If they were two bells they’d go ding dong ding dong DIIIING! How fun is it to get to do a show with your spouse? Even more so when you spend that entire show denying that you’re falling in love with their character? We’ve got real-life married couple Andrea and DJ Wojciehowski (and their kids sitting in on the interview for good measure!) who are playing the roles of Sky Masterson and Sgt Sarah Brown in Third Wall Productions’ Guys & Dolls. Here’s what they’ve had to say thus far about their experience of being together both on and off the stage!
How did you guys end up playing Sky & Sarah in this show?
DJ Wojciehowski: I’ll let Andy tell that story.
Andrea Wojciehowski: Well this has been one of my dream roles forever. This was one of my first musicals that I did in high school. And I was in the Mission Band, but I was not Sarah Brown because I was not in theatre class. So I just got to be part of the band and carry the soap box. So this has been really fun to get the promotion up to Sarah Brown.
Oh that’s fantastic! That’s the sort of story we like to hear. Now, DJ, is Sky one of your dream roles or was this more of a, “hey, let’s do a show together and we’ll figure out how to juggle our three small children once we’re both cast?”
DJ: We have a long drive. So we’re fortunate that Third Wall was willing to negotiate with us on that.
Andrea: Yes, we get to bring the kids along to rehearsal, and they managed to get both of us into roles that meant we were called for all of the same rehearsals so that worked out really well.
DJ: I also did Guys & Dolls back in school, but I was part of the tech crew at the time so I was backstage. I do like the role of Sky, I think it’s an interesting role to be in and its definitely in my vocal range, but I don’t think I set out with the ‘bucket-list’ notion that Andy did for Sarah. It was a role that if I had the opportunity to do, I would be happy to do it. And here I have the opportunity and I’m doing it.
You guys often do shows together, sometimes on stage together, sometimes Andy I know you’re doing some things off stage, but for Guys & Dolls, it’s opposing romantic leads who start off not liking each other but then fall in love. What has that been like for you guys?
Andrea: It’s been fun. We’ve had a lot of fun rehearsing. We’ve really enjoyed playing the opposite moments. As Sarah, I loathe him at one point. And the number of times we’ve had to go through that and get told “let’s do that scene over again” because I reacted not the way she would because DJ gave me that cute adorable look that makes me go “eee!” and remember why I love him. And I’m not supposed to react like that!
DJ: Yeah, we’ll be just messing around, I’ll say a line a different way and she’ll stop me and say “If you’re going to say the line that way, you have to say it like that every time otherwise…” and we really have to take time getting it right!
That is so cute. What have been the challenges of taking on Sky & Sarah, while being a married couple with three young children in the house (and at rehearsal) and living fairly far away from the theatre that’s producing this show?
Andrea: One of the challenges is that I’m pretty certain our kids have the show memorized better than we do.
That’s fantastic. They can be your understudies in case something happens!
DJ: Right? We’ll be singing songs, and Joel (oldest Wojciehowski child) will start singing and it will actually throw us off because we’re not used to it. We’re just like, “guys, we need to figure this out, just wait a minute, then you can sing with us.”
Andrea: It’s also been really beneficial though, for his schooling stuff. He’s been able to run lines with us! He reads and it’s a huge help.
DJ: Yeah, he’ll stop us when we get lines wrong too. It’s been great.
What is your favorite moment in the show as Sarah?
Andrea: I really love the “If I were a Bell” scene. It’s going to be hilarious and so much fun. I just get to let loose and I’m drunk for the scene. I get to have so much fun and talk about all these silly things. If I were a bell, these are things I would do! If I were a salad— dressing splashes! It’s so silly and fun!
What about you, DJ? As Sky what’s your favorite moments?
DJ: I really enjoy the first scene where I meet Sarah in the mission. I’m just kind of poking fun at her, trying to get her to let her guard down a little bit. It’s fun to poke at Andy a little bit.
This is going to be such a fun show. Andrea, how are you and Sarah different and how are you the same?
Andrea: Sarah and I are very, very similar in the fact that I have a very strong upbringing as a preacher’s kid. I can see lots of those lines where she just falls into that mentality of “Nope, this is how it is.” And there are lots of spots where some religions twist things incorrectly and they did a really good job when they wrote this of towing those lines of those that are so closed-minded. They’re so closed off that they aren’t looking at sharing that love. They’re just preaching at you and not with you or for you. I can relate to that.
