Emily Skinner will be familiar to some St. Louis theatergoers as Matron “Mama” Morton in the Muny’s recent season-ending production of “Chicago.” But audiences will experience a different, and more personal, side of Skinner this weekend when she brings her cabaret show to Blue Strawberry.
“A Broad With a Broad, Broad Mind” features Skinner performing an eclectic array of songs to the accompaniment of pianist and music director John Fischer. Recently, she spoke with Go! Magazine about the show. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q • What can audiences expect from your cabaret show, “A Broad With a Broad, Broad Mind”?
A • It’s about me — it’s about being a broad. It’s about my life pre-, and in the middle of, the pandemic and how it’s affected me. And the epiphanies I’ve had and how things have shifted a little bit in my world. I’ve had fallow periods, but I’ve certainly never had what I had the last year, when the pandemic hit. I didn’t work for 16 months.
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It’s a pretty rangy show — everything from Elton John to Rodgers & Hart to Sondheim. It runs the gamut, which is what I like. People who have seen it have found it hopeful, and funny, and poignant.
Q • How is doing cabaret different than being part of a musical?
A • Well, this is all me. It’s sort of a solo show, pretty much, although John Fischer is my partner in this. It’s as nakedly all me as you can get, which feels a bit vulnerable. But it’s good to be brave, right?
Q • “Chicago” was your latest Muny show. How often have you performed there?
A • I’ve worked at the Muny five times, and at the (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) once also. So I’ve spent some time in St. Louis. For “Chicago,” the Muny just basically called me and said, “Would you do this?” and I said, “Absolutely.”
Q • Would you say that your approach to Matron “Mama” Morton was a bit different than usual?
A • There’s probably a lot of ways that you could play her. She’s sort of been established as a Sophie Tucker type of character, but there’s nothing in the script that delineates that. She’s just a broad who’s been around and is really quite mercenary.
Q • Do you focus mostly on musicals?
A • Primarily, yes. But I sometimes do (nonmusical) plays as well. I like the challenge of both. I just like good material.
Q • Just a quick look at your resume reveals that you stay quite busy as a performer.
A • Yeah, I think so. I’m about to start rehearsing for a show that I was rehearsing for when the pandemic struck. It’s a new musical that’s going to Broadway, called “Once Upon a One More Time,” using the music of Britney Spears. It’s an original story that takes place in fairytale land, and I play the evil stepmother. I like to think it’s funnier and smarter than the average jukebox musical.
What Emily Skinner: “A Broad with a Broad, Broad Mind” • When 8 p.m. Sept. 17-18, 4 p.m. Sept. 19 • Where Blue Strawberry, 364 North Boyle Avenue • How much $30-$55 • More info bluestrawberrystl.com