Out Of Her Shell And Confident On Stage: Young Newtown Actor Part Of 'Godspell' In Brookfield
The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts (TBTA) will continue its 58th season with a production of Godspell, the energetic musical by Stephen Schwartz that debuted off-Broadway in 1971 before going on to become a three-time Grammy and Academy Award-winning show.
TBTA will be performing the “revival” version of the show, which opened in 2011. Director Mensah Robinson has even added additional updates to the local production, including the performance of Pharrell’s “Happy,” and impressions of Donald Trump and characters from Lord of The Rings, according to Julia Bogdanoff.
Julia, 15, is very familiar with the upcoming production, considering she — and 11 other regional actors — have been in rehearsals for the TBTA production since February. The Newtown High School sophomore is, in the tradition of Godspell — where most of the characters’ first names are simply the first name of the actor playing them — playing Julia in the upcoming production. Her solo is “Oh Bless The Lord, My Soul.”
The Brookfield show has Godspell set on a playground, said Julia. The actors portray middle school age students learning the parables found in The Gospel According to St Matthew.
“Jesus comes in and teaches us the parables,” she said. “He starts us off with a story, and we finish it.”
Marcelo Calderon is playing Jesus Christ, and Joel Baglia has the role of Judas Iscariot.
The production will also feature Rob Bassett, whose solo is “We Beseech Thee”; Karl Hinger, an ensemble member; Brooke Morris (“Day By Day”), John Mudgett (“Light of the World”), Emily Seibert (“Turn Back, O Man”), Ryan J. Taylor (“All Good Gifts”), Kate Valiska (“On The Willows”), Erin West Reed (“Learn Your Lessons Well”), and Alexis Willoughby (“By My Side”).
The show formally opens Friday, May 8. The final dress rehearsal on May 7 doubled as a free preview performance for area senior citizens.
“I’m always very excited for opening night,” Julia said this week. Seated in a small office inside The Bee building, she smiled as she talked about months of rehearsals about to culminate in 13 public performances, and her love of being on a stage. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, streaks of blue showing through in areas.
“I was asked if I would dye by hair blue for the show,” she said. “‘Sure,’ I thought. Why not?”
When asked if she performs regularly, she laughed and said, “I do a lot of theater work.”
Julia has been doing shows since second grade, and began voice lessons when she was in fifth grade. Dance lessons started at Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet, where she studied ballet for seven years, before shifting to The Lisa Mennilli Dance Academy in Monroe. Julia currently takes private lessons from the school’s namesake, as well as classes with other students. Tapping is her favorite style of dance.
She has also been involved in the spring musicals at Newtown High School, having played the Cinematographer in this spring’s production of City of Angels and one of the Lost Boys in 2014’s Peter Pan, during her freshman year.
One of Julia’s first performances was while she was in sixth grade. She had a role in the ensemble for Oliver when it was presented as the 2011 season finalé for Musicals at Richter, the outdoor summer theater experience in Danbury. NHS Choral Director Jane Matson played Mrs Sowerberry in that production. Ms Matson has in recent years been serving as director of the high school’s spring musical presentations, so there is a feeling of familiarity and comfort between the two actors.
Although she sits up straight and exudes confidence now, Julia says that inner strength had to be found. She credits vocal instructor Sabrina Post, owner of Sabrina’s Encore Productions in Newtown, for making her “what I am now.”
“When I was younger, I definitely had a shell when I started with her,” said Julia. “I was self conscious in many ways.”
Ms Post said this week that while Julia may have arrived at her South Main Street performance studio five years ago “with practically no voice, she had a fantastic outlook and she was driven. She wanted this badly.”
Then a fifth grade student, Julia showed tremendous potential. For her first show with SEP, Julia was cast as The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.
While surprised to find herself with such a prominent role, it was an important step for the young actor.
“I love to perform. I came out of my shell, and I haven’t gone back inside,” she added.
Her acting coach agrees.
“She works so hard, she listens, she is committed,” Ms Post said. “Julia has a great attitude. She doesn’t always expect the lead, and she is always looking for projects. Even in rehearsals, she never gives less than 100 percent.”
In Brookfield lately, actors have been running through full performances of Godspell most recently, said Julia.
“Rehearsals have been great,” she said Tuesday afternoon. “We have a solid show.”
Performances of Godspell at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts will run May 8-30. Curtain is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 pm.
Sunday afternoon matinees are also planned for May 17 and 24, at 2 pm; the second matinee is already sold out, however.
General admission tickets for all shows are $20 adults, $15 children.
TBTA’s theater is at 184 Whisconier Road in Brookfield Center. Call 860-350-4007 or visit brookfieldtheatre.org for tickets and additional information.