Throughout college, Lois Ellise was thrilled to see the touring Broadway productions that came through the Wharton Center of the Performing Arts.
“I grew up in Flint, Michigan, and a lot of times getting to see these shows was because of a national tour … tours were what brought these high‑scale Broadway shows to our backyard,” said Ellise, who graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
On June 23, the Flint native and CMU graduate will return to the Cobb Great Hall stage in the title role of “& Juliet,” bringing Broadway’s magic to a new generation of Michigan theater-goers. She’ll then slip back into the role of swing and assistant dance captain for the rest of the run that plays through June 28.
“It’s an indescribable feeling to perform at the Wharton Center, where not too long ago I was going to see shows when I was in college,” Ellise said. “I remember going to see “Waitress” there and never expecting to end up on that stage so soon.”
“& Juliet” exploded on the scene in 2019, a Shakespearean jukebox musical featuring the pop music of Max Martin. It garnered nine Tony Award nominations before heading out on the road. The comedic musical reimagines Shakespeare’s most famous love story with the Bard’s wife, Anne Hathaway, begging him to rewrite the ending and give Juliet a more empowering, feminist story.
The music includes such hits as “Since U Been Gone,” “Baby One More Time,” “Roar” and “I Want It That Way.” The discography includes Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Bon Jovi, Ellise said. “I always encourage people to come and just find themselves in the show.”
Ellise, who understudies Juliet, is a “swing” actor, meaning she must be prepared to step into multiple ensemble and principal roles at a moment’s notice.
“As a swing you never know when you’re going to be going on,” Ellise said. “Sometimes you’ll be on the next show, sometimes you won’t be on for another two or three weeks. You never know when you’ll be thrown on mid‑show. There are some shows where they say, ‘Hey, I know they’re mid‑number — can you put on a wig cap, a costume, a wig, and get out there real quick?’ ”
Ellise said it is actually harder to be a swing actor than to perform as Juliet because an ensemble member is constantly on the run without breaks.
“With Juliet, there are moments of stillness, moments that are quieter and more intimate,” Ellise said. “I try to find moments where I can look at people and connect with people, because you’re sharing that stage with them for 2 1/2 hours.”
The role has taught her that sometimes life gives out second chances and that it is OK to experience setbacks and not have all the answers.
“There are definitely moments where Juliet is confident and takes charge in her life and in other people’s lives,” Ellise said. “But we also see her actively learn that you don’t have to have it all figured out. It’s OK to lean on those around you as you stand on your own.
When Ellise first went to CMU, she wasn’t planning on being a theater major. She wanted to be an athletic trainer for the performing arts. Ellise decided that if she was going to work with performers, she should get some acting experience. She auditioned for CMU’s “A Chorus Line.”
“I knew nothing about it,” Ellise said. “I auditioned with a Golden Age song that had no business being an audition song for Chorus Line, because I didn’t know better and, to my surprise, I ended up being on the line. Because I knew nothing of the show, in my mind I was like, I’ll just get an ensemble role and it’ll be fine. There really are no ensemble roles in that show.”
Everything clicked and Ellise had new career goals.
“You wait for that moment in life to tell you — this is what you’re going to do, that aha moment,” Ellise said. “That was my aha moment.”
While at CMU, she stumbled upon a YouTube single of “Baby One More Time” from “& Juliet.” The more she learned about the show, the more she fell in love with it. It was only in the UK at that point — it wouldn’t arrive to Broadway until after the pandemic.
“& Juliet” is Ellise’s national tour debut, but she has performed on cruise ships and regional productions such as “Dreamgirls,” “Once on This Island,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “Hairspray” and “SIX.”
While she has performed around the world, returning to Wharton carries special meaning.
“One of the great things about coming home is being able to help somebody in the audience from Michigan feel seen and empowered,” Ellise said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re starting or when you’re starting. I started when I was in college in the middle of mid‑Michigan, not knowing how, when, or if I was going to do this or make it. If I can start so late and have no direction and make it this far, I truly believe it is for anybody who truly wants it.”
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Swinging into the spotlight: Michigan performer opens ‘& Juliet’ at Wharton
Reporting by Bridgette M. Redman, For the Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Bridgette M. Redman, For the Lansing State Journal | USA TODAY Network
