EXCLUSIVE: Keisha Gilles on The Cape Playhouse’s Hairspray

Keisha Gilles is back home for the summer! The Broadway starlet is Motormouth Maybelle in The Cape Playhouse’s Hairspray! We got to chat with her on it all.

Welcome back home! What makes Massachusetts summers so special?

Thank you! For me, getting to be on the Cape is so special. My family and I used to visit almost every summer when I was little. So, it’s nice to be back. It’s also, such a nice break from the humidity in New York City. The breeze off the ocean and the fresh air is a plus too! There is just a calming energy to being back in MA for the summer. 

Was it always a dream to perform at The Cape Playhouse?

Yea! I’d heard wonderful things about it from folks who’ve worked there. Since working here myself I’ve learned that so many famous people have graced the same stage I’m on every night. The history is palpable!

What are your top suggestions for a MA summer vacation?

If you can get to any of the beaches I highly suggest it! I really enjoyed a recent day trip Chatham. There’s an idyllic Main Street there with lots of shopping, great food and ice cream of course! I also suggest visiting Boston and the surrounding college towns. There’s a lot of history to see. 

What about Hairspray do you think resonates with audiences year after year?

The joy this show exudes is something I think people hold in their hearts year after year. I mean, we’re having a blast on stage together. So, I can only imagine the audience is having a great time too! 

How have you been preparing for your role?

I always start with script analysis. So, I’ve read the script countless times. Then I learn my music and I study the score to learn about how the music and the vocal lines work together. Then there’s the dramaturgy, which is when I dig into the history of the script and apply that knowledge to the character I’m building. Finally, I get memorized and it’s time for rehearsal. During rehearsal, all the work I’ve done prior allows me to be able to play and really explore the relationships between my character and others in the story. It’s so much work, but it’s so worth it!

How has your experience working on tv like Ms. Rachel and Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed been different compared to live theatre?

Honestly, the differences are few. One is how many times you get to do a scene or say or lines. With TV, generally, you’ll have multiple takes in order for a director to get the story conveyed properly. On stage, you get one shot each night. Another, is the amount of energy you might give a line. In theater, we’re trained to make the back of the house feel the emotion of a scene or song. On camera, the audience is right there with you just behind the lens. Which can be inches from your face at times.

Do you have any preshow rituals?

I always start do a vocal warm up, physical warmup and take a moment for gratitude before my first entrance. I feel really grateful to get to do something I love almost every day and I like to take a moment to remind myself of that.

What are your dressing room essentials?

I gotta have some sort of organizer for my makeup. Lots of lozenges. My nebulizer and of course a cozy robe for before I’m in costume. I am also mildly obsessed with Smiskis lately. They’re cute little figurines and I have ones that are in cheerleading poses. 

You can’t stop the beat but you can get your tickets to every show at The Cape Playhouse this season HERE!