Company "Snapshot" - Alixandra Cowman

We're ecstatic to have Alix return to Rosebud this summer! She received her FRSA with Rosebud School of the Arts in 2014 and has been seen on our stage in ‘Wildwood Fire’, ‘Chickens’, and ‘Cotton Patch Gospel’. Other theatre credits include ‘Hana’s Suitcase’ (Storybook Theatre), ‘Songs for a New World’ (Cappuccino), ‘Rocks’ (IGNITE!), and ‘The Darling Family’ (Three Eyes). Alixandra is also a member of acclaimed folk trio “The Dearhearts” with whom she has released an album and toured across North America - www.thedearhearts.net

Alixandra Cowman and Cassia Schmidt in Rosebud Theatre's The Spitfire Grill. Photo by Morris Ertman.

Where do you call home?

My current place of residence is Calgary. I've got a few places I like to call home, and that includes Rosebud, Calgary, and Regina (which is where I grew up).

What have you been up to since you graduated?

I've moved to Calgary, started a band called The Dearhearts, and done as much acting as I can. I've been lucky enough with Calgary theatre companies like Storybook Theatre, Birnton Theatricals, and Sage Theatre.

Tell us a little about your band and how it came to be?

The Dearhearts was born out of my fear of doing things on my own, really. ;) I had received Paul Zacharias's recording scholarship during my time as a student at RSA, but held off on recording anything for about two years. Lauren de Graaf, Lauren Hamm, and I had made the decision to perform dinner music for the fall show at Rosebud Theatre in 2014. We decided to use my scholarship to record a CD that we could sell in conjunction with dinner music. And then...it just took off! We've continued to book gigs and write songs, and 3 years later, we're still going strong.

The Dearhearts: Lauren Hamm, Lauren DeGraaf, and Alix Cowman. Photo courtesy Lauren Hamm Photography.

 How is singing in The Dearhearts different from doing Musical Theatre? Do you use different skills to sing your own music?

I can't get away with being lazy with diction in Musical Theatre the way I can with The Dearhearts...don't get me wrong, writing and singing music with The Dearhearts is just as labour-intensive, but with Musical Theatre, the story is the thing. It's really important that the story is told as clearly as can be.

What’s your favourite indulgence?

Me and one of my good friends have started having nights where we drink wine and watch The Bachelorette. I look forward to it every week! I won't say who I watch it with for fear of her being embarrassed that everyone knows she watches the Bachelorette, but let's just say she's very DEAR to my HEART.

Which fictional character do you identify with most and why?

I grew up with Disney movies, and Belle was always my favourite. We share a lot in common (we both are avid readers, both love to sing, and both have brown hair), but her open spirit is a big inspiration for me. She looks through the surface and sees the heart underneath. That's who I strive to be, too.

In ‘The Spitfire Grill’, you’re playing Percy… a convict starting over in a new place looking for a second chance at happiness. Was it easy to get into her skin, or were there challenges to the role you weren’t expecting?

There's definitely some things about Percy that made it easy to connect with her. She's a city girl that's never lived in a small town before...that was me when I first moved to Rosebud! The difficulty came in her guardedness. As an actor, my job is to be completely open and play the truth whatever I'm feeling in the moment. But Percy is completely shut off to her emotions and to other people at the top of this story. It's a bit of a puzzle to sort through sometimes.

Nathan Schmidt and Alixandra Cowman build trust in Rosebud Theatre's The Spitfire Grill. Photo by Morris Ertman.

If you were gonna move somewhere to start over, where would you go?

I'd go somewhere far and remote. Preferably somewhere warm. Hawaii perhaps!

What’s a great piece of acting advice that’s stuck with you over the years?

I have the pleasure of working with Calgary actor Elinor Holt in Spitfire, and I distinctly remember being in a talkback of a show she was in. All I remember is her saying to us that if we wanted to be actors, we had to work hard. She teases me for this being the only thing I remember from that day but hey, it's stuck! And she's right!

In the fictional menu of The Spitfire Grill, what makes up the "Alix Cowman" special?

Anything with avocados: Avocado toast, salad with Avocados, plain old guacamole. I love Avocados and I ain't ashamed about it!

Lastly, what's Alix Cowman’s motto?

I don't know if I have a motto but I definitely use the flamenco dancer emoji quite often. It's kind of my trademark.

‘The Spitfire Grill’ is cooking and Alixandra is serving up soul-stirring songs so strong and sweet you might just come back for seconds. This is one musical you don’t want to miss. For tickets and more information visit www.rosebudtheatre.com