We had the good fortune of connecting with Victoria Gordon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Victoria, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
From the time I was very little, I struggled to think and work the way other kids did. In fact, my preschool teachers once told my mom that I interacted more like an adult than a child! Because of that, I often retreated into my inner world and created fantasies for myself. My grandfather was a comedy writer, and he liked to encourage us to put on little performances and use our creativity to entertain each other (and probably him–he was quite a sport, chasing around two little girls!). And coming from a musical family, it didn’t take me long to become a musician myself. I began playing violin at four years old, and was performing around LA as a kid violinist before I was even a teenager. So between comedy and music and the myriad stories in my head, I was just born to be a creative. I can’t imagine doing anything else!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Someone once called me the Queen of Classic Showtunes and I’ve clung to that moniker ever since. What makes it such an accurate title is that it’s all about the fact that my style is classic. Not classical, but vintage. I sing older showtunes. The vast majority of my repertoire falls between the 60s and 80s, with some older songs and only one or two from the 21st century. I’m a throwback! And that applies to everything I do. When I was in fifth grade, I did a book report on Mary Tyler Moore and decided that I wanted to have my own MTM sitcom. I was devastated to discover that MTM was no more, but I write shows with the same wit and timelessness as my favorites from back in the day. And as an actress, it didn’t take me too long to pick up Shakespeare, but my favorite works I’ve done have been by Tennessee Williams and Oscar Wilde. Weirdly, things that are just a little before my time fit my life in a way that the contemporary world can’t always. And that’s a double-edged sword. Yes, it’s really cool to know that if someone wants to cast a period piece–even if that period is mid-20th century–or ask someone to sing the Cole Porter songbook, I’m your girl. And people still love classic sitcoms. But the question always is, do they want something edgy, du jour? Do they want to hear singer-songwriter music, or is a Sondheim cover going to do the trick? Is a present-day comedy that feels ageless going to impact audiences the same way just watching the old show does? It’s not always easy. But it’s what makes me unique. It’s what makes people seek me out. They want to see a new spin on their old favorites. It’s like opening a new vintage of your favorite wine: it’s familiar and you know you’ll love it, but it’s just a little different and exciting in its own way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a native of Los Angeles, I’ve had to do this many, many times! Here are some of my favorites:

  • Definitely visit Urth Caffe in Beverly Hills! Yes, you’ll wait in line. Yes, it’s utterly worth it.
  • While you’re in Beverly Hills, stop by Virginia Robinson Gardens. It’s not only a gorgeous oasis in a big city, but it’s also an amazing historical exploration of vintage LA. Plus, you’ll get the best photos in town!
  • Stop by my favorite museum, the Getty Center, for amazing views of the city and some of the best art in town!
  • Take in a concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The LA Philharmonic is one of the best symphonies in the world, and Disney Hall is a special place. Plus, you can now say you know the youngest-ever singer to perform there (that’s me!)
  • While you’re downtown, take a look at the classic LA architecture, and see how the old (the Oviatt Building, the Bradbury Building) meshes with the newer (The Westin Bonaventure) and the new (the JW Marriott and LA Live). It’s a pretty special place!
  • Yes, you should go to the Grove, but check out its cooler little sibling, the Palisades Village, and grab some amazing California-Italian food at Porta Via, which is probably my favorite place in town (and no, this is not an ad. I really, really love Porta Via!)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have so many! My family, of course–my parents, my sister, my grandparents, and my dog, all of whom have been endlessly supportive. My voice coach of 11 years, Hannah Anders, who has been by my side for so much of this journey. The Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop, which was where I learned how to be funny and how to write classic comedy. And all the people who’ve inspired my journey, but amongst those people, I want to give a special shoutout to a random one: Debby Boone. When I was about 12, Debby referred me to her voice coach. That was the first affirmation that I got that I had the ability to be more than just another voice in the choir. I’m so grateful to Debby for putting her faith in me back then! It was literally a life-changing decision.

Website: www.thevictoriagordon.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thevictoriagordon

Youtube: bit.ly/victoriagordon

Image Credits
Brad Buckman, Ryan Griswold, Matt Kamimura, Teren Oddo

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