Jessie Fisher on Her Chemistry Geek Past, Her New Bling & Going From Standby to Star in Once

Age: 32

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Current Role: After making her Broadway debut as a standby, Fisher officially took over the role of piano-playing Czech immigrant Girl in Once full-time beginning June 17.

Stage & Screen Cred: A Jeff Award-winning performance as the Emcee in the Hypocrites production of Cabaret; The Pride and Of Mice and Men at Steppenwolf Theatre Company; TV’s Boss.

“My grandma was an actress and did community theater. She used to teach me and my sister Taryn little dance numbers, like 'Bosom Buddies' from Mame. I was really shy, so I’d usually chicken out halfway through.”

“I had a brief stint as a chemistry major at the University of Colorado, but I quickly dropped it for theater. But I still know a lot of the periodic table, and I can balance chemistry equations.”

“They gave me two days to move to New York for Once. I auditioned on a Monday, they offered me the part on Tuesday, and I was here by Friday. I had just bought a house in Chicago, so it was a scary move, but very exciting.”

“I can play four instruments: Piano, guitar, saxophone and the musical saw—my fiancé got it for me one Christmas. It’s an awesome instrument for jam parties, you can pick it up quickly.”

“The hardest job on Broadway is being a standby. I had to go on halfway through the show once—I was sitting in another understudy’s room, talking about pouring some whiskey, and I got the call that I had to do the second act. I had five minutes to throw on my costume.”

“I got engaged a few weeks ago to my boyfriend, Erik Hellman. We met in Chicago and started playing music together, but both had other people in our lives. He went away for a while and we ended our relationships—when he came back, we got together. We’re like Once with a happy ending.”