Christina the chameleon impressionist
One woman. Many (singing) voices. Meet Christina Bianco who populates the stage all by herself.
Most of us have a particular gift – could be hulahooping or maybe you really slay at beer pong. For
New Yorker Christina Bianco, her talent has become her livelihood. It’s enabled her to travel the globe, meet popular celebrities and appear on talk shows watched by millions, thanks to her viral videos in which she does spot-on impressions of renowned divas.
Where did it all start? At a high school party. ‘I remember being at a party in high school and That’s The Way It Is came on the radio,’ Christina says. ‘I started singing along, slipping into a Celine impression and everyone stopped talking. I remember seeing all their jaws drop and they all circled round me to listen. I had no idea what I was doing could be considered impressive. It was just something that came naturally.’ Fast forward a few years and these impressions became a career. ‘In 2007 I decided to audition for the long running off-Broadway show, Forbidden Broadway. I loved the show and grew up going to see it and listening to the cast albums. I’d never taken my impressions seriously before but I thought, ‘what the heck. Go for it!’ So I practised a few specific impressions for a week leading up to the audition. I never imagined I’d ultimately get the job and be blessed to get such great reviews and award nominations. It was only then that I realised I could do a lot more with impressions.’
It took a lot of hard work and dedication to create an online presence, in addition to performances at various events and concerts. ‘Just like that, one of the most off-thecuff performance moments of my life changed everything. I decided to post a diva impression mash-up of Total Eclipse of the Heart that was filmed around midnight in a rowdy New
York nightclub. I initially thought it was far too sloppy and long to post but I decided to press that upload button anyway and within a matter of minutes, it was
To win one of five sets of tickets to Christina Bianco’s performance at Montecasino’s Teatro on April 11 at 3pm, simply visit our Get It Joburg North Magazine Facebook page, like our page and competition post and tag a friend. Entries close on April 6.
everywhere. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, all the biggest news and media websites. The widespread coverage led to me selling out four shows at The Hippodrome in London and it caught the attention of people like Ellen DeGeneres, who had me on her show. The rest, as they say, is history. I’ve been able to travel the world doing what I love, all because of impressions.’
Travelling the world is exactly what originally brought Christina to South Africa. ‘My first trip to South Africa was back in 2008. I was actually performing with Forbidden Broadway on a cruise ship that included SA and finished the journey in Cape Town. I only saw a few cities briefly but I absolutely fell in love with SA and wanted to come back. Thankfully, in 2015, I was asked by David Bloch to perform at a big gala for Bidvest in Johannesburg. During that process, I met so many talented performers from all over SA. I was really impressed and quickly realised what a strong artistic/theatrical community there is in Joburg. The calibre of the production I was part of was one thing but I also saw Sweeney Todd at Montecasino and found myself thinking, ‘How can I perform here?’ On a return visit to SA, for another private event in Joburg, I made sure to see another show at Montecasino.
This time it was Chicago, and once again, I fell in love with the venue and the entire spirit of the creative team there, encouraging performing arts in Joburg. I’m truly honored to finally play in this beautiful theatre. I’m especially grateful to David Bloch for his continued support for me and what I do. I know I wouldn’t be bringing Me, Myself and Everyone Else to all of you without him!’
For one day only on Saturday, April 11 at the Montecasino Teatro, Christina will be performing two shows, at 3pm, and 8pm. Tickets can be bought at Computicket. What can we expect? ‘In one show, you can see all your favourite female vocalists and pop culture personalities performing on stage together! They’ll be interacting, performing their hits, performing each other’s material, and even things you’d never expect. For example, how would Edith Piaf sound singing ABBA? Come along and you’ll find out! No costumes, no wigs, no gimmicks, no auto tune. Just me covering a wide range of musical styles and genres!
You can also expect classic songs in my own voice and duets with the wonderful Craig Urbani, all under the direction of the incredible Bryan Schimmel. I like to say my shows are a musical comedy grab-bag of fun! I believe imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery so everything is done with love. There’s a lot of heart, along with the laughter. There really is something for everybody. I can’t wait to share Me, Myself and Everyone Else with the people of Johannesburg!’
I like to say my shows are a musical comedy grab-bag of fun!