Interview with Orfeh

Orfeh is a Tony-nominated actress. But her talents don’t just stop on the stage. Orfeh has a career in theater, music, television, and movies. She was nominated in 2007 for the Tony for her role as Paulette in the Broadway version of Legally Blonde and released her solo CD, What Do You Want From Me, a year later in 2008. Orfeh is now appearing in the Off-Broadway hit show, Love, Loss, and What I Wore. TheCelebrityCafe.com’s Ellen Stodola talked to Orfeh about the play and her diverse career.

TheCelebrityCafe.com: How is Love, Loss, and What I Wore different from anything you’ve done before? And why did you decide to get involved with the production?

Orfeh: Well, I went to see it back in August because a friend of mine was in it, and then I let them know that I was interested. It was just one of those times when we found each other and it worked out. I think that this is one of the most wonderful projects, and it was also something that was new for me. This is the first time I’ve been asked to be on stage when I’m not singing, so it shows a different side of me. Thankfully, it all worked out. The play is actually pretty hardcore. We only had two full days of rehearsals and two previews and then we opened. But it’s something that’s a new experience, and I really like it.

TCC: How do you balance your career working in music, theater, television and movies? Which do you prefer?

Orfeh: I’ve been lucky enough to be a working actor. I’m a New York actor, and I got lucky to do Sex and the City and Law and Order and stuff that films in New York City. Just straight acting on stage has always been appealing to me, but music will always be the first great love of my life. I also really enjoy television because of its pace, and you’re able to reach a lot of people through television. Every experience for me has really been great.

TCC: You went to a performing arts high school. How did you first get your start with music and Broadway?

Orfeh: I never thought about Broadway. I always just wanted to make records and be a pop star. In high school, my focus was all on acting. With my music group, things unraveled in middle of a recording project, and then I just thought what am I going to do now? One of the dancers with the group I was in had become a Broadway choreographer and asked me if I wanted to audition for Footloose. And that’s basically how I ended up on Broadway.

TCC: On Broadway, you’ve played some iconic roles from film adaptations. How do you go about making these roles your own?

Orfeh: I find it strange that it’s ended up this way with me playing characters from movies. I had to be especially careful with Legally Blonde. When I did Saturday Night Fever, it had been a really long time since the movie had come out, and most of the people in the audience had never seen it, and many of them probably weren’t even alive when it came out. So, they didn’t really have a base of reference for who Annette was. But for Legally Blonde, the way I went about it was to accept that there was no way that I would be able to do what Jennifer Coolidge did. I decided that the best way to pay respect to her and audience was to do a completely different performance while still keeping the blueprint of the role of Paulette.

TCC: You were nominated for a Tony for your portrayal as Paulette in Legally Blonde. How has this changed your career or what sort of impact has it had on you?

Orfeh: I don’t think that it has changed my career that much. I get more meetings as opposed to auditions. A lot of people still don’t know me, and they don’t know what else I can do besides sing on Broadway. For me personally though, it’s the one thing that I will have. I’ll always be a Tony nominee, and no one can take that away from me.

TCC: When you made your solo CD, why did you decide when was the right time for it?

Orfeh: First and foremost, I thought that Legally Blonde would run a lot longer. I made the CD for fans and was going to sell it in the lobby. It was going to be for people who knew me. Then, when the musical closed, we thought we had to get it in the stores. I didn’t want the group that I had been in to be the last bit of music that I did because things didn’t work out how I planned with that. We had written a bunch of songs for other people and had some that hadn’t worked out for other artists, so I thought we should put together a CD and write some more songs. It was really a labor of love. And this was when I realized that it was not an all or nothing type thing. I realized that I can put out a single or an EP if I want to, and it doesn’t have to be a whole album.

TCC: You are very influential in the music world and have also written/produced for other artists. How does this help you with your own career? And how do you go about writing for others?

Orfeh: When you write for other people, you get a lot of freedom. It’s not just about your image or what you can say as an artist. You wind up getting a whole bunch of freedom because you can step in their shoes, and there are no limitations put on you to only write about things that fit who you are. I think that this is the coolest career ever. For example, I love Ne-Yo, and I especially love when he writes for other people because he gets to go anywhere he wants with the music. I just think it’s so juicy being able to write for others about a variety of topics. I’m an observer, so I love writing about people’s stories and what’s going on around me.

TCC: What’s up next for you?

Orfeh: After Love, Loss, and What I Wore, I hope to do more plays back to back. I’d also like to do more television in future and put out some singles and songs. I definitely want to continue to make some music.