Elena Juatco may be best known for her stint on Canadian Idol Season 2, but her work in the performing arts goes much farther. She’s been nominated for a Dora Award for her portrayal of Snow White in Ross Petty’s Christmas pantomime, Snow White and the Group of Seven and she’s had a host of credits on the East Coast including Kim in Miss Saigon and Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This season, she returns home to Vancouver where she plays Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. We sat down with Elena to get the inside scoop on what she thinks about the outrageous play, her stellar co-stars, and working at home in Vancouver.
Growing up in Vancouver, did you ever imagine performing on the Playhouse stage?
Absolutely. I’ve wanted to do a show in Vancouver for as long as I can remember. It started when I was in high school when I’d come and see shows at the stages of Vancouver. I’ve been in Toronto for the past five years and I’ve been trying to get back to Vancouver. This is my Vancouver debut, so it’s very exciting for me and for my family. My whole family has booked their tickets and they’ll be coming in a big group.
You auditioned for Canadian Idol on a whim, what was that experience like?
After my first year at Queens University I heard of the Canadian Idol auditions and I was so curious. So, I thought, “oh let’s just see how far I go,” and I really didn’t expect to get as far as I did which was top six. Canadian Idol really was a big eye opener. It gave me a push of confidence. I really didn’t expect any of it to happen. It gave me an idea that maybe this is a possibility as a career. Maybe I can do what I love for the rest of my life.
What can audiences expect from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels this holiday season?
Oh gosh, what doesn’t our show have? It’s been such a fun show to work on. Just yesterday I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. It’s such a clever show and it’s got so many different types of humour in it which I think is so appealing to so many people. Whether it’s the humour or the music or the dancing or the magic of the Broadway set and costumes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
We know that Director Max Reimer likes to put big dance numbers into his musicals. Will we see that again this year?
Yes! There’s a big dance number called “The More We Dance.” We’ve been spending days on that number. It’s the big number that everyone gets to have a cameo in. There are some really talented dancers in our cast and some beautiful lifts in the number.
Your co-stars, Andrew Wheeler and Josh Epstein are both well known actors in Vancouver. How are they to work with?
They’re absolutely awesome. Josh and Andrew have done a number of shows together so they have a great chemistry onstage together. To be invited into that chemistry and to get to play with them is really exciting. They’re phenomenal to work with.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels runs Nov. 21 to Dec. 27 at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre (Hamilton & Dunsmuir). For tickets call 
604 873 3311 or online www.vancouverplayhouse.com
