Brandi Burkhardt – Hart of Dixie

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) Mostly, I’ve been doing “Hart of Dixie.” I also just finished doing a musical at UCLA. It was the world premiere of a pre-Broadway production of the story of Walt Disney. It was a musical called When You Wish, with original material.

Q) What can you tease is in store for Cricket on the remaining episodes this season of “Hart of Dixie?”

A) It is interesting that she is now in charge of The Belles. It’s not quite her forte, but she has spent enough time with Lemon to understand what it takes to be the leader of The Belles. She experiments with trying to put that on and make it work. She is so genuine and has good intentions. She doesn’t quite follow through as well as Lemon does though. So, we’ll see a little bit of that happening.

Q) What was it about the role of Cricket that made you want to be a part of the show?

A) It developed in such a unique way! My role was supposed to be five lines in one episode back in Season 1 and it turned into three years. You go on auditions and you don’t necessarily know where the characters are going. I liked the scripts that Leila [Gerstein], our creator, had made and our writers. They keep writing such interesting storylines that challenge us as actors. That keeps us interested as people and as actors it challenges us. There is no way to foresee that when you are going in for five lines, but the fact that it has evolved for three years is wonderful. The girl who plays Annabeth (Kaitlyn Black) and I are good friends. We met on the show! It is kind of funny that you take some steps forward and life kind of unfolds as you walk. It’s been a nice surprise!

Q) What has been the most challenging aspect of your role?

A) I actually come from a musical theater background and I was on Broadway in Mama Mia! and A Tale of Two Cities. I do musicals and while dancingisn’t my favorite thing to do, I do really like that we have all the musical numbers on our show. I think I am a little bit smarter than Cricket is so that is a little hard. So, I’m like, “How can she not see this?! It’s very obvious!” It takes the thought of your head to give her some logic and that sometimes is a little complicated. You want to get from Point A to Point B with some kind of thought, but you are like, “Hold on, Cricket wouldn’t think that.” It’s really just putting her head on my shoulders.

Q) Was there anything about the role that you added that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) I think that as the writers get to know us on set and as we work on their material it becomes a conversation that we’re not having directly, but as they start to know our sensibilities like if we’re singers, dancers or play guitar they try to write to our strengths. They try to write things for the actors that play the part. That’s one of the really great things about being on a show that has had quite a few seasons. The writers do get to know the actors and then they are writing specifically for your strengths.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming “Hart of Dixie?”

A) I liked when Cricket actually took over The Belles. She confronts Lemon and tries to Lemon, Lemon. Then, Lemon is way too smart for that! That was really fun! Cricket got a little bitchy and territorial and that was fun because she tries her best and means so well that when it comes out bad it’s really fun to play. It’s when her good intentions fall apart.

Q) Who are some of the upcoming guest stars that you can tease?

A) We have Ryan McPartlin coming up. We have Robert Buckley who was on “One Tree Hill.”

Q) What do you think it is about “Hart of Dixie” that continues to make it such a fan favorite program?

A) I think that everybody knows thee characters in their hometown. Maybe they grew up with one of them or they are one of them. And I think that’s what makes any show a good show. Also, there is an innocence about Bluebell and everyone has such a good attitude. I think we’ve lost so much of that small town feel in our world today because we have the Internet. So much is accessible to us at a moment’s notice. To have such a small town where everybody knows each other is pretty special and one of the unique things about Bluebell that makes people like “Hart of Dixie.”

Q) You’re a part of social networking sites. Do you enjoy the instant feedback about the show that it provides you?

A) I go through cycles where I am really involved with Twitter and Instagram. I always give myself a little social media fast because I don’t want to get too far out of my immediate life. It’s really fun to be able to hear what the fans say and what relationships they like. That’s the great thing about theater. When you are doing theater, you get an immediate audience response. And that’s one of the things that Twitter has done, especially right when the show airs. It really gives us a sense of what the fans think and that’s really cool.

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) Thank you! Thank you so much for tuning in every week and being a part of these characters’ lives. These characters don’t live without our audience and our fans. That’s why we do it. It’s one thing to go in a room and make a TV show that no one sees. No one would ever want to do that! The whole point is for everyone out there. The fact that they tune in and choose our show over others in that timeslot is really great and we really appreciate. We hope you keep coming back for me because we want to keep doing it!