Christina Bianco did not achieve widespread notoriety until a video post on YouTube transformed her career.
“I had posted videos on YouTube and someone in the UK reached out to me and asked if I would perform in London,” she says. “On a whim, I posted my impressionist interpretation of Total Eclipse of the Heart, singing voices, and in two days, it had over 2 million views.”
“All of a sudden, my show at the Hippodrome sold out,” she adds. “It changed my career because once the YouTube videos hit, people recognized me and it opened up an audience beyond New York’s avid theatergoers.”
Bianco has been performing professionally since she was a child exploring the opportunities offered by the culturally rich environment of New York City. However, she says it was a Disney film that changed her life.
“The Little Mermaid was the first music that resonated with me, and I knew I wanted to sing,” she says. “My all-time favorite movies are The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, and I believe it is one of the greatest musicals ever.”
Drama Darling
- “Theater is where I started as a kid, and theater is the first medium to open its arms to me and give me work. I owe theater everything and would love to go back to doing theater someday.”
- “I was in Palm Springs once before, I believe. I was Dora on Dora the Explorer Live Tour. It was one of my first jobs out of college and it was great…it put me in a position to see the country.”
- “I was cast in Forbidden Broadway, the Off-Broadway hit, acting and singing, but I never thought impressions in shows would lead me to this part of my career.”
Diva Moments
Bianco’s success in Forbidden Broadway, the comic spoof on contemporary Broadway celebrities and shows, gave her the confidence to begin work on a solo show. She had always sung all types of music to maintain versatility for gaining more roles.
“I noticed audiences liked the Forbidden Broadway shows, and I thought about Broadway’s iconic divas for my own show,” Bianco says. “Doing impressions has enabled me to sing every style of music in one show.”
Bianco’s show, Diva Moments, showcases her comedic acting, singing, and impressionist skills in an intimate cabaret format. She entertains with jokes and belts out tunes infusing voices from legendary artists like Celine Dion, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Julie Andrews, Adele, Gwen Stefani, and even Britney Spears.
Her show has played to sold out audiences and she says, “It’s a wonderful feeling. The first time a sold-out audience was coming to see me I thought, ‘I can build an audience with this using other voices, but half my own so the audience can get to know me’."
Get to know Christina
- "I’m 4-foot-11. I’m funny but I have a big voice. I’m 100 percent Italian."
- "I love food. Italian food, spaghetti or fettuccini Bolognese. I love a big grande, with all the works, shredded chicken burrito. I like the Indian dish, Chicken Tikka Masala."
- "I’m a big reader. I like books about books. I like a story where someone has to look for a book or is reading a book."
- "I love people watching and taking walks in the city. I like to walk my dog, Jeff, a schnauzer poodle mix, well really they call him a ‘schnoodle’. It’s a great excuse to wander and explore."
Bianco’s fame has led to gigs in TV, variety shows, and acting. While she says she would like to do more symphony work, do Broadway, or a West End show, audiences can see her talent on VH1’s new show, The Best of the 2000s, where she will be a “talking head” making comments as a pundit.
She has also been cast in Rainn Wilson’s (The Office) web series, The Impression Guy, as someone playing an impressionist. Her ultimate goal, however, is to pay homage to another special Disney character dear to her heart.
“I should get someone at Disney to write me Thumbelina,” she says. “Now, that would be my dream come true.”
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