5 Questions with JAGGED LITTLE PILL's Nora Schell!
Kevin Ray Johnson
It is a true joy to introduce you to Nora Schell. Nora is currently making her Broadway debut in Jagged Little Pill (a show she previously performed in at A.R.T.) which officially opened on December 5th, 2019 at The Broadhurst Theatre. Nora is a Drama Desk, Drama League and Clive Barnes Award nominee for her performance in Forbidden Broadway’s Spamilton. The 90's kid in me is so excited to see a show like Jagged Little Pill on the Great White Way and I am very happy to have the chance to interview this very talented Michigan Alum!
1.) How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer?
I’m gonna say 10 years old. I knew I wanted to be a performer pretty early on. I grew up in Georgia, where arts education is not prioritized or funded adequately. I was lucky enough to live in a school district that DID cultivate and implement arts into the school curriculum starting in elementary school. I remember performing on my family fireplace, singing along to an “Oakland A’s baseball jams” album that my dad would play (favorite song was one about Kirby Puckett…I had no idea who that was). I was in choir in elementary school, played Bob the Pig in the Little Red Hen when I was in 1st grade (not my fave). Those were all definitely moments that reinforced my affinity for performing, but what really solidified my dream to perform was when my elementary school started doing 4th and 5th grader musicals. In 4th grade, I played Yente in Fiddler On the Roof Jr. and I stand by the fact that black Yente is the peak of my versatility. In 5th grade, I played Ms. Hannigan in Annie and that’s when I really realized that I had a natural gift that I wanted to use and develop in a serious way.
2.) Where did you study? Are there any mentors that helped make you the performer you are today?
I studied at the University of Michigan and received a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Gender, Race, and Nation. I have a deep respect for the education I received at Michigan. That being said, I will not be the “Go Blue” graduate who lauds the program as this perfect utopia, because that’s simply not reality. Nothing is perfect and it is irresponsible to claim that something is. The flaws that exist within our systems of education allow us to challenge ourselves and those around and above us to reflect on why things don’t work and how they can be improved upon. I am lucky that I had professors who were open to these discussions and did not react defensively. Claiming that UMich is perfect invalidates the incredible work and difficult dialogues that I had throughout my time as a student. THAT’S education.
Brent Wagner created a program that prioritized an academic approach to the history of theatre. An approach that examines the cultural, political and social impact in the evolution of theatre. His tenacity and commitment to honoring, respecting and sharing the historical aspect of musical theatre is unrivaled. He is one of a kind and I am honored to have been his pupil. My voice teacher at Michigan, Melody Racine, truly changed my life. I will say time and time again that without her gift for teaching, guidance, love, and honesty, I would not be the singer OR person I am today. She held me accountable. She taught me how to TRULY work hard and not settle for “good enough”. She never allowed me to sabotage myself when I was doing so. She never gave up on creating a safe space. And she never ever tolerated a disrespect for her time, efforts and wisdom. I think of her every day I perform in JAGGED, and about the skills, she helped me cultivate to be able to sing an INSANE score 8 times a week.
3.) Congratulations on Jagged Little Pill! The 90's kid in me is so excited that a show like this is one Broadway. How has your time been in the musical?
JAGGED has been a life-changing experience for me. My broadway debut is in an original show that I have been with since the very beginning. I’m the only original ensemble member, and the team allowed me to create a character completely from scratch. How many people can say that their broadway debut was in an original show where their creative teams and producers have decided to build a track around your specific skillset and strengths. I have a team who honors and respects the fact that I have bipolar disorder and borderline personality. I have a team who does challenge me to put aside my ego, my personal insecurities and hang-ups to be a part of a collective, as opposed to only performing for myself. It’s been a hard process. It has been a rewarding process. It has been something I will never forget and I will never take for granted.
4.) Are there any other shows that you have done in your career that will always be near and dear to your heart?
In my senior year of college, I did AMERICAN IDIOT. That was such an incredibly freeing and validating experience because I finally felt like I was taken seriously as someone who could act, not just sing. I got to be a valid sexual being onstage without being fetishized or stereotypically sexualized the way black women are consistently portrayed in media. I grew up listening to Greenday in my incredibly conservative, racist, homophobic and bigoted town in Georgia. They were a form of dissent and an unapologetic fuck you to all the people perpetuating hatred in my life. (Fun fact, my broadway debut is with Tom Kitt who arranged the Broadway AMERICAN IDIOT and with the same producers who did AMERICAN IDIOT). My first tattoo is a Greenday lyric on my back that says “she sings the revolution”.
5.) What advice would you give young performers who want a career in this business?
Here’s a quote from a recent Instagram post: “A moment to express gratitude for my Broadway debut - in a track I was given the opportunity and freedom to create from the impetus of the show. A moment to express the catatonic emotional instability, sadness, rage, mania and the blurred perception that still accompanies me through my dream job. A moment to say out loud that achieving your end goal will not bring you automatic and permanent happiness, satisfaction or peace. But you shouldn’t want it to. At least I don’t. The end goal isn’t the point. The experience of living presently and consciously, existing in the highs and lows is what I’m attempting to do. And I’m grateful for that.” My last piece of advice: it is okay to not be okay. It is okay to challenge norms that are not fair. Its okay to say something isn’t right, even if everyone around you is saying it is. It’s a thin line and hard balance to navigate, but advocating for yourself and not compromising your happiness, humanity, and contribution to the world is what we all deserve to be able to do, without fear and without judgment.
To learn more about Nora make sure you visit her official website at www.noraschell.com and to learn more about Jagged Little Pill please visit - https://jaggedlittlepill.com