#FFB: Paige Faure
After meeting Paige, it was easy to see that she really is the definition of Super Star and Super Mom. With a family that includes a Broadway husband and a one-year old son (who is the cutest!!), Paige maintains an amazing, growing career on Broadway. Her grace and positive energy are a testament to her having it all. She is also the new Cinderella on Broadway! *applause* I have seen Laura, Carly, and can not wait to see Paige in June!! A true inspiration to anyone balancing a family and a blossoming career,
Paige is FIT FOR BROADWAY!
BIOGRAPHY: I am a somewhat silly, curly-haired girl from Atlanta, who loves Mad Men, red wine, dark chocolate, Morningside Park, anything that seems French, Star Wars, my husband Adam and son Hank - not necessarily in that order. If I could be anyone it would probably be Carol Burnett or a muppet. I have been in three Broadway shows (How To Succeed..., Cinderella, and currently, Bullets Over Broadway), four national tours (Aida, Little Women, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and A Chorus Line) as well as a smattering of fun regional shows. I will be playing the title role in "Cinderella" starting June 13th - I hope you come! I hope to procure a massage therapy degree and a sommeliers license someday but I'm pretty sure I'd need to create additional hours in the day before that can happen...
INTERVIEW:
Q: What is the most physically challenging part of performing?
A: Doing a warm-up thorough enough to keep up with the demands of Bullets was tough. When you are onstage it's so thrilling to get into character and do Susan Stromans choreography - She is a genius at storytelling through dance - but it can only be done if your body is head-to-toe warmed and alert! For Cinderella, it's a little less intense, body wise, but you still need to be centered to carry the weight of that ball gown around all night!Q: How would you describe your fitness routine?
A: The shows keep me pretty fit on their own, but I also LOVE yoga (it's a part of my warm-up everyday) and going for runs through the park. I also spend a lot of time running after my one-year-old son, Hank, so that definitely keeps my heart rate up! I also take classes at Body by Simone, an exclusive boutique with locations in NYC and LA.
Q: How do you keep your voice healthy?
A: I make sure not to shout or cough too much, if I can help it; I drink lots of water and no soda or milk. And I chew on ginger a lot...I sing a bit at home where I can focus on the voice alone before getting to work where you have to be dancing ridiculously hard while singing.
Q: Do you follow a specific diet?
A: I just try to eat as healthy as I can whenever I can...though there is always room for a delicious dessert in my book : ) All the girls at bullets and I love to have sushi or the amazing vegan Kale/sweet potato wrap from Blossom in between shows. I LOVE morning breakfast - two eggs over medium on a bed of spinach and two pieces of flax seed toast with honey. Everyday!
Q: What is your favorite energy-boosting snack/meal?
A: I love a good smoothie, especially if it has a touch of peanut butter in it. Juice Generation has the best options in the city, to me.
Q: What is your favorite late night snack after performances?
A: I am loving getting cool cheeses and veggies with different artisanal crackers...fancy right? With a glass of red wine, I am set!
Q: What is your best advice/strategies to fight fatigue?
A: I am a big fan of a multi-B vitamin complex. I think that has helped my energy level so much. That paired with clean eating and naps, and I'm good to go!Q: What is your best advice for stage confidence?
A: Know what you are doing. If you are prepared in every way you can think of, you will surprise yourself with what you are capable of in the face of the unknown.
Q: Who or what inspires you?
A: My son is inspiring me right now. The amount he has learned in the mere 15 months of his life is astonishing to me. And his opinions! So funny, so real. Ah, to live life that way - no filter, no self-judgment.
Q: A friend of yours bragged about you and the fact that you had a baby a year ago and still continued to work through it all and remain so amazingly fit. What was your journey like through your pregnancy and getting back on stage? And how has it shaped your past 2 years on Broadway?
A: My journey thru pregnancy was admittedly pretty standard, as these things go. I was lucky to have a relatively simple vaginal delivery; had very little morning sickness and my cravings did not include sugar (very out of character for me! But helpful in not gaining a lot of baby weight!) While I did not regulate myself too much as to the amount of food I ate, I did pay attention to what I was eating because I knew anything I put into myself was going straight to Hank, and I wanted him to have a good start to this crazy life. (But if you must know, potato skins were my ultimate craving... : ) And I kept moving - I tell this to all my girlfriends who are looking to make some babies soon - just keep moving. Don't run a marathon or lift hundred pound weights that could injure yourself or the child, but don't become a total couch potato. I went to the gym most days of my pregnancy right up until the day before his birth - I put the treadmill on a steep incline and walked, or did the elliptical, or did some not-as-rigorous yoga, always took the stairs when I could, and I think that is what made it so much easier to bounce back into shape. I gained 25 pounds and lost most of it by the time I was back to my first job, three months post-partum. I did the same sort of gentle workouts after birth as well, letting myself heal as I needed, easing back into stretching, walking around the neighborhood, then jogging slowly, then light dancing...your body is producing the hormone relaxin for a while after birth, which kind of tricks your body into thinking it's more limber than it is, so you have to be extra careful or else you might wake up one morning once the relaxin stops pumping and be in ALOT of pain from muscles doing things they weren't ready for. Be gentle and patient with yourself - it's an emotional journey, for sure! You have to be intentional about your goals but obviously, the health of your child comes first, so keeping that at the forefront will motivate you to do the right thing. I can only hope for the same luck the next time around!
And now, being back in the full swing of things - Having just opened a new Broadway show - I can say it is very difficult to balance work on Broadway and raising Hank. My husband, Adam, (who is in the current revival of Les Mis) and I are constantly making what feels like huge decisions on how to best raise him in this city and boy does it cost a lot of time and money! But we both love what we do and support each other completely and day by day figure out his needs and ours. We don't always get it perfectly right, but so far, he's bright and healthy and that's what we hope to sustain! A juggling act, for sure, and not for the faint of heart! And not possible without building a strong, caring community around you. It takes a village, right? We have a lot of love around us and could not do it without our families and friends coming to our aid. I owe them all soooooo many bottles of wine : )
Q: How does your physical fitness affect your performance abilities?
A: They go hand-in-hand. If I can't breathe after doing several runs or leaps or turns, then I can't sing, then I get fired. Simple as that. Stamina is key to what we do, and we are hired with that expectation upon us.
Q: Tips on finding the time to stay physically/vocally fit.
A: All the old adages, really- eat right, sleep well, don't drink too much, don't smoke, breathe deep, smile whenever you can and be realistic with yourself - and love yourself and those around you as best you can. Be disciplined but also a little weird and funny : )
Q: What is your advice for those trying to perform on Broadway?
A: Be versatile, be devoted, be curious, be prepared, be open to new ideas, and stay hydrated.
#FFB
