To Broadway director Richard Jay-Alexander, Grace Wall’s audition for “Guys and Dolls” was legendary.
“She was the last audition, a very classic show-biz story,” said Jay-Alexander, whose resume includes the 1991 Broadway run of “Miss Saigon” and most prominently, the 1987 original Broadway production of “Les Misérables.”
Wall, a 2008 UCLA alumna from the Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program, was soon offered the role of Martha and will join the cast of “Guys and Dolls” when it comes to the Hollywood Bowl this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. She will perform alongside such Broadway legends as Ellen Greene and Beau Bridges, in addition to working with Tony-winning choreographer Donna McKechnie.
Prior to landing the role of Martha, Wall had been in various theatrical productions this past year, as well as several television shows. For her role as Zelda in the Theatre @ Boston Court’s production of “Gulls,” she won the LA Weekly award for best supporting female performance.
It comes as no surprise that Wall comes from a background of show business. Wall’s mother is a musical theater actress, and her father an actor-turned-musical and comedic entertainer. While her peers stayed put in school, Wall’s own childhood was filled with the hype and bustle of show business.
“My mom dragged me around with her on tour when I was growing up. She was on the first national tour of “˜Beauty and the Beast,'” she said. “I was always completely surrounded by it. I had no choice.”
Ironically, Wall was not involved in entertainment as a child.
“My mom didn’t want me to be a child actor; it’s kind of a hard life. She was the opposite of a stage mom,” she said. “But when I was in junior high, they had a really good theater program and I begged to be a part of it and she finally let me.”
By the end of the year, Wall had landed the lead role in a show, and went on to enroll in the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
“I was studying to be in classical music. But my grandma took me on a trip to New York (during my) junior year and I saw some Broadway shows. I was like, “˜I don’t want to do classical music; I want to do this!'” she said.
With that in mind as she applied for college, Wall ultimately decided on UCLA over other schools such as New York University and Carnegie Mellon University.
When she joined the musical theater program at UCLA, Wall not only improved as a singer and actress, but progressed rapidly in the dance program as well.
“She really hadn’t danced until she started training with us,” said professor Nicholas Gunn, who runs the dance program. “I think a testament to her work is that in four years she could progress quickly enough to actually book a dance job. That’s certainly remarkable. Coming from zero to that … of course she has the talent and aptitude. But she really had to work, and she really did work.”
For Michael Donovan, who also taught Wall her senior year and helped cast her in “Guys and Dolls,” Wall’s exposure to theater as a young person has been a great factor in her success.
“She knew about the kind of work and dedication and professionalism you need to bring to do this career,” he said. “A lot of people don’t get that. It’s a career. It’s something that you need to understand when an opportunity arises; you need to be ready for it.”
Donovan also testified to a certain quality about Wall that he first noticed in his auditioning professional music class.
“In that 10 weeks I watched something change in her, a fire grow. She’s just got that certain something where you just go, “˜Boy, pay attention,'” Donovan said. “It’s hard to explain. … Casting is not an exact science. It’s a subjective, gut feeling you have. And Richard got it. I got it. Other people she’s worked with got it.”
This past year, Wall moved to New York, where she works as a singing waitress at Ellen’s Stardust Diner in between pursuing performing opportunities. Although Wall said she aspires to chase her dreams on Broadway, she added that she would be more than content if she can be like her mother when she is older.
“Of course I have big dreams of being a big star, but if I can end up like her when I’m 54, I’d be completely happy because she is happy, and has a great life and cute house,” she said. “She’s not a big Broadway star but she’s had a wonderful career. And despite our ups and downs, its been a wonderful life so far. We’ve been very lucky.”
While she may be flexible about what the future holds, don’t count Wall out yet.
“Of course, if I am handed more than that, then yes, bring it! Bring it, and I will buy mother a bigger house!” she said.