By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
“Oh, absolutely. Absolutely I was scared. I had no idea what I was going to do, because I didn’t know anything else.”
Laura Osnes was a big deal on Broadway. Two-time Tony Award nominee. Played Sandy in the revival of Grease. Starred in South Pacific.
Then came Covid, the whole vaccinated/unvaccinated
Osnes said all of that led to the sudden end of her career on the Great White Way.
“It was like overnight,” Osnes told the Journal Monday morning from Minnesota, where she had performed four sold out concerts last weekend. “It was very hard. I had done the musical theatre thing my entire life. That was my one end-all, be-all, thought I would be there forever. The one thing I ever did. I only went to one year of college, so it’s really the only thing I knew. When suddenly I couldn’t do that anymore, it was a big loss of my identity.”
Now two years later, Osnes has “re-invented” herself. Saturday night (December 16th), as part of that reinvention, the 38-year old will perform Holiday Pops with Laura Osnes with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. Showtime at RiverView Theatre is 7:30.
“I had to learn and grow. The beautiful thing is that beauty has come from ashes in that I’ve learned fortitude, and I’ve found worth and value in other things besides just what I do.”
Osnes, who left New York to live in Nashville, Tennessee, will be making her first trip to Shreveport.
“I am very excited. I actually haven’t spent time in Shreveport, but I’ve been to New Orleans a lot and I love Louisiana. I know (New Orleans and Shreveport) are very different. It’s always an honor to sing with a symphony, and I never take it for granted. Singing Christmas music with the Shreveport Symphony is going to be very special.”
Osnes will perform traditional songs (It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,
Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Do You Hear What I Hear?), as well as an original song, and “fun, contemporary tunes.” She will also sing two musical theatre pieces — a selection from Cinderella, and “Once Upon a December” from Anastasia.
“I think there’s going to be something for everybody.”
Performing with a symphony orchestra, especially one which isn’t where you live, is challenging. It’s not like you can spend weeks rehearsing together. Osnes and the Shreveport symphony orchestra will rehearse once — the day of the show.
“I’m over here on my own learning all of my music and doing my part, and they’re there learning all of their music and doing their part. It’s pretty miraculous how it comes together. . . . Everybody’s a pro. We come together and make it work.”
While Osnes has experience with a variety of music, there’s something about Christmas music, and a Christmas performance, which gets her particularly excited.
“I personally love Christmas. I have so many memories and traditions that my family has adopted. So many of these songs bring up nostalgic memories for me, like Christmas Eve church service. We always had a candle-lighting around the auditorium . . . . I personally love Christmas and love singing this music, and I think the audience does, too. Everybody has some sort of memory or nostalgia associated with this holiday, whether it’s happy and joyful, or potentially harder for some people, or life gets busy and Christmas isn’t as special as it used to be. I’m hoping that these songs can bring that back for people.”
When Osnes isn’t performing in the world premier of Shiners, a Nashville, Tennessee residency cirque extravaganza, she’s appearing in Hallmark Channel Christmas movies. Her fifth movie is her current movie, A Dash of Christmas. It was filmed last June — hardly a month for Christmas spirit and Christmas weather.
“It is pretty funny to be taking off jackets between takes when it’s 80 or 90 degrees. They usually can’t turn on the air conditioning because of the sound. Hair and makeup is really on it. They’re re-curling my hair constantly and dabbing my face.”
Broadway. Symphony concerts. Movies. Osnes hasn’t limited herself to just one area of entertainment. But instead of Osnes looking for variety, variety went looking for her.
“Several years ago, I had a show that closed after just a month, and I was suddenly without a job. I had an opportunity to do a cabaret concert, which I had never done. I was like, ‘Yeah, I need the money and it’s still a way I can sing and use my gifts. So, I put together a cabaret concert. Then I started getting more concert offers. It’s interesting how things kind of come to you when you need them. That’s at least been my experience in my career. It’s been fun to be able to cross over and find joy and fulfillment in many different types of creativity, and on so many platforms. I feel like it kind of came to me, and I really enjoy the challenge of learning to use my gifts in different mediums and platforms.”
But when Osnes walks onto the stage Saturday, she will be focused on using her gift to spread Christmas cheer.
“I hope we’re able to sweep audience members off their feet and truly let them reflect on what the season is actually all about, and they can forget their obligations for a couple of hours and just celebrate, worship, relax, and enjoy.”
Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com