Vilar loving Idiot role
ASHMORE performer Rowena Vilar is rocking the M1 after landing an extraordinary role in a musical like no other.
Vilar, 27, stars as Extraordinary Girl in the Australian premiere season of Green Day’s American Idiot, currently rocking audiences at QPAC’s Playhouse theatre.
More than 600 performers from throughout Australia auditioned for the show, which features every song from Green Day’s iconic American Idiot album and several tracks from the follow-up, 21st Century Breakdown.
“My background is musical theatre but I grew up singing in bands,” Vilar said.
“I feel like I fudged my way through musical theatre – this feels good to me.
“I can get back to my roots, let it out and have a bit more of a gravelly sound to my voice.”
A singer, dancer and actress, Vilar’s professional theatre credits include roles in We Will Rock You, Miss Saigon, Sweet Charity, Avenue Q, FAME and West Side Story.
She’s also performed with a diverse range of artists – from Jessica Mauboy to Ricky Martin, Red Foo, the Madden Brothers and Hugh Jackman – and played Louise Black in TV miniseries House of Hancock.
Vilar joins Aussie music greats Chris Cheney, from The Living End, and Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson for American Idiot, which follows three boyhood friends searching for meaning in a post 9/11 world.
The rock stars alternate in the role of the rebellious and charismatic St Jimmy for director Craig Ilott’s season of the Tony and Grammy y Awardwinning rock k musical.
Released in n 2004, American Idiot – Green Day’s seventh h studio record – was a punk rock k opera concept album that gave a voice to a generation ready to embrace itss youth and indi- viduality and re- defined the band.
Vilar said d working with Ja- mieson and Cheney was great fun.
“We’re learning off each other,” she said.
“Phil and Chris are so very different. They’re lovely but they’re rockers as well.
“They get in there and get stuck in. It’s humbling to work with people like that.”
Work is a constant juggling act for Vilar, 27, and her dance/ choreographer partner Joel Rasmussen, proud parents of a four year-old daughter.
“We both have the crazy careers and a daughter,” she said.
“Our families help out. Joel has family on the Coast and my parents are in Sydney. I also have family in Melbourne as well, so we have the east coast of Australia covered.”
Rasmussen, who rose to fame as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance alongside his brother, fellow dancer Jesse Rasmussen, is preparing to head into rehearsals for Carmen in Sydney.
“It’s not an easy career path but we try to put her first above everything,” Vilar said.
“There are lots of things I don’t do. “We take it one gig at a time.”