PERSONALITY PEEKS:
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
by FRANK O'DONNELL
November 8, 2007
Denise Nolin is adjusting. “This is my first time working for Disney,” said the Providence native, who’s traveling with the touring company of “High School Musical,” opening at the Providence Performing Arts Center on November 20. “I’m used to adult audiences.”
The last time Nolin was close to Rhode Island, she was touring with “The Producers.”
“These audience members are between the ages of 5 and 13,” she said in our recent phone interview. “They can’t wait to come to the theatre to see this show. And the show’s great. Which means, they’re going to want to come back to the theatre. It’s a great introduction for them.”
Before landing the stand-by role for the show’s drama teacher, Miss Darbus, Nolin wasn’t familiar with the show. “I had no idea how big a phenomenon this ‘High School Musical’ was. I don’t have kids of my own.”
She’s one of only a handful of adults in the cast. The other actors range in age from 19 to 25. “They call me Mama. Because it’s usually prefaced by Hot Mama, I think I’m okay with that.”
In many ways, she serves as a sort of den mother for the younger members of the cast. “They come to me for advice, often, on talking to agents and managers. They know there’s a shoulder to lean on. It’s very sweet.”
Fortunately for Nolin, the folks in company management are her age, “so I’ve got someone to go out with to the Oyster Bar.”
Nolin’s looking forward to being home, and spending some time with her family. She’ll have Thanksgiving dinner at her sister’s house in North Providence, then scoot off to PPAC to prepare for the Thursday night show.
As a stand-by, she doesn’t get to perform too often. “Ellen (Harvey, who plays Miss Darbus) is very old school, like me. You work. I’ve been on for her eight times total since June, with three more lurking. That’s all I know about right now.”
Even if she’s not scheduled to appear, Nolin has to be there for every show, ready to go on at a moment’s notice. “If the actor knows she’s sick, she has to tell me as soon as possible. Like at 3 o’clock, she’s not feeling good, I get the call. That’s what happened in Chicago. Very rarely is it a surprise.”
So there’s a lot of down time, but she’s okay with that. “After two years with ‘The Producers,’ my body was in pain. Maybe this is the universe saying, ‘Here’s a little money, relax a little, Denise.’”
Not that she’s sitting around. “I end up being the social planner. It’s a different job to wrap my head around. I’m not used to doing nothing.”
She knits slippers and sells them to the cast. She’s learning German on tape. “While we were in East Lansing, I opened up a café in my apartment. I served 33 breakfasts in an hour and a half.”
She tries to come up with fun things that will keep the cast unified. “The road is tough, especially for kids. I try to show them, everyone’s a family here.”
[Disney’s “High School Musical” runs November 20 thru 25 at PPAC. Call (401) 421-ARTS, or check out ppacri.org for tickets and more information.]
Reprinted with permission from The Valley Breeze
