Leslie Bellair brings baby bump to Horizon’s ‘Avenue Q’ remount

• Horizon Theatre
• ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: Leslie Bellair (center) on ‘Avenue Q’

Initally I interviewed Leslie Bellair for last year’s Fall Arts Issue, in advance of her appearance in Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them at Actor’s Express. Bellair had to withdraw from the play, however, upon learning that the role’s physical demands, including a fall, were incompatible with her attempts to conceive. Bellair and her husband expect their first baby in late May, but before then she’ll appear in Horizon Theatre’s remount of Avenue Q (opening Jan. 13), with some adjustments to her costume as Christmas Eve. Bellair first earned local notice by playing the title role of Mulan for the Alliance Children’s Theatre, and works as a certified speech pathologist for her day job. Bellair’s answer to my first question proved prophetic.

What’s next for you after the Actor’s Express play?
My original plan was for last summer’s Avenue Q to be my last play before I started trying to have a child. I was talked into doing A Chorus Line last Aug. 4-Sept. 4 at Aurora Theatre, which has a lot of dance involved. Why not go out with a show that would challenge me physically? Horizon has official plans to remount Avenue Q, so I’ll be reprising Christmas Eve. It’ll work with the character if I have a baby bump.

What’s your background?

My mother is Chinese and my father is Caucasian — they met in Taiwan. I grew up in Georgia and feel like I have a connection to my Chinese heritage. Growing up, my mother taught at the Chinese community center, so my sister and I took Chinese and went to a Chinese summer camp. I feel a very good connection to that. It’s very easy to tap into an Asian character.