Are you ready to be bad, Baltimore? Because the National touring production of Some Like It Hot is coming in hot and ready to shake up Charm City this May! In a quick phone interview with Devon Hadsell, playing Minnie on the tour, we get a full scope of why this show is so darn hot and fun!

Hello, Devon! Thank you so much for taking my call; we’re so excited to chat with you! Hope you’re doing well!

Devon Hadsell: I’m doing good and yes, thanks for the call!

They tell me you’re playing Minnie, yes? And how does Minnie fit into the grand scheme or the bigger picture of Some Like It Hot?

Devon: Yes, I am. And that’s a great, great question. Are you familiar with the story of Some Like It Hot? The movie?

Yes, the movie I am a little familiar with, where they run off and join the girls band and all that, but I’ve never actually seen the stage show.

Devon: Yes, yes, yes! All of that is right. So originally in the movie, there was a band manager and I actually forget that character’s name in the movie but it was played by a male. So in the stage version they’ve actually ended up making the band manager a female and they’ve ended up making her one of the band members as well. So Sweet Sue is the leader and the conductor of the band, which makes Minnie the manager. She hires all the girls, she keeps them in line, she plays the drums. She’s kind of the glue of the girls in the band and the leader Sweet Sue, she brings them all together.

I love that! How is Minnie different from some of these other wonderful credits that I see you have stacked here in your resume? What’s unique about her compared to some of the other roles you’ve played recently?

Devon: Oh gosh, thank you! Well, I was actually a part of the original Broadway cast of Some Like It Hot in New York and I was in the ensemble. I got to understudy this role of Minnie played by the incredible Angie Schworer, who I believe Some Like It Hot was her twelfth Broadway show if I got that right? I felt so honored to get to understudy her on Broadway. I got to go on a couple times! When the tour came along and they offered me the role I was just so ecstatic to get to continue her legacy and to get to bring the show around the country!

That’s so extraordinary! Now, other than not living in Prohibition-era times, how are you and Minnie similar or different, what are you bringing to her, what’s she bringing to you, what are you taking away from her as a character-actor bonding experience?

Devon: Oh that is a wonderful question! I’m definitely like Minnie because I actually play a couple of instruments myself, I play the piano and the flute. So we’re both instrumentalists. Minnie also gets up and dances in a few of the numbers, she’s a performer, she loves to dance, which is also like me. Minnie is also in a secretarial-assistant kind of role and I definitely love being someone who is organized and in charge of things and helping people who need help, so we have similar qualities in that way. Where we differ is she’ll speak her mind and she’s pretty sassy. I’ve gotten better at that as I’ve gotten older but I’ve been more of a— not a people pleaser— but more ‘let’s not rock the boat.’ You know, when you’re younger you want to not get in trouble and you want to be the good girl. Minnie is really fun because she’s kind of the sassy one. She was probably a little bit of a rebel back in her day and I think that’s been really fun to get to touch on in this role. It’s been really, really fun and exciting.

I love that and I know exactly what you mean when you say not necessarily a people pleaser but not really wanting to rock the boat, just wanting to make sure everybody is okay!

Devon: Yes! Keeping all the levels nice and even!

I totally get that. What has been your biggest challenge so far with taking Miss Minnie on the road?

Devon: Wow. In terms of the show or outside of the show or both?

Both? Whichever speaks to you more here in our chat. I forgot to lead with “there are no wrong answers to these questions.”

Devon: That’s awesome! It’s been pretty wild being on the road because my husband is actually on the road with me. He doesn’t work in the performing arts field, he works in the procurement-consultant-logistics field and got a remote job about a month before I got the offer for this role. We got to talking about it and we decided to go on the road together as traveling nomads for the year. And we brought our cat.

You have a cat on the road with you!? Stop the presses! Tell me everything about this cat!! I am a cat-mom of five!

Devon: Oh my gosh, no way! That’s my dream! You’re living my dream of being a multi-cat owner! We got our girl in the pandemic, and oh wow she’ll be six this year, we got her when she was one and a half. Totally not a travel cat at first. She loves her routine, she loves staying at home, definitely a homebody. So it was quite an adventure for her at first. She’s been such a trooper, we’ve totally trained her. We’re driving the tour as well. So on the long road trips, every three to four hours, we’ll stop and she’ll have her little snack, we put her in the litter box, she does her thing, and she hops right back in her carrier without a fuss. I don’t know how we trained her to do that but she now is amazing on these long road trips. It’s funny because she used to be so afraid and scared at each new place we went to, but now it takes her maybe an hour before she’s acting like the place is totally hers. We’ve been so fortunate that she now actually seems to be enjoying traveling and exploring as well. My husband also loves driving and traveling. So we’re trying to soak up this adventure while we can!

That sounds so amazing. What do you call your cat, is she called Minnie? Please tell me she’s called Minnie.

Devon: Oh my gosh, could you imagine? That would be too perfect! Though Minnie is kind of close. Her name is Nikita but we call her Niki for short. So Minnie-Niki, very close.

And what flavor-color cat is Niki?

