Kyra DaCosta

Currently: Having a blast on stage as Helene in Sweet Charity, a rough around the edges Fandango dancer, who is also one of Charity Hope Valentine's best friends.

Hometown: "My hometown--that's a good question! I was born in Denver, Colorado. Then we moved to Los Angeles, California for a couple of years. My real hometown, I say, is Queens, New York."

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far: As fate may have it, DaCosta's mother, Joyce Little, played the title role in Sweet Charity over 10 years ago in a California production. "My sister and I were much younger and would come home singing 'Hey, Big Spender,'" she says, breaking into song. "We didn't really know what it meant. I'm kind of following in her footsteps." Da Costa's mother isn't the only actor in the family. Her grandparents were with the American Negro Theatre alongside Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis.

The Divine Miss M: DaCosta's pre-Charity days were often spent on the road. She traveled around as a Harlette, the famous name Bette Midler bestows on her back-up singers. "To be one of Bette Midler's Harlettes is definitely an honor," DaCosta beams. "She threw us bowling parties, and I love bowling. She bought us little bowling jerseys, too."

We Are Family: DaCosta entered the cast of Sweet Charity in Boston, on the third leg of it's pre-Broadway mini-tour after the show had already been to Minneapolis and Chicago. Janine LaManna, who plays Charity's other best buddy Nickie, joined the show at the same time. She says that the company warmly welcomed her and LaManna. "We were kind of worried. We didn't know how they were going to receive us," DaCosta explained. "You never know how your chemistry is going to work with everyone else in the cast. But after the first two minutes of our first rehearsal in Boston, I had no more worries. It was a big family and a great feeling."

Girls Just Want to Have Fun: DaCosta is truly enjoying her time in Charity--both onstage and off. She credits her co-stars for her cheery attitude. "We just fell into great friendship," she says of her co-stars. "We laugh, play and joke. To be on stage with such talented women as [Applegate and LaManna], is great. I love it. Anything goes!" The production's troubled history--which included a well-documented cancellation of the Broadway run following Applegate's onstage foot injury--only brought the company closer. In the end, she says, "it all came together to lift this show up and continue on."

A Real Good Time: DaCosta is definitely no Helene, although one can make comparisons--they are both sassy, they can both dance, and they both like to have fun. DaCosta has two rituals before going on stage. The first? "To sock Janine--in a playful manner," DaCosta says laughing and peering through the door to see if LaManna can hear her. The second is a little quiet time. "I usually pray before the show starts. A quick thanks to God that I have a job," she laughs.