Kether Donohue

How does this production put its spin on a musical as iconic as Grease?

The writers were very much a part of our rehearsal process and have done a great job. They’d add jokes that were specific to Keke Palmer’s voice as Marty or my voice as Jan. There are also some jokes that are relevant to today’s generation–it’s very hip.

Are you nervous about live TV?

I’m excited! What we’re doing is revolutionary–yes, they’ve had live [musical] shows on TV, but no one’s ever done it for a live [in studio] audience. The director, Thomas Kail, I mean, he directed Hamilton! He’s a genius, and what he’s doing is really epic. We’re shooting on multiple soundstages. Normally theater is kind of static. This is very much a 360-degree world that’s alive. It’s a concert, a play and a movie all in one.

Do you have any good-luck rituals?

What’s been so exciting for the cast is how much we embrace spontaneity. Before all the Pink Ladies are in a scene, we make sure to be on the same page in terms of the energy we have as a group. Our ritual has become bonding: something as little as cracking up with the girls can really go a long way.

You’re the Worst took a dark turn last season as one character struggled with depression. What was it like watching the show reinvent itself?

The older I get, the more I’m realizing how much I want to be a part of something meaningful. Fans of the show started to open up to us about their own depression and how watching the show literally helped them get through their week. I’m just honored to be a part of that.

–NOLAN FEENEY