Lora Lee Gayer on Her Jellicle Date & Having the Best Costumes in Broadway’s Doctor Zhivago

Age: “My grandmother doesn't have her birthdate on her tombstone and my mom lies about her age on doctor's forms, so I have to keep up with tradition.”

Hometown: New York, NY

Current Role: An emotional turn as Yurii Zhivago’s wife Tonia, who struggles to come to terms with her husband’s affair in the new Broadway musical Doctor Zhivago.

Stage & Screen Cred: After making her Broadway debut as Young Sally opposite Bernadette Peters in the 2011 revival of Follies, Gayer appeared in the Encores! production of Pipe Dream.

“My first Broadway experience was a date with my dad when I was four. He picked me up in a car service, we had dinner at Café Un Deux Trois and saw Cats. I thought Victoria, the white cat, was so beautiful—it’s funny she’s the biggest dancer in the show and I can’t dance at all!”

“Both of my parents were in fashion—my mom was a buyer and my dad was a textile designer. And I’ll just say it, I think I have the best costumes in Doctor Zhivago. I took some pictures to show my mom and she said, ‘I’m vomiting with jealousy.’ OK, Mom, relax!”

“Follies was the biggest blessing and curse of my life. Who could ask for a better first job and Broadway debut? But I found out very quickly that you don’t just jump from Broadway show to Broadway show with Bernadette Peters and Jan Maxwell. Shows like that don’t come around all the time.”

“Zhivago is such a huge show. Our stage manager will get on the god mic and be like, ‘We’re gonna take it from the top of scene two, the pyro’s going, six gunshots, bombs, the pit will be moving, we’ll be throwing the bodies in and—oh right, the train is moving.’ It’s so much to coordinate.”

“At half hour, if you come into my dressing room, there’s always at least five people in there. I’ve got this really bright rug and coral pillows—it’s so light and happy. When I’m in a dramatic, dark show, I want to try to be as cheerful as possible when I’m offstage.”

“Lucy Simon’s score is breathtakingly beautiful and we have some incredible singers who bring it to life. We haven’t had a musical like this since Les Miz or Miss Saigon, and it’s so exciting to be a part of this new epic.”