Describe yourself in three words.
Weird. Happy. Hilarious!
Little Voice spends her time impersonating divas like Shirley Bassey and Marilyn Monroe. So who’s your favorite diva?
My favorite diva is definitely Broadway legend, Bernadette Peters. In fact, she was the first diva I learnt to impersonate!
Did you encounter any challenges while rehearsing for The Rise & Fall of Little Voice?
Plenty! It’s vocally, physically and emotionally taxing. Little Voice doesn’t say much, but a lot comes through her physicality, body language and facial expressions. The vocal challenge of it would be the big cabaret scene where I have to change my vocal placements every two seconds to impersonate different divas back to back!
You’ve been acting since you were six. Do you ever get stage fright?
I definitely get nervous! But it’s a good thing, because you need that adrenaline to drive you and keep you on your toes. Over the years, I’ve learnt to use my nerves instead of letting them take control of me.
What’s been your most memorable performance thus far?
I’ve been very privileged to be able to perform alongside accomplished Broadway performers, Brad Little and Shoshana Bean, last year in The Phantom Unmasked at the Marina Bay Sands Theatre. Brad Little was the Phantom in Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera, and Shoshana Bean played Elphaba in Wicked. It was surreal working with these big Broadway stars—I got to sing a couple of numbers with them and that was pretty cool!
What about your favorite West End play of all time?
I only managed to catch a couple of shows during a short three-day trip in London this year, but Matilda was really amazing! I’ve seen a lot more shows on Broadway as I’ve been to New York probably about six times. I’d say my favorite Broadway show would be A Little Night Music—it was so good that I had to watch it twice. And I got to see Bernadette Peters perform live in front of my very eyes!
What other stage projects do you have lined up for 2014?
The Rise & Fall of Little Voice will be my last project in Singapore as I will be going to grad school in August. I’ve been accepted into The Boston Conservatory’s Masters of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre program with a scholarship, so I’ll be moving to Boston this fall!
Mina Kaye will be starring in The Rise & Fall of Little Voice at the Drama Centre Theatre from May 2 to 18.
