Singing the praises of stage — and home

The spotlight shines on Billie Wildrick and Taryn Darr, two Seattle-grown songstresses starring in separate musicals at local theaters this month.

Wildrick takes the stage at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Leonard Bernstein's "Wonderful Town." She plays wide-eyed Eileen, who in the 1930s ventures out with her big sister to New York City.

Darr headlines the Village Theatre's "Girl of My Dreams," portraying aspiring actress Liz Dodson, a USO entertainer during World War II.

Both actors consider their roles especially significant, and said they were delighted to return to the theaters that launched their careers. And the relationships they've built here have made Seattle even more special to the performers.

The theater's become Wildrick's second home.

"Because my dad moved us around a lot, I never considered anywhere home," Wildrick said.

She was uprooted again in the sixth grade, this time to Snohomish, living in the area until she headed off to Chicago for college.

Theater previews

"Wonderful Town," Tuesdays-Sundays through April 9; 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle; $24-$48 (206-292-ARTS, www.ticketmaster.com, www.5thavenue.org). See a video on the history of "Wonderful Town" at www.5thavenue.org. Click on "Musicals at the 5th" under "What's Playing," then go to "Wonderful Town."

"Girl of My Dreams," Tuesdays-Sundays through April 23, Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah; $24-$48 (425-392-2202 or www.villagetheatre.org). Also April 28-May 14 at Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett; $20-$44 (425-257-8600). To hear samples of songs from "Girl of My Dreams" go to www.villagetheatre.org).

It didn't take long for her to realize she had found a place to call her own: She belonged in the Pacific Northwest.

"It was the green," she said of transferring to Western Washington University. "I just wanted to come home."

After graduation and shortly after Wildrick moved to Seattle several years ago, the 5th Avenue Theatre hired her to work on shows for kids in its Adventure Musical Theatre Company.

In 2002, Wildrick nabbed a role in the ensemble in "Hair," her first production at the 5th.

It was "an amazing experience" being surrounded by young local actors, she said.

A year later, she played the flashy Columbia in 5th Avenue Theatre's "Rocky Horror Show."

"That was the first time I ever stage-dived out of a go-go cage," she said.

In 2004, Wildrick took a turn as Philia in "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum," again at 5th Avenue.

"They were really taking me seriously, and they were nurturing the talent I have," she said. "All that gives you more confidence" to become a better actor.

Like Wildrick at 5th Avenue, Darr's career has been virtually inseparable from the Village Theatre.

Born and raised in Portland, the actor landed in Seattle in 1997, when she transferred to the University of Washington.

Although Darr moved to the Big Apple last year, she returns to the Village Theatre to star in the West Coast premiere of "Girl of My Dreams."

"It's like coming home," she said of entering the theater to get wigs and costumes fitted before rehearsals. "My face hurt from smiling when I got here because it was so fun to see so many familiar faces smiling back at me."

Darr counts landing the role of Dolores in 1999's "Babes in Arms" as one of the first milestones of her career.

A year later, she sang as Sandy in "Grease." Then she played Martha in 2003's "The Ark." In 2004, Darr starred as Nellie Forbush in "South Pacific."

The actor performed in each of these productions at the Village Theatre.

"It's like being part of a family," said Darr. "I've done a lot of shows and workshops, new musicals and galas. I know a lot of the donors, and I've taught with the KIDSTAGE program."

This time, Darr's been part of "Girl of My Dreams" since the beginning.

She's seen it develop from a "staged reading, where you're holding a book, to full costumes and a band and wigs and lights," she said.

"I was looking at one of the writers, and his eyes were totally lit up. We just talked about how exciting it was to go from the page to stage, and to be a part of that is really an honor.

"I love the Village Theatre," Darr continued. "It's worth coming home to."

Judy Chia Hui Hsu: 206-464-3315 or jhsu@seattletimes.com