COUNTDOWN TO ALICE IN SLASHERLAND: Interview with Andrea Marie Smith

Now let’s swing the spotlight onto one of Vampire Cowboys’ most beloved performers, the sensational and sexy Andrea Marie Smith. She’s rocked out VC Nation since our very beginning and has won countless fans with her versatile acting skills, her amazing show-stealing songstress lungs, and the many award-winning (and in her words, pants-less) costumes she’s adorned by the amazing Jessica Shay. As one of our favorite “heels” (meaning “bad guy” in pro-wrestling talk), our rowdy rowdy redhead has fought cheerleaders in “Vampire Cowboy Trilogy”, aligned herself with zombies in “Living Dead in Denmark”, tried to extinguish the human race in “Fight Girl Battle World”, AND in her most memorable role with Vampire Cowboys, played the lead character in “A Beginner’s Guide to Deicide” as the ultimate antihero Lucy aka Lucifer the devil herself. In between her gigs killing it with the Cowboys, she recently starred in one of the all-time best Indie Theatre shows I’ve ever seen, Nosedive Production’s “Infectious Opportunity” by James Comtois, as well as the riveting white-knuckled drama “The Brokenhearteds” by VC’s own Temar Underwood. In “Alice in Slasherland”, Andrea plays the role of Tina, one of Alice’s chief antagonists.

In “Alice in Slasherland”, you play the role of Tina, what can you tell us about your character?
Tina, Tina, Tina. She’s a sweetheart, that one. Quiet, innocent, demure. You know, the kind of girl you take home to mom. If mom’s a total psychopath, that is. Don’t misunderstand, Tina isn’t crazy or anything, she's just the kind of girl who has no filter button whatsover and will hand you your ass in a heartbeat. Overall…She. Is. Awesome. And, oh yeah, she’s another Vampire Cowboys character who doesn’t seem to like wearing pants. (Sigh.) Creative costuming aside, what’s really interesting about this play and this character are that we’re utilizing extreme stereotypes in a non-stereotypical way. Horror films are one thing (and let’s face it, most of those need serious tweaking), but to put something on a live stage that is scary and funny and bloody… that’s a real challenge. We're working our asses off right now... for serious. My thighs are on FIRE from our fight rehearsals and my abs are sore, sore, sore from all of the laughing. I guess I don’t want to say too much about Tina (there are some hellaciously big surprises, and I’ll leave it at that), but I guarantee she’ll help deliver a raucously good time.

If you were a slasher, what weapon would you use to conduct mayhem? What would be your name? Who would be your chosen victims?
I'm a crafty girl, so I'm thinking that if I were a slasher, I'd like to wield a giant pair of scissors (they'd be really shiny and make that great swish noise), and I'd probably be dubbed something like Spotted Pony or Red Avenger. I'd however use my aggression and uncontrollable lust for violence to serve the better good. And the punishment would fit the crime. I'd reserve the slow painful deaths for the obvious offenders: wife-beaters, rapists, child-abusers, etc. (They'd be sliced and diced into fun shapes to amuse the masses), but then I would also spend some serious time snipping at (without reeeeeally doing any permanent damage to) the people who generally piss me off: people who chew with their mouths open, girls who purposely show off their thongs, bartenders who never offer a buy-back, guys who don't know how to pick up a phone... (I could go on, but you get the idea. That and I'm starting to sound neurotic and scary.)

What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you (paranormally speaking)? Any good ghost stories to share?
I went to college in Athens, Ohio, which is considered one of the "most haunted places on earth". So paranormal activity wasn't out of the ordinary. Living in the dorms, we had those uber plush community bathrooms (you know the ones with, like, 15 sinks, 19 toilets, and 3 dozen showers), and it wasn't uncommon to be, say, brushing your teeth alone at night and have the faucet 3 sinks down turn on by itself, the toilets begin randomly flushing and a few showers turn themselves on and off. So either we had some seriously jacked up plumbing, or there was something supernatural going on. I could tell you some of my scary Athens stories, but then you wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, and you'd be all, "Damnit, Andrea!" And to be honest, I don't deal well with people being angry with me, so the bathroom story is going to have to suffice. Shut up. I'm fragile.

What is your zombie apocalypse escape plan?
First and foremost: WE RUN. We'll avoid associating with people on crutches, love-stricken teenage boys, and any loose-moraled, misunderstood, busty girls with low-cut tops, and we'll be juuuuuust fine.

What scares you?
Sharks. Hate them. They should all die.

Why should people see “Alice in Slasherland”?
Vampire Cowboys + Blood + Hilarity + Serious Asskicking + Scantily Clad Women + More Blood and More Asskicking = Holy Shitballs, Get Your Tickets Now Or You Will Be A Sad, Sad Bear
PS: I heart this play. Hard.

For more info on “Alice in Slasherland”, CLICK HERE!