Leading A “Normal” Life.

On the eve of opening as Diane in Doorstep Arts’ season of the extraordinary musical Next To Normal at GPAC in Geelong, leading lady Natalie O’Donnell takes time out to talk to Coral Drouyn

Most of us in theatre – especially Music Theatre – get there in one of two ways. Either we come from a family of performers and it’s in our genes (which so often happens at the community theatre level) or we undergo an epiphany, a moment of revelation, often brought on by seeing a particular performance which makes us say “I want to do that!” Natalie O’Donnell remembers that moment clearly. She was 14, a local Geelong girl, and had gone to Melbourne with Doorstep Youth Theatre to see West Side Story. “The whole production was mesmerising,” Natalie says, “but it was Caroline O’Connor as Anita who blew me away, and I knew I had to be involved in Musical Theatre. The idea just consumed me. I think I hoped I might get to work on the same stage as Caroline, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

Despite that, Natalie has carved an impressive career in musical theatre, after studying at WAAPA (where she met and became friends with her future husband, musical theatre star, Simon Gleeson), as Sophie in Mamma Mia, Kim in Bye Bye Birdie for The Production Company, and even Les Misérables in the West End (coincidentally Simon is about to star as Valjean in the new Cameron Mackintosh production opening in Melbourne in June).

So what was the West End experience like? “Very different,” she says. “I love British humour and the way they use language and I knew I had to do it or I would forever be wondering. After all, everyone aspires to Broadway or the West End, don’t they? One thing I did find is that we have a very different work ethic here. Contracts in the West End are generally for twelve months and everyone gets very comfortable knowing how long they are going to be in work, and they know well in advance the shows coming up and where they’ll go next. In Australia there is less work, we’re hungrier, perhaps rawer and with greater passion and sometimes that intensity gives us an edge.”

Which brings us to Next to Normal, which is about as intense as musical theatre gets. Natalie laughs. “Yes it is, and it was very hard in the rehearsal space; I sometimes got so deeply entrenched in Diana that it must have been a downer for the rest of the cast,” she admits. “But I made a promise to myself to let go as soon as I got home, so that my children wouldn’t feel the pressure. There’s nothing worse than the children of performers asking ‘what’s the matter mummy’?”

Diana is one of the truly great roles for a mature woman, and a musical about a woman with Bi-polar disorder and its impact on her family certainly doesn’t sound like a night of light entertainment. “Not light, but enlightening, and there is humour, some of it dark, and love, lots of love, and some incredible music. It really is very special.” It’s so special that it won the Pulitzer Prize and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards.

Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, who gave us Next to Normal, have just started previews in New York of their new musical If Then which they have written especially for Idina Menzel. “They are an absolute gift to women over 35,” Natalie says, “and they write so wonderfully for us.” I ask Natalie what her bucket list roles are. “Oh…I always wanted to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret,” she says wistfully, “but I’ve missed my chance with that. So I’d have to say Lucille Frank in Parade. It’s a marvellous role.”

But in the meantime all the energy is going into Diana and Next to Normal, where Natalie is reunited with director and creative director of Doorstep Arts, Darilyn Ramondo. “She was my teacher in youth theatre,” Natalie says with some pride, “and she is the perfect director for this show, which has to be focussed on the emotions of the story.” Husband Simon won’t get to see Nat in this very special role; he is overseas in Washington performing in the MTC’s production of Rupert. “Yes, of course I would have liked him to see it,” she concedes, “But we’ve been lucky enough to be in great shows together, and support each other. It’s doubly difficult when there are two performers in a family, and so for the last four years or so I have concentrated on film and television, where the schedule doesn’t take such a toll. The kids come first, that’s a given, but I hope I never give up performing altogether. Simon wouldn’t expect it, and I think I’m a better mother because I am still being fulfilled professionally. I’ve had to make adjustments, but we all do in one way or another. That’s why this role is such a gift, in a great production and in my home town. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Next to Normal plays at GPAC from March 14^th- 22^nd. If you’ve seen the show before, you will already be excited. If you haven’t, book now and don’t miss it. It is, as its leading lady says, very special indeed.

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