NewsOne Year After Closing on Broadway, We Remember Violet With These Amazing Backstage Pics From Emerson SteeleRoundabout's production of Violet closed on Broadway one year ago today. Emerson Steele made her main stem debut playing the childhood version of the title character in Roundabout's production of Violet. The then 14-year-old actress, who boasts a powerful voice and bears a striking resemblance to Sutton Foster, took us behind the scenes!
By
Matthew Blank
August 10, 2015
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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Water in the Well!" A Two-Show Day at Broadway's Violet With "Young Violet," Emerson Steele
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Water in the Well!" A Two-Show Day at Broadway's Violet With "Young Violet," Emerson Steele
Emerson Steele is making her Broadway debut playing the childhood version of the title character in Roundabout's production of Violet. The 14-year-old actress, who boasts a powerful voice and bears a striking resemblance to Sutton Foster, takes us behind the scenes!
68 PHOTOS
Today I woke up at around 10. Woah! That's super early for me!
Emerson Steele
After getting dressed and making myself look somewhat presentable, I did my vocal warm ups!
Emerson Steele
My mom and I go to a special brunch every Saturday! This was where we went today!
Emerson Steele
Yum! Juice, water, and coffee galore!
Emerson Steele
This is what a full person looks like in case you were wondering!
Yay! So fun to hang with my buddy Gaten Matarazzo (Gavroche in Les Mis)! Such a star and wonderful person to talk to!
Emerson Steele
Now it is time for work... Or as I like to call it, PLAY TIME!
Emerson Steele
Almost there!
Emerson Steele
Heading in! Yippee!
Emerson Steele
Sweet! About to head backstage!
Emerson Steele
Signing in on the callboard!
Emerson Steele
My dressing room is ONLY 3 flights of stairs away!
Emerson Steele
Talk about a good workout! Just walking up those stairs is great!
Emerson Steele
Picking up my mic on my way into the dressing room!
Emerson Steele
Our awesome dressing room! I always say that it looks like the holidays threw up on it!
Emerson Steele
Clipping my mic into my hair!
Emerson Steele
Putting derma-shield on my face.
Emerson Steele
My dresser Beth helping me put my necklace on!
Emerson Steele
Putting on my super awesome boots (my show shoes)!
Emerson Steele
Our wonderful Company manager Carly checks in on us every show! She is the bomb!
Emerson Steele
Getting ma hair did part 1.
Emerson Steele
Look are this gross stuff I have to put in my hair! Ew!
Emerson Steele
Getting ma hair did part 2.
Emerson Steele
Final product!
Emerson Steele
My dresser Beth heads down to get ready for the show after getting me performance ready!
Emerson Steele
PLACES!!!
Emerson Steele
Ran into our awesome drummer and guitar player both named Sean! Fun fact: We have 3 guys named Sean in our band! #twinning
Emerson Steele
I MUST get a hug from Sutton before our show! Love her with all my heart!
Emerson Steele
Heading to stage left through the basement!
Emerson Steele
Rema Webb getting her wig on! She looks so gorgeous!
Emerson Steele
Selfie with my buddy Jacob who is on Leroy/Bus Driver/ and Radio Singer today!
Emerson Steele
Shelly is calling the show at the matinee!
Emerson Steele
And just like I have to get my hug from Sutton... I have to get two from Joshua before each show!
Emerson Steele
Praying before every show is a must for me!:)
Emerson Steele
Talking about my day so far to my wrangler Felicia. She is clearly very excited!
Emerson Steele
And kick and kick and kick and kick ball change!
Emerson Steele
Giving Nellie (our wonderful hair supervisor) my hair band before going onstage for "Luck of the Draw"!
Emerson Steele
Putting my hair back up!
Emerson Steele
100 crunches per show!!! Feeling the burn!!!
Emerson Steele
My dresser Beth spraying my dress with static spray. Apparently I attract a lot of STATIC!
Emerson Steele
Stealing the first floor's hand sanitizer! Mwahahahaha!
Emerson Steele
Every show, I dress up in a different way and either scare Stacy or perform for her! Today... I scared her!
Emerson Steele
All dressed for my next scene!
Emerson Steele
Hanging with Shelly before I go onstage again!
Emerson Steele
Sitting on what I call my swing, in between scenes.
Emerson Steele
We have an... Uhhh... special relationship!
Emerson Steele
Selfie with Austin!
Emerson Steele
Ready to get completely bloody!
Emerson Steele
Getting the blood on! Yum!
Emerson Steele
And now Sutton and I sing "Don't Touch the Blood", a BEAUTIFUL song we wrote and composed together! Haha! Just kidding... It's not THAT beautiful!
Emerson Steele
All bloodied up!
Emerson Steele
And now I break in to dance! Here I am sporting my most famous move... THE SPRINKLER!
Emerson Steele
And now the blood comes off! "So long farewell"... Wait, wrong musical.
Emerson Steele
Look ma! No blood!
Emerson Steele
I got TWO dresses! Lucky me!
Emerson Steele
Selfie with Levi before one of our final scenes of the show!
Emerson Steele
Mine and Julian's (Art extraordinaire and Sutton's dresser) masterpiece!
Emerson Steele
Show one is finished! Took my costume off, put my normal clothes back on and now I'm heading outside for some fresh air I between shows!
Emerson Steele
Dinner at Nizza with my bestie Analise Scarpaci (Matilda, A Christmas Story), her mom, and my mommy!
Emerson Steele
I LOVE spending time with my friend Analise in between shows! P. S. Yummy bread!
Emerson Steele
Taking in the warm sun and fresh air at Bryant Park!
Emerson Steele
Sharing a book with Analise!
Emerson Steele
Selfie with my incredible, supportive, and loving mom (Laura Steele) before heading back to the theater for show two!
Emerson Steele
Today was Julian's birthday! We celebrated before show 2 of the day! Ready to do it all again!
Emerson Steele
Had a great second show! Afterwards I headed out the stage door! I love meeting everyone! So lovely to hear how much they love the show!
Emerson Steele
Snuggling and getting cozy and relaxing with my mommy! She is the best!
Emerson Steele
Sitting back and thanking The Lord that I get to do this everyday! Also, enjoying my after show snack... Very unhealthy... But oh so yummy! Thanks, Playbill! Come down and see us at Violet!!
Directed by Leigh Silverman and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, Violet is based on Doris Betts' short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim."
The production starred two-time Tony winner Foster, who has starred on Broadway in Anything Goes, Shrek the Musical, Young Frankenstein, Little Women, The Drowsy Chaperone and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Her TV work has included "Bunheads," "Psych" and "Flight of the Conchords." (Click here to read Playbill.com's interview with Foster about the Encores! Off-Center production of Violet.)
The cast also included Alexander Gemignani (Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd) as Father, Levi Kreis as Preacher, Annie Golden ("Orange Is The New Black," Assassins) as Hotel Singer/Old Lady and Emerson Steele (A Christmas Carol, Annie) as Young Violet.
The Broadway premiere is based on the 2013 New York City Center Encores! Off-Center production, which starred Foster and was directed by Silverman. Violet premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 1997; it won the Obie Award, Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical.
"Violet tells the story of a young woman’s quest for beauty amidst the image-obsessed landscape of the 1960s," according to the Roundabout. "Facially disfigured in a childhood accident, Violet (Foster) dreams of a miraculous transformation through the power of faith. Convinced that a televangelist in Oklahoma can heal her, she hops a Greyhound bus and starts the journey of a lifetime. Along the way, Violet forms unlikely friendships with her fellow riders, who teach her about beauty, love, courage and what it means to be an outsider."
The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success.
