Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Mrs. Doubtfire’s Analise Scarpaci

Analise Scarpaci is a dynamic performer and storyteller who has taken the industry by storm. From a young age, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in the arts and has spent her life dedicated to her craft.

Currently, she stars as the eldest daughter Lydia in the laugh-out-loud musical comedy Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway. Night after night, she puts all of her talents on display, winning audiences over with every performance.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Analise about her career, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the release of her new EP Pathetic Little Dreamer.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Analise: I started very, very young. I have my parents to blame for that. [laughs] They used to play Shirley Temple movies for me when I was a baby. I was completely hooked. Shirley Temple, Annie, and Grease. Those were three things that I was obsessed with. My parents knew that I had a passion for music—and musical theater specifically. I started taking dance lessons, which led to me taking acting lessons when I was six years old. I started performing in musicals when I was six. It spiraled into that. But I really wanted to be a dancer first. Then I saw Billy Elliot on Broadway. I was like, “Oh my God. What is this? You can do ballet and theater at the same time? This is insane.” I looked in the playbill and I found a manager. I sent my information and the rest is history.

PC: You’ve grown up on the stage. How has the theater shaped the artist and person that you are today?
Analise: I wouldn’t be the person I am today without theater. Singing, performing, and writing has really shaped me. I feel like it matured me at an early age. I was definitely beyond my years when I was a kid. I really feel like I’m a fifty-year-old trapped in a twenty-two-year-old body. Mentally, I feel like I’m not like anyone else my age. I feel like because I’m an artist I think beyond the box. I’m always thinking about what the deeper meaning of things is rather than what’s on the surface level. That has a lot to do with me being an actor and a performer.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out to you?
Analise: Everything stands out, but I feel like my favorite moment has to be A Christmas Story because that was my Broadway debut. Christmastime is magical. I couldn’t believe I was on Broadway and that it was happening when I was thirteen years old. It was crazy. We went to the theater and we had our tech rehearsal the day after we celebrated my birthday. That’s when I was like, “I want to do this for the rest of my life.” I always knew that I was going to be an actor, but that was when I was like, “I did choose the right path. This is it. This is for me.”

PC: Speaking of Broadway, you’re currently starring in Mrs. Doubtfire. You’ve had quite the journey with the production. What has it been like getting back onto the stage in front of a live audience?
Analise: It’s been insane. There’s a different type of energy each night. I will say that last night was one of the best audiences that we’ve ever had. People are enjoying themselves. They love the theater and they’re happy to be back. We are all ecstatic to be back. We were sitting in our homes, patiently waiting to get back on the stage. I got COVID a couple of weeks ago, and not being able to perform on the stage for ten days was the worst feeling in the world. I mean, to have something stripped away from you like that so fast and for it to be completely beyond your control is unimaginable. We’re thrilled to be back.

PC: We’ve seen your character in the film version. What was your process like bringing her to the stage? Did you feel any pressure just given how beloved the story is?
Analise: It was one of my favorite movies growing up. My dad showed me the film when I was five years old. It has been my favorite movie ever since then. Lydia specifically was one of my favorite characters because she was the one that really knew what was going on the whole time. She really wanted her dad to tell the truth to make everything right again. The writers have done a great job at expanding that character. I feel like it’s my job to further her journey for everyone. In the musical version, you get to understand the truth about Lydia and how she feels about this whole situation because she’s the moral compass of her family. She’s the one that’s guiding her parents. She’s the one that said, “What are you people doing? Can’t you just get along? Can’t this be right again?” It’s been a great responsibility to have.

PC: One of the central relationships within Lydia’s life is with her father. How did you and Rob [McClure] approach the dynamic between your two characters?
Analise: It was easy. Rob McClure is one of my best friends, which is weird to say. [laughs] I never thought I’d say that ever in my life. I admire him so much. He’s a walking masterclass. I learn from him every single second of every single day. He gives the best advice. He’s always there for me. He’s one of the greatest humans of all time. We created a relationship. It happened naturally. We became very, very close. We grew up not too far from each other. I’m from Staten Island. He’s from Jersey. We know the East Coast. We have similar backgrounds. We just clicked.

PC: The musical has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Analise: I feel like audiences don’t expect to leave the show feeling every emotion possible. You go into the show thinking that you’re going to laugh because you know it’s a musical comedy. But when you leave the show, you’re like, “Wow, that was a heartfelt story. That was beautiful.” I’ve gotten messages from people thanking me, saying that they were a child of divorce and this show really spoke to them and what they had gone through when they were kids. We had people coming up to us when we were out of town in Seattle because we were able to meet them at the stage door. They would come up to us crying because they were a child of divorce. We’re representing an entire demographic of people who have gone through something that not a lot of people understand. It’s really beautiful. I’m really happy that we’re telling this story. It’s a great one.

PC: Like everybody else, artists have had to adapt to the ongoing pandemic, and you’ve recently released an EP. Tell us about the inspiration behind Pathetic Little Dreamer.
Analise: The pandemic hit and I had nothing to do. I realized it was the first time in the past ten years that I had absolutely nothing to do. I wasn’t enrolled in college at the time. I had taken time off to do the show. We were all stuck in our houses. We had nothing going on except for television, and that’s it.

So I looked at my guitar, and I was like, “Well, it’s sitting there. I might as well play it.” I started playing and I didn’t stop. I wrote about thirty-five songs. I chose the best seven that I thought would fit for this specific album. All seven of these songs are about times in my life—most of them during the pandemic times. “Drive,” “Pathetic Little Dreamer,” and “My Little Voice” are all current songs about how I was feeling throughout the pandemic.

“I Don’t Write Love Songs” is a joke about my life because I like to make fun of myself. “Seventh Stage of Grief” is about a time in my life when I was a kid. “End of the Day” is about a time when I was in college. They’re all moments in my life that I felt like I needed to explore during this pandemic because we had a lot of time to sit and think. I feel like these seven songs will resonate with people. I hope they enjoy it.

PC: With this being your debut EP, did anything surprise you about the process? What did you learn about yourself and your craft?
Analise: I was always afraid to write songs, especially when I was starting college. I was very afraid to branch into songwriting because I felt like, “I’m an actor. That’s it.” But no, you can do anything you want. I realized throughout the pandemic that songwriting was the one thing that actually kept me sane. It made me feel like myself. I only felt like myself when I was writing because I had no other outlet. I was in virtual school. I was singing to my computer and window. It was the least satisfying thing in the entire world. I do not recommend it. I do not recommend musical theater school on Zoom. That needs to be in person. I pray for the day when that happens again. But I learned a lot about myself. I feel like I opened this whole new door. Now I can’t stop writing.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Analise: Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Analise: The DUFF.

PC: Favorite book?
Analise: Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Analise: Billy Elliot.

P-C: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Analise: People would not be surprised that the Jonas Brothers are on my playlist. I find any excuse to talk about them every day. Maybe Sean Paul?

P-C: Dream role?
Analise: Fanny Brice in Funny Girl.

To keep up with Analise, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Get your tickets for Mrs. Doubtfire today. Pick up or stream Pathetic Little Dreamer today.

Photo Credit: Matt Murphy Photography