WASHINGTON — She made her Broadway debut as Amber Von Tussle in “Hairspray” (2007).
But the talented Ashley Spencer first reached a national TV audience vying for the role of Sandy Dumbrowski in NBC’s reality competition “Grease: You’re the One That I Want!” (2007).
“It was a live audition looking for Sandy and Danny for the latest revival of ‘Grease,'” Spencer told WTOP. “Unfortunately at the time, I was not the one that they wanted; but I was the one they eventually wanted. I ended up replacing Laura Osnes, who is brilliant, lovely and won the reality show, but I replaced her after that and closed the show on Broadway, so I got my turn.”
A decade later, she stars in the musical “Crazy for You” at Signature Theatre in Shirlington (Nov. 7-Jan. 14), capping a decade of “Les Misérables” (2009), “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (2011), “Rock of Ages” (2012) and a marriage to actor Jeremy Jordan (“The Last Five Years”).
“It’s such a feel-good musical — it’s going to be so great,” Spencer said. “It has a beautiful sweeping score [penned by] George & Ira Gershwin, and it’s just a funny, funny musical.”
Based on the Gershwins’ “Girl Crazy” (1930), the story follows musical-loving banker Bobby Child (Danny Gardner), who is sent to foreclose on a theater in Deadrock, Nevada. There, he meets Polly Baker (Ashley Spencer), who convinces him to revive the theater with the Follies.
“[It’s] something very special to her because her mother performed in that same theater, [so] it’s a very personal connection,” Spencer said. “In trying to win her over and also prove something to himself, he comes up with a plan to rally the troops and try to save the theater.”
The book is written by D.C. native Ken Ludwig, who won the Tony for Best Musical in 1992.
“It’s really, really cool that he’s from this area,” Spencer said. “Actually, ‘Crazy for You’ hasn’t been done in this area in over two decades, since the tour came through in 1995. It opened on Broadway in 1992, so this is a new, reimagined version of the show. It’s not what you originally saw if you went to New York to see it or when it came through [D.C.] on the tour.”
Playing the Bobby to her Polly is co-star Danny Gardner, who unleashes some fancy footwork.
“I keep calling him Fred [Astaire], because he is a masterful tapper,” Spencer said. “When he’s just practicing in the other room, his feet move so fast! Literally, my mouth is wide open. He’s so talented. Ahh, Fred. But he also moves very smoothly like Gene Kelly, so he’s got a little of both. He’s got those fast feet like Fred, but he’s also very swoony and lovely like Gene.”
Arranging the dance numbers is renowned stage choreographer Denis Jones (“Holiday Inn”).
“I’m so excited to work with Denis,” Spencer said. “If you’ve seen the original that’s ingrained in your brain, this is so fresh. … It’s a huge show dance-wise. He’s got a lot on his plate.”
Paired with the vibrant dancing is a songbook of iconic Gershwin tunes, including “I’ve Got Rhythm,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Embraceable You” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”
“I sing all the good ones,” Spencer joked. “They’re all great and very well known.”
Directing the entire show is Matthew Gardiner, who is no stranger to bringing inventive revivals to new audiences at Signature, including “West Side Story” and “Jelly’s Last Jam.”
“He said this is his first shot at doing a classic throwback to the MGM style of movie musicals,” Spencer said. “As a kid, he had all those posters on his wall and watched all those movies. I have a similar experience, so I connect to him on that. The reason I fell in love with musical theater and dancing is because my mom got me started when I was 3 watching ‘Show Boat.'”
Growing up in Canton, Ohio, Spencer says old movie musicals were her window into showbiz.
“I know some people grew up going to New York often to see shows, but that just wasn’t my [childhood],” Spencer said. “I didn’t see my first Broadway show until I was 19 or 20.”
That show was the revival of “Hairspray,” in which she eventually made her Broadway debut.
“I moved to New York cocktail waitressing,” Spencer said. “I went to an open-call audition [for] ‘Hairspray.’ They said, ‘Oh, honey, if we really needed somebody, that’d be great, [but we don’t].’ So I went off to do the reality show. When I left the reality show, [they] brought me back in, auditioned me again and I booked the job! People are like, ‘It was probably because you were on the TV show,’ [but] I’d like to think they remembered me. It planted the seed.”
Now, that seed has grown into “Crazy for You” at Signature Theatre.
“I’ve always wanted to do [it],” Spencer said. “When I think of classic musical theatre, this show comes to mind. It’s got all of these elements reminiscent of the MGM [films], what I grew up wanting to do! I’ve done a lot of contemporary shows, but I never had that opportunity. So I auditioned for this and was grateful because I get to show a completely different side.”
Likewise, audiences will experience a completely different side to a classic musical.
“If you want to have a good time, if you want to laugh, maybe cry a little bit, and listen to amazing music that you know already, this beautiful sweeping score, come out to Signature Theatre,” Spencer said. “It’s the holiday time, come with your family, it’s for everyone.”
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