Cover Girl Laura Bell Bundy (Interview Part II) with Melissa A. Bartell

In part one of our interview with cover girl Laura Bell Bundy, we talked about her work on stage and in song. In part two we turned our discussion a bit more toward her offstage life, including a couple of great organizations she’s involved with. Enjoy!

Eight performances a week is demanding no matter what the show is, and especially for high-energy shows like Hairspray and Legally Blonde. How do you keep yourself healthy while still meeting the demands of your schedule?

Girl, I have a whole regimen. It depends on the demands of the show… sometimes they are more dance heavy, and sometimes they are more vocal heavy… so I have to adjust my lifestyle accordingly.

With Blonde, which was demanding all around. I limited my speaking so that I could sing (sometimes this was difficult because of interviews and life—and you end not being able to go out and hang with friends or call your parents back). I have become a big ichat, texting, emailing fool! I went to the steam room several times a week and always on two show days; I drink lots of tea, honey, and the tinctures I make up for myself. I go to voice lessons regularly to stay in good form; I warm up my body as well as my voice before a show, and cool down after. I learned to say “no” which was really hard for me… and I put the show before myself, which is why I can’t stay at a show forever. I get massage, physical therapy, go see an osteopath, and do acupuncture.

And, I drink Red Bull—no coffee…it’s bad for the chords, too much acid.

Women in all walks of life find themselves dealing with stress far too often. For many of us, pampering ourselves is the ultimate cure. What do you do for yourself when you need to de-stress? Massages? Spa-days? Copious amounts of chocolate?

All of the above! And, sometimes I just sit in front of the TV and eat and watch whatever I have taped on the DVR. I find blocking out one day a week where I don’t have to go anywhere – literally not leaving my home – and I don’t have to talk to anyone or return phone calls or emails is so helpful. It quiets the mind and lets you gear up for the rest of the week.

I enjoy going to the park or the pool and reading. I hang out with my friends. I have to be social as well…it is a big de-stressor for me. I take long walks with my ipod. I take long baths or soaks with arnica oil and Epson salts… and sometimes I use retail therapy. : ) And if I’m really lucky to have a few days, I go away somewhere.

Does exercise play an important part in your life, or are the rigors of a performance schedule enough to keep you fit?

When I did Legally Blonde, I did not and could not do any additional exercise besides the show and warming up for the show (which was about 15 minutes of cardio and stretching), but living in NYC you walk everywhere as well. I was a machine. I could literally eat anything I wanted.

Now, that I’m not doing the show, I am finding this is no longer the case! LOL! So, I have started walking more and getting back to going to the gym, jump rope/running with ipod (I jump rope for a song, and run for a song… then I walk for a song and stretch for a song at the end… It’s the best workout! Before Blonde, I ran about 5 miles five or six days a week. I ran track in high school and I still have a runner’s mentality and I enjoy it. Most members of my family are runners as well—they do competitive racing and marathons.

How about mental/spiritual fitness? Is faith or religion an important part of your life? Is there some other way you stay mentally balanced?

Yes it is. I’m a searcher. I am always asking myself, “What is the meaning of life ?” My dad has been asking me this question since I was about 3 years old. And, it has challenged me to always find a deeper meaning for my life and the events in my life.

I don’t consider myself religious, but I do live my life by a certain philosophy. I have explored and educated myself on many different religions, philosophies and faiths. I will always continue to do this and welcome the challenge of my beliefs. That is how you grow. Ultimately, it comes down to love, forgiveness, and compassion for yourself and others.

I also feel it is important to be present and live in the moment—in the now. I certainly don’t have the answers, but if we have one life to live, we should make the most of it. We should feel deeply because this is our chance to. It is the mind’s opportunity to feel the thoughts it creates through emotion. As an actress and performer, “feeling” is the ultimate gift. When I am on stage, I live in the moment and I feel deeply, it is incredible therapy for me and it comes the closest to a spiritual experience as I have ever had. That is why I will always do it.

Another thing I do is have philosophy groups with actors I work with between shows on two show days. We get together and discuss the book or philosopher we are reading. This is good for the muscle upstairs.

You’re involved in a couple of really interesting projects that involve young people and theatre. Have you always been a supporter of arts education?

Yes. I was fortunate enough to have a family that encourages the arts in my life. It has shaped my life, and I think all kids should have that opportunity.

