Janel Parrish Was Born a Broadway Baby

We’re pretty sure that Janel Parrish was actually born singing show tunes — and we have no problem with that whatsoever.

The actress, who is headed back to the stage as Sandy in Grease in Toronto, opened up to Broadway World about how she got started singing in the first place — and the story is just as cute as you can imagine.

“My dad loves to tell this story,” she confesses. “I must have been five? They loved musical theatre, so really, I thank them (and I blame them).”

Janel continues, “They were listening to Phantom of the Opera while taking me to pre-school and my dad heard singing in the background (on the high note in “Think of Me”). And he was like, ‘What was that?’ Meanwhile, I was just in the back, living my best life – singing.”

“I don’t remember that obviously, but I do remember always loving musical theatre and wanting to sing-along in the car.”

And from there, a twinkle started, which quickly turned into a fire.

Click inside for more of Janel’s story…

“Because of that experience, they took me to see Phantom of the Opera. It was the first musical I had ever saw on stage and I was just transfixed.”

Janel adds, “Apparently I just turned to my parents and said, ‘I want to do that.’ So they let me audition for Les Mis�rables, and that was it. I was bit by the Broadway bug.”

She also opened up about being on Broadway in Les Mis [she played young Cosette] and her decision to leave it behind to be an eight-year-old.

“That was life. It was amazing, and I wish I could remember more. When I look back at pictures, it almost seems like it didn’t happen, because I was so young.”

Janel adds, “I just remember being a little girl, touring and then going to Broadway – and then being like, ‘You know what? I want to see my friends and go back to school.’ My parents being like, ‘Are you sure?’ And me being like, ‘Yeah, I want to go be… eight.’”

“We came back to Hawaii, and I did some musical theatre and regional theatre there. I remember saying to my parents, ‘Oh, I miss Les Mis, can I go back now?’” she says. “And they were like, ‘No, that’s not how it works.’”