In the lead-up to MILK AND HONEY we’re going to meet some of the principal performers who will bring this landmark musical to life on Monday 4 July.
SOPHIE CARTER (playing Clara Weiss)
Magnormos: Tell us about your character?
Sophie: Clara Weiss is Jewish-American, part of a group of widows on a tour to Israel who hope to find a man to re-marry. She lost her beloved husband Hymie seven years earlier, and now years to find a companion to share her years with. I have really grown to love Clara over the rehearsal period. She is a woman with a big personality, funny, energetic and sassy, with a huge heart (dare I say the heart of the show!). She is fiercely protective of her new friend Ruth Stein who is experiencing the torment of loving a man she can not have.
Magnormos: What drew you to Milk and Honey?
Sophie: In this age of i-tunes, youtube and musicals based on popular movies, it is rare to be given the opportunity to present a piece that is completely unknown not only to the audience but also to the cast! It’s a fantastic opportunity to create a character from scratch without any preconceived ideas or influence. It’s also a beautiful thing to create on stage, a world and a way of life foreign to us - a world steeped in traditions and pride.
Magnormos: Why do you think Jerry Herman is so successful?
Sophie: Personally, I think he has created some fantastic roles for women and that’s pretty rare! Dolly Levi, Mame and Mabel from Mack and Mabel - sensational roles with fabulous songs. Gotta love that!
Magnormos: Tell us about you - what’s a career highlight?
Sophie: I was fortunate enough to be a Diva in the original cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. It is so rare to be part of the cast of an original Australian musical and watch it grow and mature over the space of a few years. I am so proud to continue to watch the show go from strength to strength, moving from Australia, to the West End, now to Broadway! Knowing that I was part of it’s infancy is something that is truly special and important to me.
See Sophie in MILK AND HONEY - Monday 4 July 8pm at Melbourne Recital Centre
http://www.magnormos.com/jht_milkandhoney.htm
Supported by Shocolate, Tisdall Wines and Hampstead Dental
