Meet Angela Brydon! 16 years old, and a full-fledged member of The Screen Actors Guild (SAG), The American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Actors Equity (EQUITY)..

Finis: How did you get your SAG card?

Angela: I did an Ivory soap commercial where I danced in my bedroom looking at myself in the mirror, feeling nice and clean after washing with Ivory soap. Unfortunately the company changed hands and the commercial never aired. Which means I didn't get any residuals!

Finis: What did you do to get AFTRA?

Angela: I do the Baby-Sitters Club voice-overs. I tell stories on tape that accompany the book which is geared for age groups 12-16. I've done about 4 or 5.

Finis: How did you get the job?

Angela: I read for it. They were looking for a teen-aged voice.

Finis: What else have you done in AFTRA?

Angela: I also did an "under 5" role for the soap opera Loving.

Finis: What is "under 5?"

Angela: "Under 5" means that I had under 5 lines in the script, which means I wasn't a principal and was paid at a lower rate.

Finis: How how about your SAG activity?

Angela: I was on ABC-TV nationally doing the role of "the sad faced girl" in Bye-Bye Birdie which starred Jason Alexander ( "George" on Seinfeld ) and was choreographed by Ann Reinking. I was a principal for that, and I get residuals whenever it's aired.

Finis: How did you get that role?

Angela: I had taken class with Catherine Oppenheimer (who was subbing for Finis, my ballet teacher) at Broadway Dance Center, and Catherine told Ann Reinking about me. Ann asked me to do the workshop for the show, and it was there that the director, Gene Saks, asked me to do the show because he liked me.

Finis: When did you shoot the video?

Angela: We shot the video in Vancouver, BC, which is very beautiful. It was my first major TV experience, and I was surprised, shocked, and excited.

Finis: Why?

Angela: I was surprised and shocked because I never thought I'd get to meet and work with such famous people, and be in something like a national TV show where my mom and dad and friends could watch me.

Finis: ...And excited?

Angela: Because somebody actually gave me the chance to express my talents.

Finis: I remember your 'stealing the show' with that number, Put on a Happy Face.

Angela: Rehearsing that number was great, because Jason was so supportive. He would encourage me and make me laugh, so I didn't feel nervous. I felt very comfortable with him.

Finis: As a result of that show, did you receive any offers?

Angela: Ann Reinking asked me to audition for her summer program in Florida, I received a full scholarship, and for 3 weeks we danced, acted, and sang every day, and at the end put on Ann's original show called "Broadway ‘96." I got a chance to be surrounded by and work with kids my own age. I really learned a lot from all of them.

Finis: Since then, what have you been doing?

Angela: Well, I'm in the 11th grade at St. Mary's high school in Rutherford, New Jersey. Right now I'm choreographing a group dance for the school which will be performed this coming spring. When I don't have a lot of homework, my mom or dad drive me into Manhattan, which takes about 20 minutes, and I take jazz or ballet at the Broadway Dance Center. Depending on my schedule, I take jazz with AC, or Suzy Taylor, or Sandra Bonito (who's opening in "Ragtime" on Broadway), or Michael Owen. I take ballet with you and just finished taping 2 videos called Ballet for Jazz Dancers.

Finis: I understand you've been working with AC on a new Broadway show. Tell me about it.

Angela: It's called Footloose based on the movie with Kevin Bacon, and it's being directed by Walter Bobbie, who directed Chicago and AC is choreographing.

Finis: What has happened so far?

Angela: AC asked me to audition privately for the Footloose workshop, and I didn't know what would happen, because these days shows are cast by people from agencies you don't necessarily know.

Finis: Were you nervous?

Angela: Yes. But I got a callback, which means another audition in front of the same people.

Finis: ...And?

Angela: After that callback, about 3 nights later, the agency called and said I got the job!

Finis: Great! Then what happened?

Angela: About 2 weeks later, we began the workshop with AC.

Finis: What was that like?

Angela: About 12 of us dancers worked from 10 until 6, 6 days a week, for 5 weeks, to develop about 8 production numbers. We also had to learn the music, as we sing while we dance.

Finis: Wow! You must have been exhausted!

Angela: It was difficult, but it was fun.

Finis: Now what's going to happen?

Angela: If all goes as scheduled, we go into full rehearsal in march, and begin a 12 week tour in May before opening Footloose on Broadway in September.

Finis: Fabulous! What will happen to your schooling?

Angela: I'm going to work out a special schedule with my school. So right now I'm concentrating on school, and taking as many classes as I can at the Broadway Dance Center.

Finis: Good luck, Angela!

Angela: Thanks! Bye!