#FFB: Carleigh Bettiol
Anyone who’s seen Hamilton probably has the “Carleigh crush”… yep, it officially has a name now ;) #girlcrush Beyond being totally gorgeous, this girl is wildly talented, super sweet, and one of the most magnetic people I’ve ever seen on stage. She’s the real deal and an inspiring example of a healthy lifestyle that is fit for her and Fit for Broadway!
“The Cassie Tank” from Fit for Broadway Apparel
NOTE FROM CARLEIGH: Hi All! I’m Carleigh, and I am an original cast member of the Broadway hit show, ‘Hamilton’! When not performing, I enjoy being outside, reading, dining, traveling, shopping, cooking, and baking! I was born and raised in upstate New York, and have lived in Manhattan for 7+ years!
INTERVIEW:
Q: Girl! The requests have poured in for you to be on the blog and I'm so happy today's the day! But let's go back before the days of Hamilton! What was the beginning of your journey to Broadway?
A: I am SO happy to be featured today on your blog! Thank you for having me!! Let’s see…I started ballet at the age of four because my best friend at the time was taking ballet. We all know that best friends have to do everything together when you’re that age! Long story short, I loved it and she ended up quitting and becoming the captain of the soccer team in high school, haha! I went on to get a degree in Economics in college, but continued to do MT on the side. When I graduated, I moved to NYC almost immediately, grabbed a backstage newspaper (remember those days?!), and started auditioning!
Q: You are super tuned in to living a healthy Bway lifestyle. What's your daily regime for staying Fit for Hamilton?
A: The show provides a great workout every day, as we are onstage dancing for over two and a half hours each show. Because of that, I don’t go to the gym. I feel very strongly that the body needs rest just as much as it needs work to be strong and fit. I try to eat healthy with very little gluten or dairy intake. My favorite Midtown West spots to grab a snack are JuicePress, Juice Generation, and I love ordering delivery from SweetGreen! I also see a Physical Therapist twice a week, get massages bi-monthly, and go to an acupuncturist.
Q: I love hearing how focused you are on fueling your body with the best! What's your philosophy on food?
A: I try to eat all organic, and do my best to stay away from gluten and dairy. I also try to stay away from sugar as much as I can, but I have a tough time with that as I have the biggest sweet tooth!! Guilty! I believe that your body will run based on what you put into it, like a car. The better the food you eat, the more energy you will have.
Q: You're an amazing dancer! Do you rely on fitness or any other physical therapy methods to keep your body ready for the show each night?
A: Thank you! I do a few different stretches before every show and throughout the show that I feel work for my body. I had a shoulder injury during the rehearsal process for our Off-Broadway run, and it hasn’t been quite the same since. I do stretches that focus on my shoulder to keep it strong and to hopefully avoid stressing it further. The foam roller and lacrosse ball are my friends, ha!
Q: What are your top 3 tips for someone who needs healthy eating inspo for their FFB journey?
A: 3 Tips…
Tip 1: If you stick to eating healthy, sans sugar, gluten, dairy, etc…eventually you won’t crave those things! And we live in NYC! So it’s a very easy place to find lots of other delicious healthy choices!
Tip 2: Healthy food is super tasty. And its fun to cook! Once you have eaten healthy for awhile, and you taste the not so healthy stuff, you will notice a huge difference!
Tip 3: There are tons of ways to make food healthy! I have a bunch of recipes for “sweet” treats, breakfasts that are filling but have no gluten or dairy, etc. Also, its fun to create new things on your own! Sometimes I throw whatever I have in my fridge in a bowl (fruits, veggies, proteins) with some fresh lemon juice and olive oil, and you have a new salad!
Q: For all our Hamilton fans (me included!), what's been your most memorable Hamilton moment to date?
A: The opening night party was my most memorable moment, for sure. That party was epic! If I could relive that party over and over again, and re-celebrate with my co-workers, I would. It was an incredible night!
Q: Finish the phrase:
The best part about being on Broadway is….you get to say you work on Broadway! I waited a long time to be able to say that...
The most challenging part of being on Broadway is… 8 shows a week with only one day off, without a doubt. It’s incredibly demanding in every way.
Q: Who or what inspires you?
A: My mom inspires me every day to be a positive and kind person. My friends inspire me to be fun-loving, as we are always doing something silly and carefree. My castmates inspire me to be strong, when I see them fighting through the end of a long week and I know they’re super tired, just like I am.
Q: What's your advice for aspiring performers who want to eventually take that Broadway bow?
I always tell people that hard work and training is super important. You also can’t give up. It took me a long time to land on Broadway, but I made it. You have to always try to do the best that you can in an audition room, or class, because at the end of the day, that’s all you have control over. Then you can walk away, regardless of the outcome, and know you gave your all. That’s something to be proud of!
connect with carleigh
Twitter: @cmbettiol | Instagram: @bettcm | Facebook: Carleigh Bettiol
