This week marks the release of Lisa Howard's stunning new collection of William Finn songs, SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND EXPERIENCE, as well as a showcase at Birdland featuring the selections from the album and some special surprises, so now is certainly the best time to catch up with the 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE star before she takes on Mother Abbess in THE SOUND OF MUSIC and Paulette in LEGALLY BLONDE later this year.
Additionally, Ms. Howard shares with me all about the filming of the highly anticipated conclusion of the TWILIGHT series, TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN Parts 1 & 2 in which she plays a central role: that of Siobahn, an ancient Irish vampire. William Finn, Dan Fogler, Bill Condon, Michael Sheen, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and stories about working with many more of her exciting co-stars and collaborators await in the complete conversation, but, first, here are her TWILIGHT-centric comments!
Be sure to pick up the Finn album available at GhostlightRecords.com
Voice of the Vampire
PC: Moving to movies: you are making your feature film debut in one of the most hotly anticipated films of all time, TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN, yes?
LH: Yes, yes, I am! (Laughs.) Isn't that crazy!
PC: What an accomplishment! And to work with Bill Condon - he's a real Broadway baby; plus, he directed DREAMGIRLS!
LH: I think that's probably why he even considered hiring me - because I am a Broadway gal and he understands our world, you know?
PC: Precisely.
LH: I think that may have even been the reason I was even considered.
PC: The theatre connection. What was the audition like? How did it come about?
LH: Jen, my manager, got me the audition. Of course, I was a huge TWILIGHT fan and I had read all the books and seen the movies. You know, I was like, "Oh, that sounds fun! Great!" never thinking that I would get it - even though I fit the character description perfectly, and that doesn't happen all the time for a gal like me!
PC: Where did you audition?
LH: We went in and I put myself on tape and we sent it in. The next week, I got the call that I got the job.
PC: Wow.
LH: I know! It was kind of surreal. I was like, "What. Is. Happening?!" I was so excited.
PC: What was your audition piece?
LH: It's actually just a scene that's really not in the movie, but they obviously just wanted to see what I could do with it. It's a scene between me and Edward.Do you know the Story?
PC: I do, but why don't you fill everyone in.
LH: Well, it's when Bella's having that baby and she's half-vampire/half-whatever...
PC: Renesme.
LH: Yeah, Renesme. So, they are showing it to their friends, saying that, you know, "Hey, you can hear her heartbeat! We didn't create an immortal child! We didn't, like, bite a baby!"
PC: Which is a big crime for vampires.
LH: Right. They call their other vampire friends from around the world to help them give witness that they didn't commit this vampire crime. (Pause.) Gosh, it sounds so funny when you actually talk about it out loud. (Laughs.)
PC: And the baby is actually "imprinted" on Jacob, the werewolf, and they are destined to be together, ultimately. He isn't in love with Bella, he's in love with the baby inside of her.
LH: Yes. Right. Exactly. That's the story. That's also why he's always hanging around being tortured. (Laughs.)
PC: With his shirt off.
LH: (Laughs.) With his shirt off; exactly! Of course.
PC: What happens to your character in the scene you auditioned with?
LH: It was a scene between Edward and my character, Siobhan, who is the head of the Irish clan - the cousin clan - of vampires.
PC: What was it like working with Robert Pattinson? You are a Broadway baby, so you can spot it: does he have the goods?
LH: Yeah, he does. He's great. And, he's really nice and he's professional and easy to work with. He's just great.
PC: It filmed in Baton Rouge, correct?
LH: Yes, I was there two weeks in December and then January through mid-February.
PC: You are in quite a number of scenes, correct?
LH: Uh huh! Yeah, I am.
PC: They're splitting it into two films, so are you in both or just Part 2?
LH: Right. The movie is going to be TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 1 and TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 2. I am in Part 2.
PC: So, we don't even get to see you for a year and a half!
LH: For another year, yeah! I think I'll only be in Part 2.
Source : Via!
