Mica Paris and Dujonna Gift talk upcoming concert ‘Little Piece Of You – An Atypical Musical: “A lot of people do not connect with musical theatre because they can’t connect with the characters”

London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane hosts the European premiere of Kjersti Long‘s family-themed musical, exploring the issues of generational trauma and featuring a star-studded cast in a concert production playing at the end of the month. Guillermo Nazara chats with two of its lead performers, to learn all the fun facts about the development of a piece that’s unlikely to daughter out.

How does it feel to be starring in the West End premiere of this show?

DG: It’s very exciting! Lately, I’ve been part of a new musical, and it’s so exhilarating to contribute, in some way, to new works from their inception. I actually had a brief call with the songwriters the other day. They are a father-and-daughter team – and the daughter is in fact going to be in the show! A lot of the music was written when she was sixteen, and I must say it’s some of the best music I’ve heard in a while. It’s called An Atypical Musical, and it’s true – it’s not the conventional musical theatre style, it’s sort of more poppy.

However, we already have lots of pop music-style shows. Is there anything else that makes it truly atypical?

DG: In my case, I’ve been a singer and a songwriter for 30 years now. Music is everything to me. If a song isn’t great, or the lyrics are bad, I’m not singing. When I listened to it, the lyrical content was what really drew me to it – because it was so strong and exciting! And also, this is a show that mother and daughter can watch together, and which will definitely bring them together.

DG: Yes! The structure is slightly different too. However, although we do have lots of jukebox musicals, they were either taken from albums and merged into a storyline, or they follow the songwriter’s lifetime. This is not the case! The music was supposed to be an EP, but they felt as if there was a plot connecting them altogether. They brought a bookwriter onboard, which then allow them to flesh out the whole recount – which is not the usual way musicals are developed, it’s actually the opposite. The story is very cool, too. A lot of people do not connect with musical theatre because they can’t connect with the characters – in terms that there’s a lot of spectacle. But here, the characters are very human and real. It’s gonna be such an interesting experience, especially since I feel so connected to my character.

And what can you tell us about your character?

DG: I play Britt, who is 16 and going through the usual journey of people that age – although many of the feelings she’s having are actually very heavy. The show touches on generational trauma, and the things that we project on our children and family members. Britt is the younger member of the family, and her evolution deals with her relationship with her mother, Shannon. We then flip for Act Two, into Shannon’s mother’s household, and the similarities between her current one. Then, we go back as Britt understands why her mother behaves the way she does. It’s a discovery that many of us have at that time – parents being the reason why we are the way we are. It’s a very honest, open and exposing show – and that’s the kind of role I like to play.

Going back to what you said about contributing to a new role. In which way have you collaborated in the development of your character on this occasion?

DG: From the start of this process, the creative team has been very open to our suggestions. I think that’s very important that, as an actor, we are meeting our characters, as opposed to our characters being brought on us. We are putting our personal experiences to give truth to them. And there’s also a degree of being heard by the team, and they make an effort to give you that freedom – both from a narrative and musical perspective. The exciting thing about bringing a musical like this is that we’re not just doing numbers, but bringing your own creativity into them.

MP: We’ve only had one read-through, but it still feels so close to home. My character is so me. I’ve raised two daughters, so this parental relationship, trying to work out their issues, really touches my heart. You find it in so many families: generation after generation just repeating each other. That’s precisely what brought me onboard. It’s so recurring that families hide everything under the carpet. It’s so wonderful to see a story like this, because that’s progress – and for me that was the attraction. I don’t think I’ve seen a play before exploring that bond between mother and teenage daughter. My character is such a typical mum that pretends that everything is fine. But this time, there are going through absolute hell. It’s a tough play, but that’s what makes it great.

Have you found any particular challenges in these roles so far?

MP: I don’t feel challenged at all. I’m the kind of person that loves to be pulled and stretched. To me, challenges mean fun, because they allow me to see how far I can go. I also love being directed and told what I need to do to give truth to the character. I’d be more worried if you didn’t tell me what to do!

DG: I love dramatic roles. To me, the real challenge relies on not putting too much of myself into the characters I play. Of course, I need to bring my own influence, but it would be selfish to play them as if it was a version of me, instead of adding a bit of my own to elevate them. That’s something that I’ve had to reset myself for in previous roles I’ve done too. And I also have to remind myself of the fact that she’s only 16!

If you had to give me one single reason to come see this show, which one would it be?

DG: Because Kjersti Long is one of the most talented 17-year-old songwriters. And if this is the first time that we hear her in London, I’d be damned if it wasn’t at the Drury Lane!

MP: Because of the whole show. The subject matter is very important in this time now. Its meaning is so important. We see so much family breakdowns nowadays, that it’s so necessary to discuss it. And the music is really good! Both Kjersti and her father are so talented to have written something like this together. I don’t think you’ve ever see another show like this. It’s very unusual to see it on the stage.

Little Piece Of You – An Atypical Musical will play at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 31st October and 1st November. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara