OC Native Plays Broadway

The Daily Times - Salisbury MD

originally printed on Sunday, April 4, 2004

SALISBURY - Ocean City native Jennifer Hope Wills has always loved theater and performing. Now she's having her chance to be seen as one of Disney's most popular heroines of all time: Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway.

Wills debuted in the Disney classic on Broadway in January as the flirtatious broom [in the ensemble]. Then, as understudy, she performed the role of Belle on March 21. Other opportunities to play the lead will follow.

Since graduating summa cum laude from Salisbury University with a bachelor of arts degree in music, Wills has studied at one of the nation's best schools of music and has performed in many musicals, not only on the East Coast but around the country.

Her love for theater was nurtured by family productions at the Parker Playhouse in Ocean City. "I think that theater is very close to my heart and means so much to me since it was associated with the love and closeness of my family," she said.

She followed her passion at SU, performing in Grapes of Wrath, West Side Story and one of her all-time favorites, The Secret Garden. Wills said her time spent at SU was very memorable. "Jennifer is one of those rare gifts to a teacher," said SU's director of theater, Paul Pfeiffer. "She has an eager mind and exceptional talent, all tempered with humility and respect for others one rarely finds."

At Indiana University, she continued to hone her skills in music, theatre and voice while focusing on opera. Wills graduated with honors with a Master of Music in vocal performance and pedagogy. "I loved opera and always shall," she said. "But I realized my heart wasn't in it. I followed my heart and returned to theater." She pursued a short lived teaching career after graduating from IU.

In 2000, she moved to New York City and now calls it home. She has since worked around the country. Among her performances are The Secret Garden, Phantom and Oklahoma!. Wills received rave reviews for her portrayal of Sandy in Grease! at New Jersey's famed Paper Mill Playhouse.

Becoming the understudy in Beauty was not her original intention. She was auditioning for the lead in another Broadway show, Wonderful Town but the role was given to Jennifer Westfeldt from the television show Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place and the movie Kissing Jessica Stein. A month later, Wills received a call from her agent about understudying Disney Channel star Christy Carlson Romano as Belle.

Ironically the Wonderful Town audition had been with the same casting director as Beauty and the Beast. Wills was notified of receiving the role only a couple hours after auditioning for Disney. "You just never know when one thing will lead to another," she said. "You always need to perform your best."

Wills is fortunate, as only 2% of working actors ever have the chance to perform on Broadway. "It feels like a huge reward for all the years that have led up to this moment, and I couldn't be happier," she said. "Home is where the heart is," said the actress; quoting the song "Home" from Beauty, and her home is now the Broadway stage.