Becoming Jane
I watched Disney's Tarzan thousands of times growing up. I could tell you the plot from front to back. I have all of the words to Phil Collins' soundtrack memorized, and I know just about every fun fact there is to know. But what I never expected was to one day step into the role of Jane Porter in my high school's production of Tarzan: The Stage Musical.
It definitely came as a shock when they announced the musical. I knew a whole lot about Tarzan, but somehow, I totally missed the fact that it had a musical adaptation. Some of my classmates didn't even know what Tarzan was, nor had they seen the movie. We were all shocked.
Auditions came and went, and we had not one, not two, but three different callbacks for the roles of Tarzan, Kala, and Jane. All of these auditioners were amazingly talented individuals, and after the last callback, I went home thinking I hadn't gotten the part. I was okay with that! No matter what, I'd still have a spot in my senior musical and be a part of an adaptation of one of my favorite Disney movies.
Then the cast list came out, and there it was: my name next to Jane Porter. I'd gotten the part!
At first, I thought my biggest challenge would be singing. I can't read or count music, but somehow, I'd been able to make it thus far (and even now) without needing to. But now I had a solo song, two duets, and three smaller parts in other songs that my directors had to teach me without counting music. But we made it work. I know all my songs, and I'm hoping they will be great.
Then, I thought the biggest challenge would be costuming. You can't cut corners with Disney. Jane had to have the extravagant Victorian yellow dress from the movie, and for a moment, it seemed impossible. Then, we found the perfect rental from a store in Dallas, which my directors fell in love with, and everything fell into place.
I finally realized that my biggest obstacle was my own mind.
When putting on a Disney musical, there's a sort of pressure to make it just as magical as its movie counterpart. For a long time, I thought this meant I needed to act just like Jane Porter in the movie. I had to sound like her, move like her, walk and talk and breathe like her… but recently, one of my directors told me that I was a great performer when I got out of my head.
It was one of those things that made you stop and think for a moment. So, I did—I took a second to let it sink in.
I watched the movie again, and I realized the best way to act like Jane was to not think about acting like Jane. She acts a certain way because she feels free to do so. She's strong, bashful, and proud, and she's all of these things because she isn't constantly thinking about how she could be better. She just lets herself be.
So, as I prepare for our performances this week, I've embraced this approach. I feel like I've unlocked the most raw and authentic version of my performance, and it's a blast. I'm having fun, letting myself be. Sure, I've "Disneyfied" myself, as my directors like to say, but that's part of the fun. It's acting. And most of all, it's both Jane and it's me. And I can't wait to bring her to life on stage.
Meet Tarzan and Jane! Get ready for an unforgettable adventure with Gage Dewberry as Tarzan and Lilian Nielsen as Jane Porter in Texarkana Independent School District's production of Tarzan!
Sullivan Performing Arts Center:
December 5th – 7:00 PM
December 6th – 7:00 PM
December 7th – 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Click here for Tiger Theatre Company tickets.
