Libby C. Nelson Discusses Dancing, FOH Work & Taking Time to Recharge
Kevin Ray Johnson
I would like you to meet Libby C. Nelson. Libby is a performer based in New York City and is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, theatre, and voice. Libby has also attended summer intensives and conventions, including the Giordano Dance Chicago Summer Workshop and the Radio City Rockettes Summer Intensive. Past credits include regional productions The Mystery of Edwin Drood and The Little Mermaid. When not practicing and working on her craft, Libby remains connected to the theatre world serving as a Customer Experience Associate with the Lyric Theatre where Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is playing! There are a lot of aspects of a theatre that have been affected by this pandemic and people who work off the stage are getting hit just as hard or even harder than those who are performing on the stage. Libby is a talented young lady who has a bright future ahead of her and it was a complete pleasure to interview her!
How old were you when you knew you wanted to have a career in the performing arts?
I think I always knew deep down that a career in the performing arts was in my future. It started as a hobby and then quickly grew into a passion. I was so involved with my childhood dance studio that I didn’t have the time to do theatre productions in high school, but I grew up going to the Broadway Across America performances in Milwaukee with my family, so I’ve always loved it. It wasn’t until senior year of high school where I really thought, “Hey I think I could make this a career, how can I do that?”
Where did you study? Are there any people and or mentors who helped you on your journey?
I got my BA in Theatre and Dance from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Two of my dance professors in college are the two people that really made me believe that I could successfully pursue a career in the arts, Emily Winkler and Valerie Gonzalez. We still keep in touch as much as we can, as they are directors of their own respective dance studios in Illinois with hundreds of students. I have two mentors in NYC as well, Lauren Gibbs and Gabriella Sorrentino. They have taken me under their wing and help me continue my training, with private lessons, advice, and a listening ear for the dreams that I am pursuing in NYC! They both know the city so well, and I consider myself so lucky to be able to call them my mentors. All four of these strong women are always there if I need any advice or encouragement while pursuing these dreams!
We are all living in a very unprecedented time. How have these times been for you and what is your daily routine like now?
These times are definitely hard to process all of the emotions that I feel on a daily basis. Broadway was originally only shut down for about a month, and it became more clear that Broadway would not be reopening on the original projected date. I used to be going from audition to audition, taking class at STEPS or Broadway Dance Center, voice lessons, trying to find time to eat and then rushing to work to manage a sold-out crowd at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – and now I think I may finally be adjusted to this “new normal.” I’m still an early riser, I’m usually awake between 7:30-8:00 am and then I work-out in my room. I’m lucky that my brother-in-law had so extra resistance bands that he sent me so I’m still able to maintain my physical strength, but I do all types of work-outs including yoga and HITT. Then I’ll take a shower, get ready for the day, and read The New York Times. I’ll take a dance class in my room, or my living room, consolidating my apartment to maximize space. I’ve been taking the Radio City Rockettes live Instagram classes on Tuesday and Thursday and then I’ll take one or two more classes during the week from the plethora of dance classes that are being offered online through Zoom or other platforms. I have a voice lesson once a week with my voice teacher. I’ve picked up some new hobbies, and recently started cross-stitching and that is nice to pass the time while having a show or music on in the background while stitching. Then I’ll start making dinner, I’ve been trying so many new recipes and techniques that I never had the chance to try before because of my schedule. I love cooking and baking and most recently I made homemade cinnamon rolls as a treat that turned out delicious! I usually FaceTime my family when we all have some free time, or talk to friends who are spread out over the city, and country. Then I’ll read a book, or watch an episode of a show with a friend virtually, and then head to sleep. Wake up and repeat.
You are a fantastic dancer making your way in New York City and you also have the amazing opportunity to serve as a Customer Experience Associate for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway at the Lyric Theatre! Do you have any moments in your dancing or front of house career that truly stick out to you?
One of the moments from my dancing career that sticks out to me actually occurred this year, when I had the opportunity to do pre-production work for a regional production of Memphis that was directed and choreographed by Robert Hartwell. I originally met Robert during a program that I was doing in NYC in 2017 right after I graduated from college. In early 2020, he posted that he was looking for dancers to help out with pre-production and I messaged him right away saying that I was interested and available. Pre-production is something I’ve wanted to be involved in since I moved to the city and the opportunity was presenting itself and I learned so much from being in the room and watching the work grow and change as time moved along. I’m so thankful for that experience because it solidified that I do want to eventually transition into the choreography side of musical theatre and dance.
I have a few moments that stick out in my front of house career at the Lyric Theatre. I started as an usher for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and then became a cover while still ushering for the Customer Experience Associate (CEA) position, so the permanent members could take sick days, vacation, etc. I then became interim CEA for two months while there was a vacancy and then was eventually hired for the permanent position. The craziest thing about the whole Harry Potter and the Cursed Child process was that I had an interview for the usher position one week after I moved to the city in 2018. I guess you could say the timing was just right on that one. I have met so many wonderful people at and through Harry Potter and have been lucky to find some of my lifelong friends in the cast, crew, technical designers, and FOH staff. Opening night for Harry Potter is such a vivid memory for me as well as the Tony awards and all of the craziness that ensues in that theatre when the shows are running. I definitely miss that energy during this time.
What advice would you give any aspiring artist during these crazy times?
My advice would be to use all of this newfound time to recharge, learn more about your craft, learn new skills, and breathe. Don’t be afraid to lean on the people who support you. We might not be able to physically connect how we want to, but we are lucky that technology allows us to stay connected even while we are all contained in our little boxes. It’s okay to rest. Take the time you need; you don’t always have to be moving to be productive.
To learn more about Libby C. Nelson make sure you visit her official website at www.libbycnelson.com