Mikayla Petrilla Talks About Hosting 54 Below’s Upcoming Planned Parenthood Event

Calling all musical theatre lovers!

Actress and performer Mikayla Petrilla is set to appear in an amazing upcoming event! She is the host of 54 Below’s Planned Parenthood event on November 28th, which features performances from some of our favorite Broadway stars.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Mikayla about her favorite Broadway musicals, working on SNL, and more!

What are you most excited for when hosting 54 BELOW?

M: “Thanks for having me on New Scene! 54 has been at the helm of bringing the arts community together for some time now. It’s boasted unforgettable evenings with Broadway talent that my inner child has long- looked up to. To join those ranks is thrilling, especially for this important cause! 54 is such a safe space for vulnerability and creative growth – to bring the community together in this way on this stage with this creative team makes me feel incredibly humbled, excited and grateful. Jennifer Tepper and team are fighting the good fight.”

What made you want to host the show?

M: “I’ve long enjoyed performing and hosting in the cabaret environments in NYC and internationally. Interacting with an audience through banter and song is always a blast. Pre-pandemic times I found joy in hosting through participating in friends’ McKittrick Follies, a whimsical cabaret show at Sleep No More, and during the pandemic I’ve been able to work with my friend Matias Letelier who is a Chilean illusionist for virtual and in-person events for the Hard Rock Cafe, Google, Amazon, and more! 

When the world shut down in 2020, both venues and creatives in NYC suffered without outlets to perform. As soon as it was safe to do so, I started booking venues to bring the community back together. At first this was purely to bring a little light back to the city, but as I began my work I realized an opportunity to use cabaret shows to try and raise funds and awareness for reproductive healthcare. When Roe v Wade was overturned, I was angry, disheartened, and my fire was lit to do something. While contemplating how I can take actionable steps to support reproductive healthcare with what resources I had available to me. I have a background in marketing and thought to employ my full skill set beyond just performing to use this fire to make a benefit series and raise some funds. When I pitched this to venues, I was pleased to find they were as interested in producing this type of work as I was. The series grew, the talent grew, and here we are.”

Who are you most looking forward to talking to?

M: “We’ve got an all-star cast so this is really difficult! Taylor Iman Jones will be starting performances of SIX the week following our show, Tramell Tillman is currently filming season two of Severance on Apple TV+, and Sarah Steele just wrapped The Good Fight. While I’m sure they can’t share spoilers, I’m looking forward to chatting with them about what inspires and empowers them, especially as they’ve been so gracious with their time to join us for this show amidst some pretty busy schedules. 

And while we’re on busy schedules: Allie Trimm is spending her (only) night off from Wicked to sing, Jelani is currently in Abu Dhabi reprising Simba in the international tour of The Lion King, Charissa Hogeland is working with Disney promoting the national tour of Frozen, and T. Oliver Reid has 20+ years of Broadway under his belt, co-founded the Black Theatre Coalition, just worked on BROS and WHITE NOISE, is an adjunct professor at NYU, AND just made the 2022 Out100. 

Saige Noelle Bryan is working on the music video for her newest single while performing, Everton Ricketts is in a musical workshop in the city and working with SNL, and Robert Peterpaul just filmed the late show with Stephen Colbert, a movie in LA, a musical workshop, his podcast the Art of Kindness, AND got married all in the same week. These humans are powerhouses. I look forward to speaking to them all about how they balance work-life, what lights their fire, and thank them for inspiring our community.”

If you could describe in three words what supporting Planned Parenthood means to you, what would they be?

M: “Non-negotiable. Purposeful. Hope.”

Who would be a dream co-host of yours?

M: “Oh gosh. Could we call Jane Krakowski in? That’d be a blast. Do I have the ability to revive the dead? Because Bette Davis and Jessica Walter are very much up here. I’d also love to achieve enough acclaim in my life to be invited to a lip sync battle with Jimmy Fallon, so – if he wants to host with me instead and slip in a lip sync battle in there, just know I’m ready.”

Aside from hosting 54 BELOW, you have been on “Saturday Night Live”, what is one of your favorite memories from that experience?

M: “I have! They give me a ring when they need folks for scenes beyond their usual cast of characters. It’s a wonderful opportunity. There was one day I got to be the rehearsal stand-in for Billie EIlish, which doesn’t have stage time glory if you’re looking for me on a screen – sorry mom – but did give me a very long and fruitful day at 30 Rock over the holidays working with the principal cast. They were doing pre-recorded sketches, and since Billie was both host and musical guest and had to run through her songs in 8H, I got to be fake Billie for all the sketch rehearsals. I also got to be Bowen Yang for a moment but dare I say, no one can be Bowen. 

Anywhoo – the floor overlooks the glistening Christmas tree, the cast and crew are super gracious and cool, and I honestly really enjoyed learning about how they handle the ebb and flow of writing and recording sketches with very little turnaround. Learned a lot that day and am grateful for the experience.”

What is your favorite Broadway musical?

M: “I’m a Libra and will blame this for not being able to make a choice and pick just one:

Growing up, it was belting Wicked on repeat on my portable CD player in the courtyard of my Jersey Shore apartment. Sub out the Jersey Shore apartment and CD player for vinyl and Brooklyn and this still tracks. 

I’m long-inspired by the works of Stephen Sondheim. Who isn’t? Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, Merrily, Company, Sweeney, Gypsy…the list goes on. His music moves me.

Recently inspired by the works of Dave Molloy, Anais Mitchell (of Hadestown — listen to her studio album with Justin Vernon from Bon Iver, then NYTW, then Broadway for a journey), and my friend Kate Douglas who is working on some wonderful musical projects right now — look out for her.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

M: “You are too kind. You can find me online @mikaylapetrilla or check out my website www.mikaylapetrilla.com – love connecting with new folks. If you’d like to see our show at 54 Below, you can visit https://54below.com/events/54-sings-for-planned-parenthood/. It would be great to see you there in person or on our live stream!”

Trina Hannah- Entertainment Editor/Graphic Designer– Trina is currently studying Graphic Design at Siena Heights University, she is into all things digital media such as video editing, photography and more! She loves getting to express herself through her work and hopes that it can make people smile as well as inspire them to be creative.