A scene from “Pretty Woman: The Musical,” a performance based on the hit movie. The show is on stage now at Old National Centre in Indianapolis.
SUBMITTED PHOTO | MATTHEW MURPHY FOR MURPHYMADE
Trying to be Julia Roberts wasn’t going to work.
When Olivia Valli was cast in the lead role of Vivian Ward in “Pretty Woman: The Musical,” she relished the opportunity to portray a smart, strong character. At the same time, she knew that there was no way to replicate the iconic performance that Roberts made famous.
So she decided to make the character her own.
“I was nervous; what if I couldn’t give people what they want? But I realized in rehearsal, I’m just going to put me into it. That’s what makes this role special, that any person can walk into it.
“As long as they bring themselves into it, it’s an immediate and relatable character,” she said. “I had to remind myself, if they want to see Julia Roberts, they can go watch the movie.”
Valli’s approach has infused Vivian’s character with a freshness pulsing electricity through “Pretty Woman.”
The traveling Broadway show tells the story from the hit romantic comedy, with the help of original music by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.
The musical is on stage through Sunday at the Old National Centre in Indianapolis through Sunday. Tickets start at $37.
Valli, who played Elphaba in “Wicked” and Mary Delgado in “Jersey Boys,” shared her thoughts in advance of the show.
What led you toward musical theater?
“I didn’t really every care about musical theater until high school. I always wanted to be a pop singer. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school, playing Mama Rose (from ‘Gypsy’) about 50 years too young, singing ‘Rose’s Turn,’ I got my first standing ovation for that song.”
Why was that so important?
“The thing for me wasn’t the validating part of getting a standing ovation. For me, it was that people were taken out of their life, and whatever might be bothering them or making them sad, they were able to escape and get so immersed in a story that they were so completely there — for the show, for me, and for themselves. It was then that I realized theater is a living, breathing thing, and that it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Why has it been something you’ve stayed with?
“During the pandemic, you question, ‘Is this something you really want to do? Is it worth it?’ It’s scary. What made me realize that I want to do this forever is I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
What do you get the most joy out of in musical theater?
“I love to challenge myself and find new things in characters and keep things fresh. So I’m never bored. That’s what I love about theater the most — it’s this constant evolution as an artist.”
How did you get drawn toward “Pretty Woman: The Musical”?
“Originally, I had auditioned for Kit De Luca, Vivian’s best friend. I was on the road when ‘Pretty Woman’ came to Broadway, and by the time I left ‘Wicked,’ it had closed. But people told me I should have been Vivian. I’d never seen the movie, and vaguely remember it. But what drew me to it was, this is about a woman who is finding her voice.”
Why did that appeal to you?
“I feel like in so many of shows, we find these women who are going through big and turbulent trials and tribulations, but we don’t necessarily see the focus on an everyday story that anyone can relate to, which is finding your voice and finding the confidence to be comfortable with that voice.”
What’s it been like putting this show on night after night?
I’d never launched a national tour before, so learning to go through a very quick 2½-week rehearsal process into a weeklong tech and then three days of previews, you learn very quickly that it’s so important to do what makes you happy. For me, it’s conquering the small joys every day, in order to conquer the big ones. When we opened the show, I had to remind myself about the gratitude to work again, rather than being nervous.”
What can people who come out to Old National Centre expect from this show?
“People can expect the iconic costumes — you get the red dress, you get the keyhole dress at the beginning of the show. They can expect characters to get fleshed out more; Kit De Luca has her own song, and her own storyline. We have a new character called the Happy Man who’s incredible, and is kind of the ‘fairy godfather’ of the show. So you get that classic fairy tale trope, that’s more fit for musical theater. You learn more about Edward and Vivian’s backstories, and you fall in love with them more. If you loved the movie, but always wanted a little more, come see the show.”
