Rock of Ages interview with Shannon Mullen

Shannon Mullen as Sherrie Christian
[Photo credit: Scott Suchman]

When she first saw the original Broadway production of Rock of Ages, Shannon Mullen thought there was absolutely no way she would ever play naïve country girl turned hot rocker Sherrie Christian. Fast forward three years later and Shannon has dived into that very same role and is currently starring in the touring production.

We caught the touring cast of Rock of Ages during their run in Medicine Hat, AB. In this phone interview, Shannon talks about how she managed to find connections with the character of Sherrie. The self-admitted “gym rat” also sheds light on how she sings and dances an entire musical in heels, shares some of her “out of body” rock concert-type experiences in the show (and no, it has nothing to do with recreational drugs!), and she describes how one particular outfit from character Sherrie’s wardrobe has completely changed her personal body image for the better.

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ROCK OF AGES
Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts
May 8-13, 2012
Tickets via [Ticketmaster]

Shannon Mullen

F: How did you prepare for the role of Sherry?

S: You know how we’re perceived a certain way versus how we see ourselves? I’ve always been perceived as you know, the blonde… sexy one and I’ve never perceived myself as that! So it took a lot for me to dive into this role. Especially in the parts where Sherry shows two sides. She has the naïve and sweet innocent side. But then there’s that sexy side of her. And it’s been finding the balance of both. That’s what took the most time in preparing for the role.

F: She sounds a little like Sandy from Grease…

S: A little bit. She starts off the show very naïve. She’s young, she was sheltered. When she moves to LA, everything is new. It’s all exciting and she views it in the most positive sense. Like, “Nothing could possibly go wrong!” But she learns very, very fast. Whereas I feel like Sandy is different because she holds her ground as being the sweet and innocent person because that’s what she thinks she should do. Whereas Sherry transforms because she’s learning as she goes.

F: Who was your biggest inspiration in creating the character?

S: I’ve never been asked that before! I’ve only kind of viewed her through myself, honestly. Her storyline is kind of similar to mine. She’s that young girl with big dreams. And she goes after them. She’s a fighter. That comes out through her sweetness. Or when she’s fighting to the point where people have broken her down and she just puts her foot down and says, “No this is what I want.” I see a lot of myself in this character. And I think that’s what has helped me a lot in the more personal moments.

F: You have a really fun wardrobe for the show! Which outfit is your favourite?

[Photo credit: Jam Theatricals]

S: It’s like my “half-stripper” costume. I have a jacket and a skirt with a chain belt and my big black boots that I come out in during “High Enough”. And I feel like that’s my favourite one. It’s just sexy! I would never ever wear it as Shannon Mullen walking into a club. But the opportunity to play Sherry and sing such a great song in that costume is probably my favourite. Those boots are killer, they kill to dance in. But they look hot as hell! I love them.

F: Besides wearing that outfit, is there anything you’ve done onstage that you’ve never ever thought you’d have to do?

S: Every girl will say that they’re very self-conscious. I fall right in line with that. I remember when I first saw this show when it opened on Broadway. I looked at this role, I said “Oh hell no!” I thought that I would never do that. When I’m in my stripper costume it’s just a thong and the top harness part. But I do it every night. The world doesn’t come falling apart and it’s not a big deal. I see the other girls onstage and we all have fun and nobody really cares. It’s your body, it’s beautiful! I never ever though I would be able to do that and leave the stage smiling.

F: For Legally Blonde, you had to do a song and dance routine with a “Cardiowhip 5000”. Now that you’re dancing in heels and boots, is there a different fitness routine that you follow?

S: I’m a gym rat as it is. I’ve always been into fitness. When I was in college, my other job was in a gym as a group fitness and yoga instructor. So that’s why it was easy for me to do the role of Brooke Wyndam on Legally Blonde. Whereas this one, with the heels I’ve noticed that I pitch my weight certain ways with my feet to be able to do the dances. And it’s been really imperative for me to go to the gym and work the complimentary muscles to what I use in the show. So they don’t overpower the others. I stopped doing it for a while and I’m paying for it now. I can feel it in my lower back and my quads from dancing in heels. It’s important to keep that balance and maintain the flexibility and the stamina.

F: Is there any nights when Rock of Ages feels more like a rock concert than a musical theatre show?

S: Yeah. I actually had that experience last night in Medicine Hat, AB. The backstage space is very, very small. And there is a small space where you could look out and see the audience. And that’s something that we never get to see. So I snuck in there… I’m not in the opening number until the very end, and it’s six minutes long. For the whole first part of it, I was watching the lights hit the audience. And I was watching the reactions. And that was so cool. It was like an out-of-body experience because I remember what it was like to sit in the audience and just be amazed by everything.

The cast of Rock of Ages
[Photo credit: Scott Suchman]

So last night I felt like a rock star! It was so cool. During “High Enough” which is my duet with my love interest during Act 2, a bunch of people broke out their lighters. And they were just up in the air and they were swaying right and left with them. It’s just so amazing to look out and see that. There are definite nights that take you out of what you’re doing and out of the daily routine to just… “Wow! Look at my job. Look at what I get to do.”

F: If you had to pick one music figure or group from the 80s, which one would it be?


S: You’d think I would have a definite answer for this! I think my top would be Journey. It’s definitely the most fun I have performing “Don’t Stop Believing” in the show. I love their music, it just always makes me smile.

F: If you could pick one song from the show that someone else sings, which one would it be?

S: I think I always get a little bit jealous when I see the narrator go out for the very first song and introduce the show. I wanna sing “Come on Feel the Noise” at the top of the show when everybody’s clapping. I think that would be my number one. Cause I always sing along backstage even though I’m not in it. And it’s kind of what I use for my warm-up vocally.

Dominique Scott and Shanon Mullen
[Photo credit: Scott Suchman]

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