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A round-up of answers to the usual questions from one of Guiding Light's newest castmembers
Nancy St. Alban arrives in Springfield as Michelle Bauer Santos on Friday, October 27.
Eight is not Enough:
"There are eight kids in my family. As a result, there were always a million people in the house running around, screaming, yelling, fighting and just making a lot of noise. It was good growing up in that environment: I am very much a people person, and I don't particularly need to be alone, ever. It was very competitive in the house because we always had one of my brother's or sister's friends living with us. It was never just the eight of us; we always had two or three extra people in the house."
On her education:
"I was a ballet dancer since I was seven or eight years old. When I turned 13, I found out about this school for the arts where we (my best friend and I) could sing, dance and act. I ended up attending that school from seventh to twelfth grade. The school was the Baltimore Actors' Theatre Conservatory. It was a very small private school for the arts. It's at this school that I discovered that I wanted to be on stage. Later, I went on to Syracuse University where I majored in musical theater. I chose Syracuse because the acting program within the musical theater department is really strong. I had the best of both worlds."
Starting out in commercials:
"After graduating from college, I moved to New York City. I found an agent through a showcase I did at Syracuse. All of a sudden, I was sent out on television commercial auditions - I didn't even know commercial auditions were an option! I had done a lot of theater growing up, in college and off-Broadway. As I started booking commercials, I realized that being on-camera was more of my niche. I started doing a ton of commercials, playing the all-American girl next door."
On the right track:
"I have always loved theater but it is a totally different environment from film and television. I felt like my forte was being in front of the camera. The response I was getting on auditions and from directors was very flattering. This helped me become more confident. I've probably done 30 commercials that people would recognize. I love doing them. I find it very challenging and rewarding."
On getting the role:
"I was very surprised because they had screen-tested 12 girls. I went into the screen-test thinking I wouldn't get it but I'd have a really good time and give it my best shot. I felt that I had a really good audition. I was in Wyoming at my sister's wedding when I found out I got the part of Michelle. I didn't want to overshadow her wedding but my family began to tell people I got the role. It was a strange experience, too, as some of the guests were fans of the show and started taking my picture."
Her take on Michelle:
"I like this character a lot. She is a strong, independent girl with a good heart. It's why I think I'll enjoy playing this role. She is very real, and not afraid to show her emotions. I think one of the reasons why I did well on the audition is that I can relate to who Michelle is. I'm still learning about her every day."
Nancy and Ryan and Michelle and Bill:
"Ryan Brown and I did a play this past summer in New York City called Verona Wall. When I told him I got the audition for Guiding Light, he said I would be perfect for the role, which I thought was sweet. He gave me the background on Michelle and Bill's relationship. Ryan is really sweet and we get along great."
On meeting her husband Chris:
"I was doing the play Carnival with one of Chris' best friends. His friend and I were playing opposite each other. One of the other girls in the play was dating another friend of theirs and I asked her, "Don't you have someone to set me up with?" Somebody suggested Chris but my co-star kept saying it wouldn't work.
The first night I actually met him, he came to see me in a play, a period piece. I was playing a young, funny character with an English accent, wearing a long black wig. That was his first impression of me. He brought me flowers even though he had never met me. I remember thinking after that first night that he was really cute, but he was not my type. He was not like any other guy I had ever dated, which is probably why I ended up marrying him."
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