by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
WHAT: Bethany Owen “One Voice”
WHERE: Atlantic Theatre
WHEN: February 26 through March 2
Bethany Owen is a celebrity impressionist who has been honing her craft since she was 19-years-old. Her stage shows, the latest version of which is dubbed “One Voice,” have the Kansas-native transforming into a multitude of familiar famous faces, from Dolly Parton to Diana Ross to Marilyn Monroe. Ms. Owen brings her highly entertaining show back to the Jacksonville area next week, when she appears at the Atlantic Comedy Theatre on February 26 through March 2. I recently caught up with this extremely talented (and busy) lady to ask her about her show, her unique talents and some of her experiences:
EU: What’s the process of getting a routine stage-ready?
BO: I always start with the voice. Long before I even knew anything about the look or the mannerisms, my ear was always tuned into doing the voice. Then there’s a whole other side of all this and that’s the look-a-like industry and that came way, way, way later. So now in my act I do enhance my characters with costume pieces and wigs and, of course, mannerisms go along with the voice. When I’m developing out a voice, even from the beginning, it always helped me to watch the person as they were speaking or moving because that just solidifies how the voice comes out.
EU: What was the hardest celebrity voice you’ve mastered?
BO: Oh, gosh! The hardest? [Laughs] That’s a little bit hard to answer because it’s a never-ending experience of trying to master somebody. I have people in my line-up that I’ve been doing since I was 19-years-old and when I see something new that they’ve come out with or even if I go back into my library and pull out some video tape again and watch them I always miss something in my minds-eye I go, “Oh yeah, I forgot she holds her mic like that” or I’ll see some little mannerism or some word or something that will jump out at me now that didn’t jump out at me then. So, when you ask me what’s the hardest, there all pretty much equal.
EU: What can someone expect at one of your shows?
BO: They can expect just about anything or anybody to appear on the stage. [Laughs] And it’s all clean fun. They don’t have to worry about (this being) a show with an audience that would be suitable to Andrew Dice Clay. [Laughs] No, it’s going to be a good clean fun show; but geared towards adults. And there’s going to be lots of celebrity guests! [Laughs]
EU: Do you incorporate any audience participation?
BO: Yeah, there are a couple moments in the show where we mix with the audience and that’s what really makes each show unique… No two shows are alike because we’re drawing from people in the audience for a few routines. It’s really fun to watch them adapt to their roles and whatever happens, happens… It’s a fun time to see the audience members interact.
EU: Have you had any celebrities in your audiences?
BO: Once a long time ago I did not know it but Cher was in the audience… This was actually a comedy club because these were my pre-“One Voice” days… I guess the audience picked up on the notion that I was about to do Cher because of the Indian headdress, at that time I was doing a tribute to “Half Breed,” and I couldn’t quite understand why the audience got real, real, real quiet. I mean, comedy rooms do not ever go that quiet and when they do it’s like, ”Something’s not right.” [Laughs] So, the audience all knew that Cher was in the audience. I did not. So, I put the headdress on and I started singing and I tell you if you didn’t believe the theory that goes along with “the electricity is in the air,” step in my shoes that night because I felt, like, this crackling going on in the room and as I got more and more into the routine the crackling got stronger until I finished. And it was like the whole room just exploded with applause and laughter and screaming. Truly what I guess was happening was it was such an intimate room… and everybody was looking at Cher to see her reaction to me and when she reacted favorably, they just went bananas. [Laughs]… That was pretty memorable.
EU: Tell the truth: have you ever used your talents to pull a prank on someone?
BO: Oh, yeah! [Laughs] Oh yeah, without a doubt. Radio stations have hired me a few times (and had me) like, calling an In and Out Burger. Fran Drescher. Fran should be real pleased with some of the things I’ve done for radio stations.
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