Jennifer, let’s talk about how you started in the entertainment business. 

I’d been singing my whole, young life.  I’m from Texas, and my mother had a special love for music.  She was my voice teacher, you could say, but mostly we did it for fun.  I would sing in church.  I would go to dance classes.

[For a pageant], I did a little song.  I was really nervous the whole time.  It was my first real performance with any kind of pressure involved.  I basically won the singing part, but I totally messed up all the modeling and all the stage presence.  That was when I was seven.  But, I decided I wanted to keep going.

And, the “Mickey Mouse Club?”

When I was 10 years old, I auditioned for Disney Channel’s new “Mickey Mouse Club.”  And actually, before that, there was going to be a movie produced in California called “Why? Because We Like You” about the original Mouseketeers, and I was cast as Darlene.  But the writer’s strike of the ‘80s happened, so the movie didn’t happen.  But because of that, my tape was forwarded to the final auditions for the new “Mickey Mouse Club.”

What did you enjoy most about working on the “Mickey Mouse Club?”

As far as the business goes, we met so many musical celebrities.  Two of my favorites were Boyz II Men and TLC.  We all got to travel to the inaugural Special for the Young when [former President Bill] Clinton was inaugurated the first time.  Will Smith introduced us.  I sat next to Celine Dion and Vanessa Williams, so the people that you met were really exciting…  I just really enjoyed working and learning at my personal best.  I loved all the music.  You could also step into one room and be a video star.  You could step into another room and be a recording artist and you could go somewhere else and be a comedy star…  We were such a good family of everyone the same age.  I personally had a whole lot of fun.

What made you come back to The Walt Disney Company and Epcot VYBE?

I was in New York about a year after I graduated.  Around Halloween of 2000, I had prepared to go home because I missed my family.  I’d been away for five years.  I was very close to my mother.  She was my favorite human, definitely just a rock for me, so I wanted to be close to her.  I came down not knowing any contacts, so I looked in the Florida [casting calls], starting from scratch … I was helping out a friend at a benefit and [Walt Disney Entertainment Casting Director] Mike Korkis saw me and suggested I come audition.

How do you like performing in Epcot VYBE?

I love it.  I’ve stayed here for so long because VYBE was another level I hadn’t reached yet as far as a capella and blending… I laugh every day because of the crazy people who work here, and it really reminded me of the eclectic, extreme group of talented and same-age type of individuals I had the privilege of working with on the “Mickey Mouse Club,” so I feel at home again.

We’ve branched out from Americana, so we have more of today’s pop and jazz.  It’s more about popular music or music we feel challenges us, and also defines great music… music that makes everyone happy and laugh and affords us interaction with families, and lots of audience participation.  We want to give them a good time, but we also want them to be excited about what they’re hearing.

Do people recognize you from the “Mickey Mouse Club?”

Yeah.  I wasn’t in last week and a Voices of Liberty member told me he had at least three people come up to him and asked if I was here.  Some people will be in the audience and go, “That’s…”  I really appreciate my fans and I’m really glad they can come to Disney again and see me here in a different light.  It’s a great tie-in that a product from Disney is what made them come in and see this show now.