Devon: She’s a tabby so she has a white underbelly, white on her neck, and brown and black stripes up top. She’s a real cutey. And you have five!?

Yes. We currently have five, we had six but lost one back in October.

Devon: Oh I’m so sorry.

Thank you. We’ve had as many as seven at one time, that’s Cat-pacity. But right now we have five. We live in an old church with a cemetery for a backyard so they have the palatial cat life. Our oldest is 15 or 16 and she’s a Tortie with major Tortie-tude. Our youngest will be four in June and he’s an all gray, alley-tom-fuzz. And there are two house panthers and an all-white in there as well.

Devon: Oh my gosh you are literally living my dream. I told my husband we are going to get more cats one day, just FYI.

It makes it better when you have a partner, because ‘Crazy Cat Couple’ sounds cute and less crazy than ‘Crazy Cat Lady’.

Devon: Right? That’s great! And that’s so funny.

I’m really glad to hear to hear Niki the cat is doing well on the road. And you and your husband too. Now, I always hate to use the word ‘favorite’ but do you have a musical number in Some Like It Hot that you just have this “YES. This number.” Where you either want to be a part of it every night or watch it from the wings every night. What number is that for you?

Devon: It’s so funny that you say that because when I was in the ensemble on Broadway, I used to love the number “Let’s Be Bad.” That was actually one of the only dance numbers that I wasn’t a part of being in the ensemble but now as Minnie I get to do it every night. That’s been so, so special. “Let’s Be Bad” is the big dance number that four of the band member girls go to Mexico with Osgood the millionaire and he treats for them to go party in Mexico for the night! It’s just super fun, super high energy, gorgeous costumes, amazing set pieces, really fun music.

That sounds amazing! Now you mentioned that there’s some good old-fashioned Broadway dancing in this show. How are you finding the dancing since you are a dancer?

Devon: Another great question! First of all, the dancing is unreal, this show won the Tony for best choreography by Casey Nicholaw, who is a genius. In the ensemble, there are quite a few partnering numbers with big flips. That’s how the show starts with all these big partnering moves and then at the end of act one there’s another big partnering number and it’s super fun. Minnie, because she has more of the lines, she doesn’t do all of the crazy partnering. So even though my heart is a little sad, my body is very thankful! I’m not doing all the crazy flips anymore. My mind wishes I was but my back and my feet are feeling so much better!

I’ll bet your joints and bones are sending you daily thank-you cards and flowers.

Devon: Yes! They are like “you did your time on Broadway and now you get to rest a little bit.” But what’s great about Minnie is that she does still get to dance! She’s in “Let’s Be Bad” she does “Take It Up a Step” she’s in the finale and the big chase number so she still gets the dancing in there.

That makes me happy for you! What would you say has been the biggest thing so far that you have learned about yourself while on the tour as a performer, as a human, as a cat mom? What has been your big takeaway being on this tour of Some Like It Hot going around the country as Minnie with your husband and your cat?

Devon: It’s been such a journey. Most people, when they have a job, they drive to work or even if they’re remote, they have their home. They have their stable home and their place that is their comfort that they come back to every night. To be moving, lately it’s been every week to a different city, it’s been such a challenge to find ways to find that ‘home.’ How can I make these new spaces each week feel like home? I feel so fortunate that with my cat, with my husband, I do have that little piece of home with me. But finding little rituals— like every time we find a new place I like to set up everything and organize. I like to always get to the theatre extra early on those first show-day-Tuesdays, to set up the dressing room and make it feel like mine. Having those little rituals has really helped ground me and helped me feel content and comfortable and emotionally stable. But that has been quite a journey. We have a whole system for when we move out, and in the mornings my husband will have to work, normally on those Mondays, which are our travel days, so he’ll be working while I’m driving the first part and he’ll help drive later. But finding those systems, finding those routines for me and personality has been a huge help. Also I’m such a Type-A person, and I think tour has been great because it has taught me to let go of needing to be in control all the time. It’s taught me to go with the flow more. And I think that’s a healthy thing to adapt. It’s been good, it’s been quite a journey of learning and growth.

I’m really glad to hear that. The touring life is definitely not for everyone and I’m really glad to hear that you’re having such a positive experience with it. Where are you guys right now*?

Devon: So right now we’re in Providence, Rhode Island and we got here on Monday and we leave here on Sunday and then on Monday** we leave for Hartford, Connecticut.

 Providence to Hartford doesn’t sound like too terrible of a drive, and then you’re there for a week before you come down to Baltimore to see us!

Devon: Yes! We’re coming to Baltimore and we’re so excited!

Have you ever been through Baltimore either on a tour or just personally visiting and vacationing?

Devon: I never have! With most of these cities on this tour, I’ve never been to them. This will be my first time visiting Baltimore!

Welcome to Baltimore when you get here, hopefully the weather will behave itself when you get here!

Devon: Thank you so much! What’s the weather normally like this time of year?

Haha, great question! I’d love to say there’s an easy answer to that, but what generally gets said about Baltimore and our state on the whole is “if you don’t like the weather, stick around five minutes and it will change. We get four seasons in a week, and the seasons are often made up just like the temperatures.”

