Catherine LeFrere chatted about starring in the Off-Broadway show “House of McQueen,” where she plays Isabella Blow.
The show is being performed at the new venue, The Mansion at Hudson Yards, in New York City.
‘House of McQueen’ experience
On her experience in “House of McQueen,” she remarked, “It has been wonderful! I am having the time of my life. I have a family now, so getting to do a show like this, with a role like Isabella, in my hometown of NYC is the greatest thing ever.”
“I feel so lucky to have been able to work with these amazing artists and collaborators,” she said.
“It’s also been wonderful to educate myself on a subject about which I knew very little. The show is a living, breathing thing now and I’m so excited to continue as we have some new actors join the team,” she elaborated.
“Lee Alexander McQueen was truly a genius, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to originate the role of Isabella Blow,” she added.
Playing Isabella Blow
On playing Isabella Blow, she stated, “She’s fascinating. I knew absolutely nothing about her when I auditioned for this play. So, of course, when I got the role I was starting from scratch.”
“It was, of course, helpful to research and learn about her far too short time on this earth but once we started rehearsals, I let go of trying to impersonate her and wanted to create my own Isabella while honoring the real woman and her legacy,” she elaborated.
“Isabella certainly had many struggles throughout her life, but she also had an insanely wonderful imagination and a true obsession/love for clothing. She’s a tragic heroine and I have absolutely fallen in love with her,” she added.
Working with Luke Newton and the cast
On working with Luke Newton and the cast, she said, “I really feel so lucky to be working with this cast. Just an insanely beautiful (both inside and out — seriously, everyone is so attractive) group of humans.”
“Most of my scenes are with Luke, but the little time I do get on stage with the rest of this group is just fantastic,” she said. “Everyone is a team player. We’ve got each other’s backs and that is the best feeling to have with an ensemble. And working with Luke has been a dream.”
“Luke is an insanely hard worker and also an insanely lovely person. He and I worked through every little moment together. If we ran out of time during rehearsal, we found a time to figure out a problem on a break,” she elaborated.
“I’m particularly proud of the relationship we created between our Lee and Issie and I think the audience can really feel that. I know I speak for the entire cast when I say we will miss Luke very much,” she added.
Working with Liam Tamne as the new Alexander McQueen
LeFrere is looking forward to working with Liam Tamne as the new Alexander McQueen, who makes his debut as the iconic fashion designer on October 2nd. “We’ve already gotten to rehearse a little bit with each other and he’s so nice,” she said.
“This is no small task he has in front of him and so far, he’s doing an amazing job. I’m excited to see how Isabella grows and changes with a new Lee. Liam, like Luke, is also a true Brit so they force me to keep my dialect work up,” she elaborated.
Lessons learned from this play
On the lessons learned from this play, she reflected, “It taught me so many things! Mostly I can do hard things. Seriously, this is a very demanding show, both physically and emotionally, and our schedule has not been easy.”
“I am also a new mom so figuring out how to balance it all has been a new and exciting (and sometimes stressful) challenge! Working moms, I see you,” she said.
“I’ve been part of a lot of new plays so I know how hard they can be. This play has definitely taught me to trust the process, trust my instincts, and to ask for help when I need it,” she added.
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology, and social media are so prevalent, she said, “It has definitely been wild. I’m what they call an ‘elder millennial’ which means I’m part of this weird generation where we didn’t have phones and tablets and laptops for most of my childhood, but by the time I was in college, smart phones were everywhere.”
“I can’t imagine having to go through high school with social media,” she said. “ I definitely love posting about the show and think it’s a great way to reach people both in and outside of New York.”
“Broadway and Off-Broadway theater is global now because of social media; however, I’m not nearly as good at creating content as, say, my Gen-Z costars. I could learn a thing or two from them,” she elaborated.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and emerging actors, she said, “Stay busy! You cannot sit around and wait for the phone to ring.”
“Work on your craft, find a hobby, and devote time to your personal life. The times I’ve worked the most have always been when I had a lot going on personally,” she acknowledged.
Success
On her definition of the word success, she said, “Success, to me, looks like constant work that challenges you and also earns you the respect of your peers.”
“What’s the saying? ‘There are no small jobs, only small actors!’ I really believe that. Am I working? Am I getting paid to do what I love? Am I helping bring an important story to life? Do people like working with me? If I can answer all those questions with a ‘yes,’ then I feel successful,” she elaborated.
To learn more about actress and performer Catherine LeFrere, follow her on Instagram.
Read More: “House of McQueen” review.
