The nationwide tour of the hit Broadway musical Possibly Joyful Ending performs on the Nationwide Theatre October 6 to 11. Winner of six Tony Awards (together with Greatest Musical), the play follows two retired helper bots, Claire and Oliver. The pair fall in love and embark on an enlightening street journey to South Korea’s Jeju Island. Possibly Joyful Ending is directed by Michael Arden, with ebook, music, and lyrics by Will Aronson and Hue Park. Forward of the musical’s extremely anticipated run on the Nationwide Theatre, DC Theater Arts’ Julia Tucker caught up with Mia Nicole Nelson (standby for Claire and Gil Brentley), who’s making her nationwide tour debut within the manufacturing. (This interview has been edited for readability, size, and movement.)
Julia Tucker: You make your nationwide tour debut in Possibly Joyful Ending, which may be very thrilling! How did this chance come about, and what does it imply to you to be making your nationwide tour debut in such a celebrated manufacturing?
Mia Nicole Nelson: I simply really feel so honored. It happened after I acquired a request at college, as a result of I used to be in my sophomore 12 months at Shenandoah College on the time. I went via a collection of in-person and Zoom work periods and occurred to get the function via that. It’s simply been a dream come true attending to create our new model of the present. Now, we’re at our third metropolis, and so it’s been very particular to get to see the way it’s been affecting audiences in not simply New York.
The place have been you while you came upon you have been solid, and what was that second like?
It’s really a very comic story. I used to be in a manufacturing of A Refrain Line in Colorado on the time, and we have been in tech rehearsals. I used to be watching “The Music and the Mirror,” and I occurred to select up my telephone. I noticed that I had a missed name and an electronic mail, and I came upon that I booked it via that. I rushed outdoors, and I simply began crying. It was simply a tremendous second.
You might be presently a junior Musical Theatre scholar at Shenandoah Conservatory. How do you stability your research with acting on a nationwide tour, and what have been the best challenges and rewards of this journey?
Truthfully, it’s nonetheless one thing that I’m studying and rising with day-after-day as I strive to determine this schedule. I feel designating a sure time of the day to essentially sit and work on every thing has been a problem as a result of it’s been so loopy, and we’re actually within the thick of it with our standby work proper now. I feel as soon as we get previous that and actually settle into the roles, it’s going to be a lot simpler. Nevertheless it’s been rewarding as a result of I get to take every thing I’ve realized from the previous two years and use it within the room and with the present — I really feel like I’m always studying a lot. It’s been a really rewarding course of, however it may be slightly loopy at occasions understanding that I’ve an project arising and I’m doing the present.
Because the standby for each Claire and Gil Brentley, you will have the distinctive problem of being ready to step into two very totally different roles, typically on quick discover. How has this expertise formed you as an artist, and what have you ever realized from getting ready for these contrasting characters?
I feel I’ve realized quite a bit. I began with Claire, and he or she’s only a beast. It’s been a lot enjoyable, however we’ve had nice leaders, they usually’ve given us a terrific period of time to work on this. I feel what I’ve realized from each Claire and Gil is the significance of creating the function your individual. I feel what makes the present so particular is that it’s totally different regardless of the pairing and regardless of who you see within the function. I’ve seen the present with three totally different Claires and Olivers, and it’s been so totally different each time. I feel it’s impressed me to essentially make it my very own, each as Claire and Gil. Sort of attending to create my very own Gil has been a complete totally different expertise, and I can’t wait to get to go on and carry out with whoever I get to see as Oliver.
You have been a semifinalist on the 2023 Jimmy Awards. How did your expertise on the Jimmys assist put together you for the Possibly Joyful Ending alternative and your broader skilled profession?
I really feel so lucky to say I’ve gotten to go to the Jimmy Awards — I feel that it’s set me up very effectively. It was a really intense, however very rewarding course of. In these 10 days or in order that we acquired to be there, they actually set us up for what it’s to be skilled within the room, and I feel I’ve carried that via school and thru now — it’s one thing that simply caught with me. I really feel actually fortunate to say that I’ve gotten to be taught that early — to learn the way issues work within the room and find out how to make connections.
What recommendation would you give to aspiring performers who’re hoping to pursue a profession in musical theaterr, and what do you hope audiences take away from Possibly Joyful Ending?
The recommendation I’d give is to belief your instincts and belief your self, as a result of I feel that’s one thing I’d’ve all the time preferred to listen to. I’m somebody who’s actually exhausting on myself, and I do know that’s a factor — particularly with actors on this enterprise. However you realize what you’re doing, and it’s best to belief that you realize what you’re doing and that you simply’re there for a motive. My mother noticed the present the opposite day, and he or she mentioned one thing that I feel I’m excited for all audiences throughout America to get to really feel. She mentioned that it’s a present that simply sticks with you, and it’s a present that makes you’re feeling, and you’ll’t cease desirous about it for some time. I’m excited for audiences to get to have that a part of Possibly Joyful Ending, as a result of I’m positive lots of people don’t even know what it’s about or what to anticipate. I’m actually excited for us to get to share this particular present with them.
Working Time: One hour and 40 minutes, no intermission.
Possibly Joyful Ending performs October 4 to 11, 2028, on the Nationwide Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. Performances are Tuesday–Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and seven:30 p.m. Tickets ($87–$239) can be found on-line or by calling Broadway at The Nationwide at (202) 628-6161.
Really helpful for ages 8 and up.
Forged and inventive credit for the nationwide tour can be found right here.
Possibly Joyful Ending
Directed by Michael Arden
E book, music, and lyrics by Will Aronson and Hue Park
