WASHINGTON – You’ve seen the various screen versions: the 1976 classic with Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, the 1995 TV movie with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann, and the recent 2003 film with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.
Now, Disney Theatrical Productions debuts the world premiere of its “Freaky Friday” musical, running now through Nov. 20 at the state-of-the-art Signature Theatre in Shirlington, Virginia.
“‘Freaky Friday’ is a musical that’s in development with Disney, and Signature Theatre is our pilot,” actress Heidi Blickenstaff told WTOP. “Disney is developing this show for licensing to go all over the country and this is their first shot at developing this fun show. A lot of times when shows are new, they’ll have an out-of-town tryout, and we’re just the lucky ones who get to do it [first] in Arlington.”
Based on the 1972 children’s novel by Mary Rodgers and adapted for the stage by Bridget Carpenter (“Parenthood”), the story follows overworked single mom Katherine Blake (Blickenstaff), who’s about to get married. But the night before the wedding, a freak occurrence causes her to magically swap bodies with her teen daughter Ellie Blake (Emma Hunton), giving them just one day to set things right.
“Books of musicals are almost impossible to write, but Bridget has written a tight, efficient, elegant, beautiful book that appeals to kids but also to adults,” Blickenstaff said. “I think this show will surprise a lot of people who think they’re coming in for lighter Disney fare – then it really dives super deep.”
While Blickenstaff was culturally aware of the story, she purposely avoided comparisons to the past.
“I somehow managed to not read or see any of them,” Blickenstaff said. “We all know the story of a mom-daughter swap, but I had never seen any of it. When I found out I was doing this, I made a point not to read or see any of the older material, because I knew we were going to make something new.”
As for Hunton, she grew up watching the ’90s made-for-TV movie.
“That was the version I was most acquainted with because I think it was on Disney Channel all the time when I was a kid,” Hunton said. “I had seen the [1976] original probably only like two years ago.”
Not only did they pull from different cultural touchstones, they approached their roles with different life experience. Blickenstaff is a stepmom who originated the role of Bea in Broadway’s “Something Rotten;” Hunton is a rising theater talent who played Elphaba on the first national tour of “Wicked.”
“I have two teenage stepsons, 16 and 13, and I’m sure I’m embarrassing them on a nightly basis doing this show,” Blickenstaff said with a laugh. “But what’s been great as an actor, as I was approaching doing choices, whenever I would think I’m going too far with so much teenage angst, I would think back to my own kids and [realize] there’s no such thing as too dramatic. Teenagers are very dramatic!”
She admits the teen role has occasionally bled into her personal life.
“I was snappy with my husband in a very teenagery way the other day,” Blickenstaff said. “I realized I was snappy with him because I have let my inner teenager [out], who’s kind of rebellious. … I let a little teenager grow inside of me and the other day I was like, ‘Nuh uh!’ and he said, ‘Calm down, 16.'”
Conversely, how does the younger Hunton tap into a motherly mindset?
“I do not have children … yet,” Hunton joked. “Heidi is a great source for opinions on how to act as a mother. … There are physical things I take from her and I get her opinion on things all the time.”
Those physical differences include their body language on stage.
“Ellie is very much slouchy, disjointed, uneven, closer to the ground,” Hunton said. “Katherine is very uptight and straight-backed. It matches their personalities. Katherine is very type A, Ellie is type B.”
Both stars, who grew up in different parts of California, say they had chemistry from the start.
“We got lucky with each other,” Blickenstaff said. “When you have a primary scene partner, you hope and pray that they’re open and kind and awesome. We had never worked together before, and when we first met, it was like boom! It was kind of magical. So we’ve been lucky. We like each other a lot.”
Still, the roles have presented certain, inherent challenges.
“It’s been a surprising challenge to literally step into each other’s shoes,” Blickenstaff said. “When this first came my way, I was like, ‘It’s Disney! It’s going to be fun!’ … I was naive about what a huge acting challenge it really is. You have to respect the teenager and the adult. We’re not doing caricatures. We’re really trying to live and breathe in these characters and give them the respect they deserve.”
Controlling that respectful contrast is director Christopher Ashley (“Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Memphis”) and choreographer Sergio Trujillo (“Jersey Boys,” “On Your Feet!”), who present musical numbers by Pulitzer Prize-winning composers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (“Next to Normal”).
“The music is so beautiful and very energetic,” Hunton said. “My personal favorite is what I sing at the top of Act 2: ‘Not Myself Today’ with Heidi. … Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey are really great at writing for women, both keys and lyrics. … I feel challenged while not blowing it all out in one show.”
Few theater experiences are as exciting as watching a first-run musical test out brand new numbers.
“Signature Theatre is committed to new musicals, and that’s exactly what this is, we’re developing a new musical,” Blickenstaff said. “Signature is known for nurturing artists who are trying something for the first time. … It’s also outside of the glare of New York, so we are free to just create. You don’t get that opportunity all the time to just be free-range chickens and make a brand new piece of art.”
In fact, “Freaky Friday” is one of two new musicals currently at Signature, the other being “The Gulf.”
“It’s a two-person play and it’s really wonderful,” Blickenstaff teased. “You should go see it.”
What happens if we don’t?
“We will come and find you!” Blickenstaff joked.
In all seriousness, she thinks “Freaky Friday” will delight all demographics.
“It truly is a beautiful, beautiful show,” Blickenstaff said. “Kids are going to be delighted by it, and then there’s a whole other level that will appeal not only to their moms but to their dads, too. You know how a Pixar movie is so satisfying? ‘Oh, it’s an animated film,’ but then you come out never having cried your eyes out quite like that? Our show is a lot like that, because the storytelling is so fine.”
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