Spider-Man's Rebecca Faulkenberry on Her 'Chastity Belt' Safety Harness and Destiny's Child Dance Parties

After making her Broadway debut as Sherrie in Rock of Ages earlier this year, Rebecca Faulkenberry is swinging into another Broadway romance as Spidey's gal pal Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark. The British-born actress recently chatted with Broadway.com about her newfound comic book knowledge, going back to high school and how she energizes herself each night before a show.

This has been quite a year for you. Just a few months ago you were a Broadway.com Fresh Face, and now you’re a Spider-Man headliner!
I know! I moved to the States last year from London and came over here without a manager or agent. I did a show for a month, which let me become [a member of Actors' Equity]. I didn’t even know what that meant. I literally walked into the Equity building and was like, “So, do I just come here and audition?” I had worked in London, so it wasn’t like I didn’t have any credits, but still I came and started with a job in a coffee shop and all that.

Mary Jane is such an iconic character. What's your view of her?
She is “the girl next door,” but I don’t think that needs to be confused with submissive, sweet and quiet. She’s certainly not that, especially in the first act when she’s sort of the driving force for Peter and is the more dominant one. She’s trying to take care of him until things spin off and he becomes Spider-Man and the roles kind of change. She’s feisty and caring. I love playing her.

Did you watch the Spider-Man movies or read any of the comics before joining the show?
When I was auditioning I went over to a comic book store with one of our dressers from Rock of Ages, who’s really into comics. It’s a whole other language that I don’t speak! He was like, “Well, there are different universes and that’s how they keep the characters alive.” I was just like, “What? I don’t get what you’re saying! I just want pictures and references!” [Laughs]. I think when you’re doing something as iconic as Spider-Man, it’s sort of offensive to fans if you do something completely off the wall that hasn’t been done before. You have a responsibility to all the people who love the comic to be a bit knowledgeable about it.

You and Christina Sajous are the show’s first lead replacements since the show opened. Did you have any hesitations about joining this production?
Not at all. Right from the get-go everyone was so kind and welcoming. I’m not afraid of heights, so I went in and was like, “Yeah! Let’s fly!” You’re in this harness that is like the most ridiculous chastity belt ever made. It goes around your shoulders and over your legs and it’s got all these buckles. There’s no way that you’re coming out of that thing, so you feel so secure. You get hooked up by one person, then there’s a stage manager to double check it, then when you get up to the top they check it again. You don’t go up any ladder without a safety harness on before even putting on your actual harness. There’s so much safety and regulation to it! I was not worried at all.

You must have also been excited to get to work with handsome leading man Reeve Carney.
It’s not a terrible job [laughs]. Matthew James Thomas, who’s the alternate, and Reeve are both very good looking boys, so it’s not too difficult. They’ve been really open to what I bring to the role. When you’re opposite someone, it’s a joint effort to create the relationship, so it’s great when they’re willing to be open. I’ve heard that we look good together…or at least that we’re acting like we’re in love!

Does Patrick Page freak you out  when he’s dressed up as the Green Goblin?
He is so wonderful. His charisma and presence on stage are incredible. Talk about things that can’t be taught—whatever he has is just so engaging. He also has a Christmas tree pine candle in his room, as do I, so the entire hallway smells of Christmas because of us.

Was it a fairly easy transition to go from singing ‘80s music in Rock of Ages to the music of U2's Bono and the Edge?
Even though they’re both rock, it’s a completely different style. I was really doing a lot of high belting for Rock of Ages. Eighties music is obtuse and over the top, you’re really just screaming. There’s not a lot of down time for your voice to settle in and tell the story because it’s all about the music. In Spider-Man, I have some really beautiful, intimate songs. In all my songs, I’m sort of right on top Reeve’s face, so I can just look at him and sing what I have to say. It’s not such an intense level the whole time vocally. I can relax a little, which is nice.

The size difference of the two productions must have been a big change for you.
Oddly enough, I feel so much more in my own world and in the character in this bigger theater, which I didn’t expect. I thought I would be a bit intimidated by the 1,000 extra seats. Rock of Ages welcomes audience participation and signing along; it’s so interactive that I almost got more nervous doing that show. In Spider-Man I’m in my own world and it’s really nice because I can relax and just focus on what I’m doing.

The show is very high-energy, though. How do you prepare yourself every night?
I’m all about music in my dressing room. I have my music and then I have my character’s music, which I use as a way into her head. Whenever I need to be energized I put on some Motown or Michael Jackson. On weekends we always have pre-matinee reggae becuase I grew up in Bermuda. For Mary Jane, I’ve gone back to everything I listened to in high school, like TLC and Destiny’s Child, to get into that mindset. It’s cheesy, but it totally puts me in the brain that I need to be in.

Are there similarities between Mary Jane and you when you were 17?
Both my Broadway roles, Sherrie in Rock of Ages and Mary Jane, are trying to be actresses. MJ’s a little more successful than Sherry because she doesn’t have to become a stripper! I was very driven [in high school] and knew what I wanted to do. I wouldn’t say I was the popular girl by any means. I had very beautiful, popular friends, but I was not one of them [laughs].

See Rebecca Faulkenberry in Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark at the Foxwoods Theatre