimore or the Kennedy Center onon the the docket on this tour,
And I said, I was like, Tom, I was like, we
got some good theaters down in Maryland, DC area. Come on hello,
(21:45):
I mean, this would be thefirst time you've been in working on the
Hippodrome, right You've have you beenon the stage before? Yeah? Yeah,
this is the first time I'm touringwith one of my shows and performing
at the Hipodrome. Like I said, I I host is the Cappies a
couple of years ago m U andI helped like with the High School Awards
(22:07):
and so yeah, but I havenever never professionally performed at the Hippodrome.
So it's exciting. And what doyou miss, like, what are some
of the things locally. I knowyou left in high school and visited with
the college, but are there arethings in Baltimore Howard County? You you
just miss being on the road andeverything you ever think about stuff at home,
like out of crabs. Oh mygosh. Well, yes, every
(22:29):
time I come, I'm sure becausewe're going to be there in June.
We're definitely gonna get crabs. Ialways asked my dad, especially because my
birthdays in May and his birthdays inMay. So sometimes we'll try to get
crabs early. But I we spentyou know, we those eighteen months during
the pandemic, we lived with myparents in Howard County, like I was
back home. Yeah, because wemy husband and I. My husband used
(22:52):
to be on the tour and wegot rid of our New York City apartment
and committed to life on the road, and so we didn't have a place
to live, and so I calledmy parents we could live with you.
So we've spent a lot of timein Maryland. My dog loves Maryland.
My dog loves Maryland more than NewYork City. Sorry, Kodak, I
mean I always call Maryland home,even though I'm a New York City girl.
(23:14):
Now I feel like I feel atpeace. I mean, it's where
it's where I'm rooted, and sojust kind of that. I mean,
and I love going you know,I know Columbia Mall so well, yeah
Maryweather the concerts there, Yeah yeah, and I really I used to go
down to the Inner Harbor and hangout on in the Inner Harbor and my
dad is and my dad has aRavens Mobile, so he's like, he's
(23:38):
a big Ravens guy. I'll goon tailgate with him and his friends.
We used to have. We usedto have front row seats at the Orioles,
like right in front of the firstbase Um. So I used to
sit right next to the ball girl, and the ball girl used to bring
me the ball, like the ballsthat would like the foul balls. Wow,
you're a real Baltimore Howard County girl. I mean, saw you know,
(24:00):
I'm a I'm a real ball Mooregirl. You know Donald On,
Hey, you mentioned your husband.What does he do in the business.
He's an actor. He used toplay Prince Hans in a Frozen and he
did that for the first year andthen he left and went back to New
York and auditioning and doing other otherprojects now. Um, but he's performed
(24:22):
locally to used to perform at Toby'swhen Toby's. Um used to have Toby's
at Baltimore. He both of usperformed there. Um, Columbia one performed
it. Um, there's a Columbiaone and then there used to be one
at the Baltimore Battle Plaza right.Um. And I like I was in
one of the opening shows when theyopened it up there. Um and then
he performed. Both of us performedat Olney. Actually met him Olney Theater
(24:47):
Center in Olney, Maryland. Um. He I actually met him because I
went and saw a show he wasin at Olney's. Yeah, but we
met in Maryland. Wow, that'sfantastic. And yeah, what show did
you perform at Toby's Dinner Theater?May? I ask? I started working
there in high school. I thinkmy first show there was Greece. Yeah,
(25:07):
and then I did Aida, Idid foot Loose Universary. What did
you do aniversary? Forty fifth anniversary? I did Joseph So I came back
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Cupas the narrator as a narrator. Yeah,
I came back in twenty seventeen becausethey were celebrating the forty fifth anniversary
(25:29):
of Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts.I said, yeah, I'll come back
and do it, and so theywere. I did a week of performances
as a narrator. Was so fun, so nostalgic, just being back in
that theater. By the way,excuse me, you're talking to also a
cast member of Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolor Dream nineteen eighty seven North Alleghany High
(25:49):
School in Pittsburgh as one of thebrothers. Thank you, Thank you very
much, guys, round of apply, Thank you, nineteen eighty seven.
But by the way, probably oneof the first high schools to do it
and get rights to it, becauseI think it hit Broadway like an eighty
two. I think so. Andso in eighty seven we did it,
and I didn't have a lead.I didn't do I didn't have like Reuben
(26:12):
had the French one and Levi hadthe Cowboy one. But I was is
a car? They said, whatdo you want? I'm like, is
a car? As an ice name. So I was one of the brothers,
the lead, but you're the narrator, the big one. That's awesome.
Uh, it's a fun show.Alleghania High School, I feel so.