Devon: Hahaha! I love that!

Generally speaking, at the beginning of May I would say you’re in the magical sweet spot where you have heat but not humidity and not too much rain or cray winds. But…it is Maryland, so there’s no guarantee! Will it rain? Will it snow? I live in Maryland, I do not know.

Devon: I absolutely love that!

I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the weather behaves. Now is there a moment in the show where you think audiences are just going to absolutely lose their minds about every night? What’s the thing that you’re looking forward to audiences enjoying the most?

Devon: That’s an awesome question. In terms of heartfelt moments? I think the character Jerry/Daphne has a beautiful moment in Act II with the millionaire, Osgood, which I won’t give away, but that scene always touches in my heart. I think it’s so special. In terms of excitement, the end of Act I that dance number is incredible. But towards the end of Act II we have this incredible chase sequence with doors and gangsters and guns and funny things and changing outfits! It’s always the show-stopper and I think it’s one of the reasons why this show won best choreography. I would say those two moments in terms of heartfelt and exciting moments, those two are my favorites and I think they are the ones that audiences will resonate with the most.

That’s awesome. Does Minnie have a Prohibition Drink— not that we’re drinking during prohibition, no never, not one drop— but does she have a drink that she’s sneaking off to go and shoot back before someone catches her at it?

Devon: Oh definitely! Her favorite is absolutely a Cosmo.

And is Minnie’s drink the same as Devon’s favorite drink?

Devon: Oh wow! I chose Cosmo because the real-life Angie Schworer, that was her personal favorite! My real-life personal favorite, I do love a Moscow Mule, can never go wrong with one of those, but pretty much any flavor margarita with a tajin rim is my go-to.

I love that. I’m a gin girl myself. I like a violet or a lavender gin.

Devon: Those sound amazing. Do you do them with tonic? Like Gin and tonic?

I do! I actually made drinks for some of my gal friends the other night, completely made it up, calling it the “Lavender Ambrosia” and it’s Violet gin with lavender simple syrup, Elderflower Liqueur and Elderflower Tonic Water, and a splash of lime.

Devon: Wait that sounds incredible— how do I get one of those? I want one of those!

It was a lot of fun, I feel like that’s a Some Like It Hot -era drink! Now why do you want people to come out and see Some Like It Hot? Because we’ve got lots happening in the world right now and I feel like we’ve got lots of people who don’t want to come out of their houses and I don’t necessarily blame them.

Devon: And I don’t blame them either. But if people need a good escape, need a place to laugh and forget the troubles of the world, but also to hear a beautiful message and to see some big Broadway dancing and some big Broadway music and just feel light again? Even if it’s just for a few hours? Our show is the thing for them. Because they will just leave feeling like there’s hope, like there’s love, and feeling joyful.

That makes me super excited about getting to see this show. Now you had mentioned earlier that you’re driving…meaning you’re not on the tour bus, is that right?

Devon: Correct! So the company will sometimes have a flight or there will be a bus, but we have our Honda Accord—

I have a Honda Fit!

Devon: No way! That’s awesome! Hondas are great cars, they’re super solid! They’re the best!

This is wild. Cats and cars, we’re practically sisters. I love it. So you’re in your Honda Accord on the road…

Devon: Yes and we’ve already got like 145,000 miles on it already. We got this Yakima skybox, it’s a storage box that goes on the roof, so we were able to fit everything in— including extra food and litter for Nikita. We drive— I think the longest day we’ve ever had has been a 12-hour day. Anything under ten hours and we’re like “oh yeah, that’s short, we can do that.” And before the tour there was a lot of “Oh my gosh, are we really going to be able to do this?” But now, I’m like “Oh— only six hours? That’s an easy day. We’ve got that.”

Oh wow. I love that. Where do you and the husband and Nikita call home when you’re not on the road?

Devon: I’m actually from California, originally, and my husband is from New Jersey. And right before the tour we were living just outside of Manhattan in Fort Lee, New Jersey. His parents are more in central Jersey and they have this big basement and they were so kind, they let us put a lot of our stuff in their big basement and we’re so grateful. I think we call New Jersey our home base. We are so lucky to have them, they are the best!

I am happy to hear that! That’s really great. You sound like you’re having a blast.

Devon: We really are. I’m really encouraging people to come out and see us, come see Some Like It Hot, it’s a night out, it’s a night at the theatre, it’s a night that they won’t forget. They’ll leave feeling really good after, hopefully, that’s our goal. I encourage everybody to come out and give it a shot!

Absolutely. If you had to sum up your whole experience of being on the road with Some Like It Hot as Minnie, with the husband and the cat, up to this point, using only one word, which word do you use?

Devon: The first word that came to mind when you were saying that was thrilling. That’s the first one— I’m trusting my gut— thrilling!

Some Like It Hot plays May 6^th through May 11^th 2025 on the Main Stage of The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center— 12 N. Eutaw Street in Baltimore’s Bromo Arts District. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 410-837-7400 or purchasing them in advance online.

*week ending Sunday April 27^th 2025

**Monday 4/28/25