Photo courtesy of David Pigott.
Vestavia resident and actress London Pigott performs during a recent production. Pigott starred as Inez Milholland in the MTI premiere of “Suffs,” a new musical about the women’s suffrage movement.
Q: Please tell our readers about yourself.
A: My name is London Riley Pigott. I am 16 years old and have attended Indian Springs School for the past two years. I have been doing musical theater for 10 years now, with “Seussical” being my first (I’ve come a long way since then). I recently starred in the Music Theatre International premiere of the musical “Suffs” as suffragist Inez Milholland. This experience changed my life and broadened my horizons as an actor, and I am honored to be involved in helping with this Vestavia Hills High School production.
Q: What extracurricular activities do you participate in? What are your hobbies?
A: Besides the obvious answer of musical theater, I also do competition dance at Jackie O’Neal Dance Studio, vocal lessons with Amy Murphy and Lego sets with my family, a crafting craze that required an entire room to be dedicated to storing our sets. Besides that, I also enjoy doing voiceover, and this has given me many opportunities, including being part of a PBS series called “DIY Science Time,” which won a regional Emmy Award.
Q: What attracted you to musical theater and performing?
A: For as long as I could remember, I loved to sing, loudly I might add, and my parents wanted to find me a place that could spend some of that energy. Then, they took me to my first show, “Wicked,” and from the moment that overture began and I saw that giant dragon up on the stage, I was hooked. My mom had so many videos of me singing “Popular” while doing pretty much any activity, and she thought, “Wow, she isn’t completely horrible!” So she signed me up for a musical summer camp at UAB’s ArtPlay, and I got a part in “Seussical,” and I never looked back. The life-changing moment for me was being in my first professional production, “Shrek the Musical.” We had over 20 shows in a few weeks’ time, and I am honored to have been part of such an incredible cast.
Q: What experiences have you had that helped you grow as a performer?
A: The greatest growth that I experienced came not from shows themselves but from performance training facilities like Stagedoor Manor in New York, intensives, and classes. There is a huge difference between doing a camp and being a professional in the business. The stepping stones that brought me there were there because of technique I learned from training at studios like Acting Out Academy, Amy Murphy Studio, Stagedoor Manor and Broadway Dance Center. Meg Deusner, owner of Acting Out Academy, provided me with the tools to get my first agent and eventually led me to my first voiceover job, which I am still doing today.
Q: Tell our readers about your experience in New York this summer. What did it mean to you to earn the lead role?
A: This summer brought many opportunities for me, with “Suffs” being one of two amazing experiences. I was first in a musical called “Crazy for You,” directed by the incomparable Chris Ikner, where I played Polly Baker, the tap-dancing cowgirl with a heart of gold. After that show closed, I was cast in “Suffs,” as Inez, who was always my favorite character in the two times I’d seen the musical. Not only was this my second lead of the summer, but I was also set next to a group of talented young women, who became my sisters as we brought these characters’ tears to life.
Q: What is the musical “Suffs” about?
A: The musical “Suffs” is set in the years leading up to the 19th Amendment’s passing in 1920. Rather than focusing on one specific group, the show displays the divisions within the movement rooted in the old versus the new generations of suffs, as well as the racial divide between Black and white women. Amidst these tensions arrives Alice Paul, a young radical who fights tooth and nail alongside her friends Lucy, Inez, Ruza, and Dorothy in pursuit of the right to vote. As time goes by, Alice is left to answer the question, “Is it worth it?"
Q: What did it mean to you to work directly with Shaina Taub? How did she mentor you during the production?
A: Working with a genius like Shaina Taub was indescribable. She is very down to earth and excellent at taking artists and molding their performances to fulfill the needs of the text. She is collaborative, very funny and always asking us our thoughts rather than just giving instructions. The key moment she mentored me on was the song “The Campaign,” which is the last song Inez sings before her death. As a teenager, who had never been in that position, I was daunted by the task and unsure of how to be truthful in my portrayal. She told me to imagine the most important cause I could think of and to picture shouting it out to the sky, then, just release. This took pressure off of my performance when I had to let go at the end of the number. The beauty of the song carried much more weight and power when I just let go.
Q: It is so exciting that you now get to help and mentor other performers at VHHS. What advice would you give to other performers?
A: Just go for it, because “Suffs” is a show about the fight, but it’s also about friendship, identity and the power of unity. Give it your all or your audience will know, and in order for them to believe you, you have to go there, dig deep into the text and build an ensemble, because this show is built upon the work of the group, not just the principals. As Shaina Taub would say, “You are all ‘Suffs’ now, so go tell our story!”
Q: Which do you enjoy most: acting, singing or dancing? Why?
A: I love singing the most because it has always been something that came naturally to me. It is my primary mode of expression, so singing in musicals to tell a story just goes hand in hand with my passions.
Q: What is next for you? What are your short-term goals?
A: I am currently auditioning and gearing up for the newest season of “DIY Science Time.” Currently, my goals are to participate in more TV and film this year while being in a production of “Urinetown the Musical” this spring.
Q: What do you have planned for your future after graduation from high school?
A: My plan for after high school is to go to college for a “BFA in musical theater.” This will be beneficial for my career, as it will help me refine my craft and manage my vocal and physical health accordingly, since it is a very demanding industry. After I graduate, I plan to move to New York City and begin auditioning for shows there. That’s the dream!
