Disney fan grows into ‘Cinderella’
Cottage Grove’s Lubov revels in role
When Tatyana Lubov was growing up in Cottage Grove, her favorite Disney film was “Cinderella,” as was the case for many other little girls.
“She was actually my favorite Disney princess,” Lubov said in a recent conversation, adding that she loved the blue ball gown.
What sets Lubov’s story apart from most little girls who grew up adoring “Cinderella” is that Lubov is currently playing her Disney heroine in a national tour of the musical “Cinderella,” which visits Milwaukee for performances March 28-April 2 at the Marcus Center.
“I grew up to be a cartoon,” Lubov said.
Lubov actually grew up to be a working actress, hitting the ground running after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in December 2015 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in musical theater.
When asked where she lives these days, Lubov just laughed.
“I did a bunch of subleasing in New York for about four months,” she said.
Then she landed a summer gig performing in “Hairspray” at the Quisisana Resort in Maine. Veterans of Quisisana, which boasts a well-respected summer music festival, have gone on to major careers, including operatic mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and Il Divo tenor David Miller.
Then Lubov was cast in “Cinderella” and hit the road.
Although she remembers the role that sparked her interest in theater — she played Cosette in a high-school production of “Les Misérables” when she was in fourth grade — music has always been part of her life.
“My mom is a choir teacher and my dad is a composer and arranger and director of musicals,” she said.
Lubov said that when her “Cinderella” played Madison in October, “My mom saw every show except one.”
With “Cinderella” on the road for another three months, Lubov said she “should really
start planning my goals for this year and the next.”
“I have sent some videos to casting directors for upcoming projects,” she said. “But that’s about all I can do for now.”
For the moment, touring in the same role for months is giving her an important taste of the industry. “I’m seeing what I like about performing long term,” she said.
She said that so far she really enjoys seeing the country via a bus-and-truck tour, with one caveat: “But I have really long legs. I don’t like how scrunched they have to be on the bus.”
She is also enjoying the fact that the “very close” cast of this show about kindness is made up of extremely kind people.
Lubov’s disappointment with the tour?
“I don’t get to wear a blue dress,” she said. But she still sees the blue dress she remembers so well at every performance.
“There are lots of little girls in blue ball gowns and tiaras at every show,” she said.