Interview: Hope Nordquist of FOOTLOOSE at NorShor Theatre

The 80s are back with this rockin' musical, jam packed with all your favorite powerhouse hit songs from the era, such as "Holding Out For A Hero,", "Let's Hear It For The Boy", "Almost Paradise," and of course, "Footloose!" Join Ren as he moves to a new town and shares his love of music and dancing. FOOTLOOSE is a celebration of youthful innocence, the importance of listening to one another, and the healing power of forgiveness. This explosive and dynamic production is a celebration of individual expression and the power of music and dance.

We chat with Hope Nordquist who plays Ariel in NorShor Theatre's production of Footloose about her role and the production.

How does it feel to have live audiences and theatres back?

It's incredibly exciting! I've been able to perform a little bit, but not really in the context of a full show, and I'm a little nervous I've forgotten how to do it!

What inspired you to pursue theatre and performing?

I've always been innately curious, and one of my favorite things about theatre is getting to explore a life and an experience that isn't necessarily my own. When I was little, I always knew I wanted to be an actor, but I also wanted to be a chef, a lawyer, a surgeon, and every single career under the sun. I always say that my favorite thing about being an actor is that I get to do all of those things within one profession. I've also been singing and dancing and putting on shows for my family since I was little. It was kind of the only natural path for me!

How does it feel to be playing your character?

I have loved Footloose since I was a kid, I used to listen to Jennifer Laura Thompson on the original cast recording, and all I wanted to do is wear red cowboy boots and sing Holding Out For A Hero. It's also really special to me to be able to portray a character that has typically been seen played by white actors, as I don't often get considered for those roles. Ariel Moore is also a character that is close to my heart, I spent a lot of my teen years being called rebellious but I really just was trying to figure out who I was and what independence looked like for me.

How does this role compare to other roles you've played?

This role is actually the first time I've gotten to play a romantic lead in a musical in my decade-long career. It's been a really exciting challenge. I never really saw myself as an ingenue and it's been really fun to be able to be 30 years old and play a character I was never sure fit me.

What was your process for developing your character?

To be honest, I didn't do a lot of development per se. I studied at The Stella Adler Studio in NYC and the way that my incredible teachers there encouraged us to work was by really creating a strong foundation of knowledge in order to really get to the vulnerability and heart of a character. Some of the things I've been thinking about a lot as I work are the way that pop culture of the 80s was very escapist and the story that we're telling has some darker elements of loss, grief, and abuse and the music is so nostalgic and exciting. The opposition of those elements has been really interesting to explore and play with. I also, as a Korean American actor, have really been trying to infuse some of my work with the experience of being a person of color in small town Texas in the 80s. I also am working with two amazing actors playing my parents, Christina Stroup and Phillip Hoelscher, and I very early on brought up that with me in this role, Ariel's story does become an adoptee story as neither of them are Asian American. And while we aren't changing the script or calling attention to that fact, they've both been really supportive and engaged in conversations with me about that.

Do you have a favorite song in the show?

I love love love listening to the three actors who play Rusty, Urleen, and Wendy Jo (Lussi Salmela, Maddie Schafer, and Reagan Kern) sing Somebody's Eyes. They're AMAZING and their harmonies through the show are gorgeous. I also really love singing Almost Paradise with Jacob Higdon who is playing Ren.

Did you face any challenges with your character or the production?

I think the biggest challenge is that I'm 30 now and playing a teenager. Age is just a number, but sometimes it's easy to fall into the trap of playing young in a way that is disingenuous.

How was working with the cast and the creative team?

It's been an absolute joy. Every single person in the room has been incredibly generous. This is my first time working with Phillip Fazio who is the artistic director of the Duluth Playhouse and it's been one of my favorite experiences in my career thus far. I've been working with our incredible music director Kyle Picha for years, and I would work with him forever. He is someone I trust implicitly and I wouldn't be here in Duluth if not for him and our wildly talented choreographer Andy Frye.

What do you hope the audience takes away from seeing this production?

I hope people leave feeling just as joyful about being back in a theater as I do. I hope that we're telling our audiences a story they know, but in a way that makes them look at the world just a little differently. I feel so strongly about representation and people of color on stage as real human beings, not bodies, diversity count, or props. And I want audiences to be able to understand that as well.

What are your favorite local spots?

I have been spending a lot of time at Sir Ben's after rehearsal with friends. Great Northern Smokehouse makes one of the best sandwiches I've ever had, try The Phoebe! I can't wait to try Vikre Distillery once the show is open!

Thank you Hope for your time!

For more ticket and show information, click the ticket link

Photo by Lisa Blade