DJ, you’re not like a super-secret, high-rolling gambler, are you? Or maybe you are and just can’t tell us because then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore?
DJ: Ooh, the Air Force would not like that. For me, I think the confidence that Sky has is where we meet. I’m very similar in that sense, especially when it comes to something that I know really well. I’m confident with it and with myself and I go at it with 100% dedication. I make it work. Sky makes it work. We make it work.
Do you have a costume that you enjoy the most in this show?
Andrea: I have three different dresses for this show. They’re all along the same line of appearance. We went with the mentality that Sarah is very frugal and makes her own clothes. I have one pattern as Sarah; I got my pattern, I made my dresses, and this is what I have. I can get it in a different pattern when we go to Havana and then it’s slightly different for my wedding suit. You know, if Sarah ever gets married.
And for you, Sky? Just one gambling suit?
DJ: I have an initial pinstripe suit. Then I have an almost-all-white suit for Havana, it has a jacket and a hat right now, eventually it will get pants. And I don’t have it yet but I suspect I will have something mission-flavored in case things go her way by the end of this show. But I like the Havana outfit the best. It’s very crisp.
How are you finding “Luck Be A Lady?”
DJ: I’m going along with the music just to see how I feel with it. It’s a pretty iconic song and everybody knows Frank’s version (Frank Sinatra) so I’m just figuring it out and seeing how it feels. Obviously I have to work the choreography I’ve been given into it as well but ultimately I’m just enjoying it. I’m singing it the way that feels most comfortable to me. I’m not trying to do it like Frank or like anybody else, I’m just trying to do the song justice.
Why are we hoping that people will come out and see this production of Guys & Dolls?
Andrea: It’s going to be unforgettable, especially our duets. And Miss Adelaide (Ashley Gerhardt) is AAH-MAZING. We’ve had the great opportunity to already do our duets together, Ashley and me, and she and I are going to sound amazing, and as it gets on its feet, the comedy that’s going to come out of that is going to be amazing. “Marry The Man” is going to be fun. We’ve had a lot of fun rehearsing that.
You don’t get as much time with Nathan Detroit (played by Ashley’s husband, Jim Gerhardt), well, you do, sort of, but you don’t, do you, DJ?
DJ: We don’t have a duet together the way Ashley and Andy do. We’ve got a lot really fun back and forth moments, actually it’s the same with me and Ashley, there’s a lot of little back and forth moments. Right off the bat in Act II after her song we have a real good back and forth there. She’s very talented, he’s very talented, everyone’s very talented, definitely come out and see them.
That’s excellent! What have you learned about yourselves— as performers, as parents, as a married couple— by being in this production together?
Andrea: Patience! That’s definitely something. Juggling the kids and their schedules… that is something else. Making sure that they’re focusing during rehearsals and all of that. It’s been a blessing that we’ve been able to bring our troupe along with us and have them here with us during rehearsals.
DJ: Patience, especially with the kids. I know that’s basically what Andy said but patience is huge. They get here, we have a plan where Joel is working on his schoolwork, but there’s so much going on and he gets distracted. We try to be patient with them but at the same time we have to be stern, so it’s definitely a big learning lesson in patience.
Do you guys consider yourselves to be ‘lucky’ people?
Andrea: Oh definitely!
DJ: Absolutely!
Is there anything else you want to say about your experience, about the crazy chaos, etc?
Andrea: Well it’s always crazy chaos with kids running around! But the good thing is that during the show you won’t see our crazy kids running around. You’ll see us focused and having fun as adults and getting to do our thing and have a blast!
DJ: We have a really talented group of people out there on stage, great supporting characters, and they’re going to be amazing out there.
If you had to sum up your experience here with Guys & Dolls in just one word, which word would you use?
Andrea: I guess I’d go with dream. Because it’s a dream role!
DJ: I’d probably go with inspiring.
Guys & Dolls plays May 19th 2023 through May 28th 2023 with Third Wall Productions, now in residence at Chestnut Grove Presbyterian Church— 3701 Sweet Air Road in Phoenix, MD. Tickets are available by at the door or in advance online.
