Annaliese Wilbur has performed in two musicals — the national tour of “Funny Girl,” and a regional production of “Pippin” at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham — since graduating in 2023 from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee with a degree in musical theater. They called both experiences “amazing,” but said being part of the upcoming world premiere of “Diary of a Tap Dancer,” at the American Repertory Theater Dec. 12-Jan. 4, is a next-level experience. “It’s an incredibly funny and heart-wrenching play,” said the 25-year-old West Bloomfield, Mich., native. “Theater lovers who don’t know a lot of tap dance will learn so much because it’s something they’ve never seen before and probably don’t know anything about.” “Diary of a Tap Dancer” is an autobiographical play about the life of trailblazing tap dancer and choreographer Ayodele Casel, who takes audiences on a journey through her life and reveals how tap and other African diasporic art has, throughout time, fueled resistance. Wilbur said the play, created by Casel and her longtime collaborator Torya Beard, pays homage and gives credit to the “incredible pioneers” who paved the way for Casel and others to pursue their craft despite obstacles. “This is the first piece of work I’ve ever seen dedicated to these women … whose stories have been whitewashed over time,” said Wilbur, one of eight performers in the show. “Hers is a story that needs to be told.” We caught up with Wilbur, who lives in New York City with roommates and hopes to adopt a pit bull or black lab — “and name her Pumpkin” — soon, to talk about all things travel.
If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go? I’ve been dying to hop a long flight over to Japan, India, and Thailand. I’m a huge fan of Japanese, Indian, and Thai food, but the culture and the community of each country is something I’d love to learn more about in person.
Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own? I prefer to book on my own because I love credit card rewards and I use them for all things travel.
Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation? I would love an unplugged vacation, but I’d have to be with a group, know the language, and/or feel safe wherever we’re traveling to be confident enough to be offline.
What has been your worst vacation experience? I traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and there was a monsoon that flooded our entire Airbnb and we were stranded inside with 2 inches of water everywhere in the apartment and over a foot of water outside trapping us in. All of our luggage and belongings were soaked. Not very fun.
What is your favorite childhood travel memory? My family used to travel to Mexico a lot when I was a kid and I always loved going because I could practice speaking Spanish with locals, and I was a huge fan of these colorful Talavera pottery animals that you could make — and the lead artist would add black detail work to it at the end to make it look beautiful. They are still some of my favorite vacation memorabilia.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all? I vacation to learn and for adventure. I’m a little crazy, but I don’t like to relax at all on vacation. I love to drop myself off in a city and just get lost and explore all day long, every day, until the end of the trip. I try to learn the language — at least conversationally — of each country before I go, so I can try to immerse myself with locals and explore all their historical monuments, buildings, shows, restaurants, etc., with respect. I want to adventure everywhere I can in the world and learn about as many cultures as possible before I die.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation? At the moment I’m deep into Emily Dickinson’s poetry and a sci-fi novel called “Ghosts and Ashes” by F.T. Lukens. I love anything science fiction, post-apocalyptic, and philosophy- or psychology-driven, so that’s what I’ll take with me.
If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be? I’ve never really thought about it. Honestly, I’d rather travel alone or with a best friend — or maybe a celebrity who speaks a lot of languages so we can talk to the locals and get out of the cities a bit.
What is the best gift to give a traveler? Oh my goodness — a universal adapter. Or a voltage converter. Or a two-in-one adapter/converter. My sister also gifted me a rechargeable portable battery and I’ve used it everywhere on long adventure days.
What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip? Chile-spiced mangos, peanut butter banana bars, Cheez-its, some Chomps sticks, and a cold Dr. Pepper.
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation? I had the most magical experience visiting Sagrada Familia in Spain and I took home a glass cup because I collect cold brew glasses from everywhere I go, but it is more beautiful than any piece I own. It has a blue stained-glass pattern on it that reminds me of those gorgeous windows and I love it so much. I also try to pick up cheesy bracelets or handmade leather bracelets from every city I loved visiting and I wear them every day on my wrists.
What is your favorite app/website for travel? My favorite source for travel recommendations is from @queerwomxnsocial on Instagram [where they] post about their experiences and favorite sites where they felt safe and welcome. I like hearing from people who directly experienced adventuring around said country as opposed to tourist or travel websites.
What has travel taught you? Travel has taught me gratitude, empathy, and the importance of human connection and community. Traveling always reminds me of what’s really important in life.
What is your best travel tip? Get off-grid a bit. For sure go see the big sites, but I always encourage people to talk to locals and get lost and immerse yourself in another world, culture, and language.
Juliet Pennington can be reached at [email protected].
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