Laura Osnes

“Getting to perform at the Carlyle, following in the footsteps of women like Elaine Stritch, Barbara Cook, Christine Ebersole, Kelli O'Hara, and so many others, is nothing short of a dream come true.”

“After high school, I went to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point for a year, and I studied musical theatre. By that point, I was like, 'This is what I want to do.'”

“'Carousel,' please! I would die to do that.”

“I was never like, 'Oh, I really want to play Cinderella.' That's not necessarily always been the dream. But it's super fun to play a princess.”

“I'm doing what I wanted to do since I was a young girl. I pinch myself every day to make sure it's true.”

“Julie Andrews is so iconic, and I grew up watching 'The Sound of Music' - it's every girl's dream to play Maria, in a way, I think. That music!”

“I don't think auditioning will ever faze me again after the 'Grease' TV experience. It was fierce. There were thousands of people auditioning in four cities. I flew from home in Minneapolis to audition in L.A. I waited in line all day. I arrived at 7 A.M. and wasn't seen until 6 P.M.”

“That's the joy of getting to be an actor - getting to play all kinds of different roles and showing so many different sides of yourself.”

“I let the whole 'Grease' experience be a springboard for me. I wanted to use the exposure I got from that very wisely to continue a successful career. It's taken a lot of work and perseverance.”

“I've never dyed my hair or even gotten highlights. All the products I need for my hair are at the drugstore!”

“If you can be a good example to other people, why not try to be that person? I have a bit of a people pleaser in me, but not so much so that it's out of control.”

“I was born in Burnsville, Minnesota, and raised in Eagan, which is right by Burnsville. I've been in that area my whole life.”

“Getting to do 'December Songs' in a cabaret-style format was so interesting because it's like a one-woman song cycle that actually tells a story. It feels like a theatrical experience more than a cabaret because I didn't talk in between. We went from one song to the next, nine songs in a row - bam - I told the story in half an hour.”

“'South Pacific' - I really learned a lot. I swear I like to say that during 'South Pacific,' I went from being a girl to being a woman.”

“If I can impact people with my music, that's what I want.”

“I was always a very good student, 3.98 GPA... But once I found out I only had to take math and science for two years, I didn't take them junior or senior year. And I convinced my high school to give me actual credits for doing professional shows in Minneapolis... as work-study.”

“I'm actually so low maintenance when it comes to my hair. It's naturally stick-straight, but I do like to use a curling iron to give my locks some life.”

“I think knowing where you can generally fit is important, but the fun thing about being an actor is sometimes stretching beyond that stereotype and stretching beyond the box that people put you in.”

“When I did 'Grease,' I took good care of myself. I treated it like a job. I approached it very professionally because I wanted to make a good reputation and hopefully continue on in the Broadway community and continue to do shows.”

“As wonderful as being on stage is, family comes first.”