Previous regional credits include Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 42nd Street, Grease and Les Misérables.
| Full given name: | Steffanie (with two "F's" in honor of Steffi Graf) Leigh |
| Where you were born/where you were raised: | Talent, Oregon |
| Zodiac Sign: | Gemini |
| What your parents did/do for a living: | Dad: retired ER doctor. Mom: personal trainer. |
| Siblings: | An older sister, Amber, and older brother, Dane. |
| Current audition song/monologue: | The song usually changes depending on the project and I don't think I've ever been asked to do a monologue in an audition. Maybe I should get one! |
| Special skills: | Britney Spears impression, Jennifer Garner "scared/sad face," and I can perform the entire role of "Usnavi" from In the Heights |
| Something you're REALLY bad at: | Riffing is not my forte! |
| First Broadway show you ever saw: | Hairspray |
| Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? | I grew up five miles from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and got to see amazing theater all the time. |
| If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? | Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady. And if I could travel back in time even farther, I'd see the premiere of Macbeth at the Globe Theater. |
| Current or recent shows you recommended to friends: | Peter and the Starcatcher, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Sleep No More. |
| Favorite showtune(s) of all time: | "Trouble" from The Music Man, the opening from In the Heights, "The Light in the Piazza," "Through the Mountain" from Floyd Collins, "Princess" from A Man of No Importance, "I Remember" from Evening Primrose, "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George and "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins! |
| Some favorite modern musicals: | Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Urinetown, The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins |
| Some favorite classic musicals: | Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Sweet Charity |
| Broadway or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: | Angela Lansbury, Julie Andrews, Robert Preston, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Carol Burnett |
| Your personal vocal or acting idols, living or dead: | Barbara Cook, Julie Andrews, Kelli O'Hara, Audra McDonald |
| The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | In 4th grade, I remember watching a local high school's production of Hamlet, knowing I wanted to be an actor. |
| Music that makes you cry, any genre: | "Mama a Rainbow" can always jerk a tear from my eye. |
| MAC or PC? | MAC |
| Most played song on your iPod: | Any song from Regina Spektor's new album |
| Most-visited websites: | playbill.com!!!!! |
| Last book you read: | "Gone Girl" |
| Must-see TV show(s): | "Sherlock," "Game of Thrones," "The Wire," "Breaking Bad," "Alias," "Downton Abbey" |
| Last good movie you saw: | "Argo" |
| Some films you consider classics: | "White Christmas," "Top Hat," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "His Girl Friday," "Roman Holiday" |
| Performer you would drop everything to go see: | Robert Lenzi |
| Pop culture guilty pleasure: | "Dance Moms" |
| Three favorite cities: | Ashland, Seattle and San Diego |
| Favorite sport/team/player: | My boyfriend has done everything in his power to make me a Philadelphia Phillies fan. My favorite player on the Phillies is Roy Halladay because he seems very nice and is a hard worker! |
| First CD/Tape/LP you owned: | GT and the Halo Express |
| First stage kiss: | I kissed my Harold Hill in The Music Man, and he definitely stuck his tongue down my throat the first night! |
| Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: | Madge in Picnic |
| How you got your Equity card: | Pittsburgh CLO |
| Favorite pre-/post- show meal: | Pre: a nice home cooked meal with my boyfriend. Post: Nachos on my couch watching "The Daily Show" |
| Favorite liquid refreshment: | A full bodied glass of red wine |
| Pre-show rituals or warm-ups: | I always go through "The Museum Song" from Barnum. Everyone had to learn it in our speech class at Carnegie Mellon. And a foot massage from my iSqueeze. |
| Most challenging role you have ever played: | Mary Poppins |
| Most challenging aspect of your current role: | Stamina |
| Craziest audition story: | I went in for a tap dance call for a show that was extremely difficult. I became a bit overwhelmed, so after we went through it the last time and began to break into groups, I pivot stepped right out the door and never came back! |
| Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: | During the bank scene in Mary Poppins, my feet got tangled with little Michael Banks and I fell backwards and dragged the kids down with me! |
| Worst costume ever: | A lime green dance competition costume that featured bell bottoms and fish net "jacket" |
| Worst job you ever had: | I hated bartending. |
| Your Disney dream role (aside from Poppins): | Mulan (you did say dream, right?) |
| If you could trade roles with anyone in the cast for a week, who would it be? | Bird Woman |
| Leading lady role you've been dying to play: | Lady M. |
| Leading man role you'd like a shot at: | Usnavi of course! |
| Something about you that surprises people: | I still suck my thumb when I'm really tired. |
| Something you are incredibly proud of: | Being an Oregonian |
| Something you're embarrassed to admit: | I sometimes suck my thumb even when I'm not tired... |
| Career you would want if not a performer: | Psychologist |
| Three things you can't live without: | Cheese, Wine, Robert Lenzi |
| "I'll never understand why…" | … people litter. |
| Words of advice for aspiring performers: | Compare and despair. |