My mom went to Laurel High Schooland my dad might have gone to
(26:32):
Alleghany High School. But I'm surePittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's North
Alleghany High School and it's a Pittsburghschool. Okay, I was thinking Alleghany
County. Oh, that's all right, Allega county in Maryland. There is
there's an Alleghany county in Maryland.There is one in Pittsburgh as well,
So you're right, there is anAlleghany County. So I grew up in
(26:52):
Pittsburgh. But but yeah, you'rethe narrative that was that was such a
cool And then I didn't realize whatI out older that that show was kind
of like a kid show. Ididn't really because I had so much fun
to it into high school and oh, this is kind of for kids,
but it's a it's a fun show, you know, sort of there's like
elements in it that are ye thatare not so kid like. I love
that show. I think it's sofun. Some folk stream of the Wonders.
(27:17):
Will you remember right? Anyway,So one last question and I'll let
you go up. Kept it fora long time. But I've had a
lot of fun with you, Caroline. You're so wonderful and I appreciate the
time. By the way, whenthe pandemic broke out, of course,
everything shut down. How did youhandle that? How did that? I
mean you couldn't work right for thelongest time, or how did you deal
(27:38):
with that? Yeah, so itwas. It was really hard. It
was to be considered non essential workers, which I think is very wrong.
As an artist, I think,you know, we are very essential.
But yeah, we drove. Wewere all the way over in Portland,
Oregon, and so we spent sixweeks out there when the pandemic hit,
(27:59):
and then we both I was withmy husband and and our dog, and
we decided kind of after this sixweeks, we were like, Wow,
this isn't coming back time soon.We need it. We need to head
home. I need I was Icouldn't be this far away from my family.
I was so worried about my family. Yes, and so we drove
the country in three days back toMaryland. We got back and got hunkered
(28:22):
down with my parents, and thenwe kind of started I started teaching a
little bit online. I started teachingvoice lessons and I was doing like master
classes, and I was trying toyou know, stay you know, as
active as I could, and umand safe and Austin and I so my
husband's name is Austin. And wedid some at home concerts where we we
(28:47):
did it over zoom and people tunedin and we were doing like concerts from
our living room. Wow. Yeah. So we did as much as we
could. And then you know,Disney. Disney was really good to us
and they gave us some opportunities todo some things. And on the anniversary,
we performed on Good Morning America.We performed a Good Morning America from
Toby's Inner theater. I called.I called Toby, and I asked if
(29:11):
we could if if they you know, they would rent out the space to
the Good Morning America crew. Andwe performed in the morning of the anniversary
of the year or the year ofthe shutdown, and um, yeah it
was. We got to before inthe morning and went over to Toby's and
we did it there. And youperformed was that frozen at the time or
(29:32):
okay, okay, we did.We did some frozen songs. That's so
neat. Well, you made themost of a bad situation. I mean,
you seem to be creatively you did, you did a lot during that
time, so good for you andAustin. That's fantastic. Thank you.
Yeah, we did our best andwe got to spend a lot of really
quality time with my parents. They'relike our best friends. So it worked
out. Glad you're back out.My last question for you, I mean,
(29:53):
you've done so much wittier aspirations fromhere. Would you like to continue
with the Frozen tour or and definitelyor move on to something on Broadway,
another show that's a steady that's lockedin there, or what do you think
I want to work? I thinkif anything the pandemic taught me is that
(30:15):
I this is what I'm meant todo, and this is what I want
to do. Yeah, I dowant to get back to New York.
I have been on the road fora long time. You know. I
live out of living out of suitcasesand kind of having that eighteen months where
I still kind of lived out ofsuitcases. I'm ready to not have a
temporary situation. I'm ready to beback in New York. My husband and
I are working. I'm buying anapartment in New York. So I'm trying
(30:37):
to lay down some solid roots thereand so yeah, I would like to
be back on Broadway. I'd loveto do TV and film. Theater has
I you know, theater has beenthe calling and whenever TV and film wants
to call, I'm available. Hello, I'm available. So yeah, I'm
I'm kind of open to all possibilities. I really love what I do.
I really, I'm really passionate aboutit, and I am I don't take
(31:02):
any any day I get to dothis for granted. So I'm I'm open
to it all. But yes,I'm gonna I'm gonna make my way back
to New York, maybe sooner thanlater. You're a great example of how
somebody's super talented and can definitely makeit in the business. I don't I
think it's a small percentage, butyou've managed to do it. Caroline Bowman
(31:22):
of Howard County represent She's going tobe Elsa. She is Elsa at of
course Frozen, the Broadway production HippodromeJune seventh through the eighteenth. Tickets available
at Ticketmaster. Can't wait to seeyou perform. You're so nice and you're
so wonderful to give me so muchtime, and I apologize for taking up
so much of it, but it'sbeen good talking to you. Oh my
(31:42):
gosh, I'm so excited. I'lltake all the time with all my Baltimore
press. I can't I'm so excitedto be there. Oh good, we
can't wait. Caroline, Thank youso much again. And you're an Omaha
right now. You said you havea show tonight. I'm an Omaha,
Nebraska. I got a show tonight. Well break it lay and we'll see
in Baltimore. Okay, bye bye, Thank you.
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