‘Bullets Over Broadway’ tour brings actor home

October 4, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

Northeast Ohio native Elizabeth Dugas was 7 years old when she saw her first Broadway touring production, “The Phantom of the Opera,” at Playhouse Square. It was at that moment, the dancer decided to broaden her career goals; however, she kept the dream to herself.

“It’s funny, I grew up dancing but in the back of my head I always wanted to do Broadway,” said Solon native Dugas, calling from New York City.

Now, the singer-dancer is making good on her dream appearing in her first national tour as a member of recent Tony Award-nominated production “Bullets Over Broadway,” which appears Tuesday through Oct. 18 at the Connor Palace in Cleveland.

“I’ve been working at The Metropolitan Opera the past three seasons, but I’ve never toured before,” Dugas said. “It will be really cool to come back to Cleveland, but the number of people my mom has coming to see me in the show – and has also promised backstage tours to – is getting outrageous. Everyone is coming out of the woodwork.

“She’s like, ‘Do you remember Mrs. So-and-so from second grade sewing class?’ I’m like, ‘What?’ But it’s really nice to feel that love and support, and it’s so exciting to be opening there.”

Regarding The Metropolitan Opera, Dugas said that’s where she first started working with five-time Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman, who directed and choreographed the Broadway production of “Bullets on Broadway.”

The musical was adapted by Woody Allen from his 1994 film, which hilariously revolves around a playwright looking for someone with money to back his show. That’s when a mobster, who wants to help out his showgirl girlfriend, comes into the picture.

Something different from the feature film, which starred John Cusack, Dianne Wiest and Chazz Palminteri, is the musical’s inclusion of Jazz Age classics such as “Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do,” “Let’s Misbehave,” I’m Sitting On Top Of The World” and “Runnin’ Wild.”

“I saw the show first on Broadway, and I absolutely fell in love with it,” Dugas said. “I thought the integration of all of the 1920s music was genius. Also, Woody Allen’s humor is definitely there. You can feel it throughout.”

What’s unique about Dugas’ journey to Broadway is she started off mainly as a dancer, graduating with a dual dance-communications degree from the University of Michigan. When she arrived in the Big Apple, dancing opportunities led to appearances in a Super Bowl commercial, as well as a performer at Kid Cudi and Nas concerts.

During that time, she also continued to study singing, which led to her “Bullets Over Broadway” ensemble and understudy role of lead character Olive.

“I’ve been studying voice pretty extensively to just make myself more marketable and more open to doing more musical theater,” Dugas said.

“So, yeah, for this it feels like all of my hard work finally paid off.”

When asked if she’ll be sweating bullets when “Bullets Over Broadway” rolls into her hometown, Dugas laughed, “We’ll see. There’s always like opening jitters but I’m feeling good.”