Tell us a bit about Take it From the Top? Whose idea was this, and how did you get involved?

It was a joint idea between my partner, Paul Canaan and me. I already had Kreative Kids Foundation, which offers scholarships and funding to students and schools for arts education purposes. Take it From the Top (TFT) is taking that one step further providing a curriculum.

We are a performing arts educational company where we offer workshops and educational programs in the performing arts. We, and other Broadway professionals, travel to different cities and give workshops in acting, singing, dancing, auditioning and an array of other skills. It’s very hands on and fun. Paul is an incredible teacher and has a passion for it.

We were both young kids who starved for someone to teach us these things, so it made sense to build a company for it. We are also very inspired y the students we teach. It’s so rewarding to see them grow.

And your Kreative Kids Foundation?

I felt truly blessed in the last few years and I was inspired to give back. I want to give all kids the opportunities I had in the arts. So, I started Kreative Kids Foundation.

I noticed that the website for Kreative Kids specifically mentions middle schools. Did you find that that age group is often overlooked, with most of the concentration on elementary and high schools?

The “tweens” tend to need the arts the most. They are at the age where they are starting to become adults, developing hormones, not fitting in, and dealing with peer pressure. Some of these kids don’t want to play sport or excel at them and thus have no other outlet that is provided. The arts are an incredible outlet for all of their angst and their time. It’s also a perfect age to start using your emotions in your artwork or performance. It helps them deal with issues at home and at school if they understand certain artistic concepts.

And of course, I have to ask about Schmancy Purses. (Those are seriously great bags!) How involved are you in that company? Or are you? Is fashion something you plan to continue pursuing at some point?

I co-own the company with a very talented designer and artist Erin Pata. We started Schmancy two and a half years ago. We wanted to create unique purses for unique women. They have a country girl goes to the city vintage vibe. The bags are their own accessory and can been carried with jeans or a fancy dress. I would love to continue exploring fashion!

You’re a performer in many mediums, you do workshops and charitable work – you seem tireless, in fact – but what about the personal side of life? Is it difficult to find time for family and romantic relationships?

You bet it is! You realize that you make personal sacrifices for your career and your passions. But, I know I can’t neglect my personal life too much or I am not happy and I can’t properly pursue my career… It’s all about balance. The good thing is that I love what I do. The stage, the music, the arts… that’s my mistress. I wouldn’t be happy without both elements in my life. Sometimes, the scales shift more to one side, and then I drastically shift them back (like take weeks off and go to Kentucky and stay with my family or leave town for a romantic getaway)

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As humans, we need real love and affection that comes from personal relationships. I never like to deny myself that. It makes life worth living! The good thing is, I often make a family and friends with the people I work with. Or, I choose to work with my good friends—Like Paul Canaan. He just makes life better and more fun when he is around.

What’s next for you? What’s in the works, and where would you like to be in five years, or in ten?

I was just signed to Universal Records Nashville (should be official in the next month). I am living in Nashville, writing and working on a new album. And I absolutely LOVE it!!! I am also working on developing a few television projects. I am doing several concerts in the next year, giving Take It From the Top Workshops all over the country, introducing a new line of Schmancy Purses, raising money for Kreative Kids, seeing my family more, and enjoying my life!

I have no idea where will be in five or ten years. I am too busy living in the moment to think about it… but since you asked, in five years I hope to have recorded several really fun and moving albums, written lots of songs and gone on tour –and learned every step of the way. I also hope to have created television programming that has a musical element to it.

I want to build an Equity affiliated theater in my hometown of Lexington, KY. I want to have produced my first Broadway Show, made a difference in children’s lives and I hope to have lived and loved to the fullest. In ten years, I hope that I have kids of my own to learn from or that I am thinking of having them. I hope that I feel I have had time to enjoy my life, the world and my family. I hope I am happy.

To find out more about Laura Bell Bundy, you can visit her website, Laura Bell Bundy.com. We also encourage you to check out the websites for The Kreative Kids Foundation, Take it From the Top, and SchmancyPurses.

Melissa A. Bartell likes strong coffee, red wine, and dark chocolate. She earns her living writing web-copy for an Internet marketing firm & dabbles in fiction on the side. She lives near Dallas, TX with her husband, two dogs, and more computers than anyone really needs. She is the Managing Editor here at All Things Girl. Find out more about her on our About Page, or check out her blog at MissMeliss.com