A whirlwind year

A year's time: Laura Osnes and her rocket ride to Broadway stardom.

Last update: August 11, 2007 - 5:31 PM

Last summer, Laura Osnes finished a run at Eagan Community Theater as "Peter Pan." Since then:

• Osnes auditioned for the lead role of Sandy in "Grease" at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. "I didn't think I'd get it because they usually cast older for those parts," she said. Director Michael Brindisi never had a second thought and cast her.

• In November, Osnes heard that a Broadway revival of "Grease" would use a reality TV show to cast the leads. "I said, 'You have to understand that if you get on this TV show, you could win it,' " said Nate Johnson, now her husband.

• In December, after several rounds of auditions, Osnes learned that she would be one of the final seven contestants for Sandy. "She was not one of my front runners," said David Ian, who is producing "Grease."

• On Jan. 7, the show's first episode, Ian said he liked Osnes, but felt she wasn't tough enough for Broadway. Osnes said she wanted to stay positive. "I was like, you know, people don't want to work with strong-willed, snotty people," she said later. "I'm hoping my sweetness will take me somewhere."

• The next week, Andrew Lloyd Webber was a guest judge on the show and was "staggered" by Osnes singing "Jesus Christ Superstar."

• March 25, Osnes learned that she outpolled Ashley Spencer and would be headed to Broadway. "My heart is still thumping," she said over the phone. "My whole life is completely changed. I don't even know what comes next."

• May 11, Osnes and Johnson were married at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina.

• In early June, they loaded up a U-Haul and headed for New York.

• In late June, rehearsals started for "Grease." On July 24, Osnes took her first Broadway bow when the show previewed to a packed house at the 1,100-seat Brooks Atkinson Theatre. She and co-star Max Crumm spent more than 30 minutes at the stage door signing autographs and posing for photos.

GRAYDON ROYCE

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