#BehindtheCurtain: Get to Know Our Muses!

Posted June 1, 2023

As we get ready for our last weekend of Xanadu, we’re so excited to share our final blog of this series with you all. This week, we’re shining the spotlight on our four incredible muse sisters: Cody Bianchi, Annie Buckley, Domo D’dante, and Sarah Pierce! Our show would be nothing if it wasn’t for these four vocal powerhouses. They create such musical magic through their harmonies in these classic 80’s hits, while also executing flawless choreographer that would inspire Zeus himself. For Sarah, Xanadu is her SDMT debut and we are so thrilled to have her as part of the SDMT family. The other three are no strangers to our stage, however! Cody was last seen in our production of Anything Goes, Domo could be spotted in In the Heights or Little Shop of Horrors, and Annie joined us for Ragtime and The Sound of Music. These talented actors and actresses breathe such life into their characters, and their performance in Xanadu is certainly no exception! Keep reading below to get to know them a little better, and make sure you buy a ticket while you still have the chance so you can come see these four and the rest of our incredible cast on the SDMT Stage from now until June 4th!

What inspired you to get into musical theatre?

Domo: “I actually got into theatre because in middle school my best friends were doing theatre and I wanted to hangout with them after school, so I asked the theatre teacher if I could be the stage manager and he agreed. A week before our show was suppose to go up, someone dropped out of the show and he told me I had to go on! I told him I’m not an actor. But, I went on and I caught the bug and been doing it ever since! HAPPY ACCIDENT!”

Annie: “My parents both worked in theatre and so I guess it was just natural I fell into it. The theatre bug bit me early!”

Sarah: “I have family to thank too! My grandparents showed me the Wizard of Oz as a child and the rest is history.”

Cody: “I grew up listening to the original cast recording of Phantom of the Opera, watching Disney movies, and playing the piano, so musical theatre was right up my alley. I got involved with some wonderful community theaters in middle school and also got bit by the Performing bug.”

Photo by Ken Jacques

Does Xanadu have any special meaning to you? And if you could tell the audience anything about the show, what would it be?

Cody: “I got to see a see a professional production of Xanadu in 2011 in a renovated movie theatre (life truly imitates art) and I fell in love with the show. The comedy and heart of this show shine through with a beautiful message that the greatest thing we can do in life is love and create art.”

Domo: “It definitely has a special meaning for me too, it is a reminder to believe in yourself and that you are good enough. So many times in day to day life especially as a performer you can feel like you’re not enough. But you have to believe in yourself! I would tell the audience the same! You’re enough and believe in yourself!”

Sarah: “I love that Xanadu is “to love someone else and to create art.” I think the theme of our time as humans being finite but love and art lasting forever, is incredibly special. Xanadu celebrates that.”

Annie: “For me, it’s one of my first shows out of college and being back in San Diego, and I’m so glad to be back at SDMT! My first show here was 10 years ago when I was 11 in The Sound of Music! This show feels like a full circle moment for sure.”

Who is your Broadway idol?

Sarah: “So many- but I’m impartial to Bernadette Peters! A legend.”

Annie: “Kristin Chenoweth and Sierra Boggess”

Domo: “For me, it’s Norm Lewis! He is an absolutely outstanding performer and singer. I have looked up to him so much!”

Cody: “Currently, my Broadway idols are Alex Brightman, Will Blum, and Stephanie J. Block.”

Photo by Ken Jacques

What’s one 80s trend that you’d love to see come back?

Annie: “Princess Diana’s street style looks, chunky sweatshirt, blazer, and sneakers. Love it!”

Sarah: “Mine is a style one too: blue eyeshadow & BIG hair!!”

Domo: “This isn’t exactly a trend but I would love to see 80s style movies come back! Like 16 candles, The Breakfast Club, The Color Purple.”

Cody: “I want 80’s jazz dance classes to come back! I suppose that’s not really a trend either, but I base a lot of my jazz classes on 80’s across the floors and warmup exercises.”

What’s your favorite scene or number in the show?

Sarah: “My favorite number is “Xanadu” because it is such a joyful song & I love celebrating/ skating with my wonderful cast. I also love when the audience really gets into it- it’s the best!”

Domo: “My favorite scene is definitely the one between Hermes and Clio…if you see the show you will see why!!”

Annie: “For me, probably the scene on Mt. Olympus. It’s the point in the show that the cast becomes really crazy and we really all have so much fun bouncing off each other on stage.”

Cody: “All of those are so good, it’s honestly hard to pick just one. This show is so much fun to perform, but my absolute favorite number is “Don’t Walk Away”. That’s when everyone starts to really SANG.”

Photo by Ken Jacques

What’s your favorite memory you’ve shared with your muse sisters either in a show or in rehearsal?

Domo: “My SISTERS!!! Man it’s hard to pick just one moment! The love for my sisters and that we have for one another has been the best chemistry I’ve felt onstage and offstage. I really do consider my muse sisters my actual family!”

Cody: “Yeah, anything I get to do with this phenomenal cast is my favorite!! We have become such a close group of sister muses and I can’t keep a straight face with these comedians.”

Sarah: “I agree, I truly can’t pick one. My Muse Sisters have impacted me so greatly with their kindness, generosity, TALENT, dedication, and true care- they are such incredible performers and people. I am blessed to have worked with them! (And they are all hilarious… we laugh A LOT).”

Annie: “My favorite memories honestly came from after rehearsals. At the end of every rehearsal, we would all walk to our cars but end up standing and hanging out in the parking lot talking, way way after rehearsal had ended. We all grew very close to each other.”

If you were a muse, what would you be the muse of? (i.e. the muse of witty comebacks, the muse of great haircuts, etc.)

Sarah: “I would be the Muse of Rallying- let’s keep this party GOING and the energy UP :)”

Domo: “I would be either the muse of the best ice water (the cast will know this inside joke) or the muse of storytelling.”

Annie: “Muse of wine and chocolate!”

Cody: “The Muse of YOLO!”

Photo by Julie Licari

Do you have any epic roller skating stories? If not, what’s your favorite jam that you would love to roller skate to at the rink and why?

Annie: “I don’t have any crazy stories, but my song choice would be “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston or “Very First Night” by Taylor Swift.”

Sarah: “No epic stories for me either, but when I was cast I started going to a true roller disco with my best friend, Katherine, and I loved seeing the amazing outfits & tricks! My favorite song to skate to at the rink is the “Cuff It” Remix- it’s a VIBE!”

Domo: “I do actually have stories! Roller skating in the Midwest was the thing to do on the weekends! In Michigan we use to have skate lock-ins where you would spend the night in a skating rink. You would have sleeping bags, and skate all night!! It was the best!”

Cody: “Unlike some folks in the cast, I didn’t grow up skating. I just started roller skating the Thursday before we began rehearsals! It has been a journey, but I think I would be a contender for the “Most Improved” award.”

Photo by Ken Jacques

Xanadu Creative Team:
Director: Jason Blitman
Choreographer: Allison Bibicoff
Music Director: Richard Dueñez Morrison

CLICK HERE to buy tickets!

San Diego Musical Theatre