When the Little Girl in Me Connected with Elphaba: My Interview with Mary Kate

Mary Kate Morrissey as Elphaba. Photo by Joan Marcus

When I was a little girl, my parents took me to New York City every December for my birthday. It was all I ever asked for.

I didn’t need presents; I didn’t need a party. I just wanted - more than anything - to celebrate my birthday in The City That Never Sleeps.

New York City at Christmas time was magical. We went ice skating in Rockefeller Center under the enormous Christmas tree; we stood in a line to catch a glimpse of the Christmas displays in the Saks 5th Avenue windows; and we walked through Central Park, culminating our winter stroll with a cozy horse and buggy ride.

New York City was just...well, magical to me.

And while skating hand in hand with my father in Rockefeller Center will always be one of my fondest memories of these trips, it was the magic that happened on stage - the magic of the Broadway shows - that took my breath away.

Every year, my parents perfectly chose the show we would see for my birthday. We dressed up and ate dinner at my favorite restaurant, Bice. When we couldn’t hail a cab after dinner in the snowy conditions that we almost always seemed to experience, we would trudge through the snow, walking briskly toward our destination - my mom and I holding tightly onto each other so as not to blow over in the heavy winds. And while it was cold and wet, the weather didn’t matter to me, because I knew where we were headed.

We were going to see a Broadway show, and I couldn’t wait!

When we finally arrived at the venue, and my toes began to defrost, I walked into the theater and graciously accepted the Playbill handed to me. I held it closely to my heart as I walked toward my seat, which to my great surprise would always be one of the best seats in the house.

After smiling at my parents to thank them for the remarkable seats, I absorbed the surroundings of the theater - the sights, the sounds and the energy.

And then, in complete silence, I excitedly turned to the actors’ bios in the hopes of catching a glimpse into the lives of the men and women I would soon see on stage.

Before I knew it, the musicians took their places in the orchestra pit, and string instruments, french horns and trumpets began to be tuned.

Soon enough, discordant notes came together in harmony and music began to play. The lights finally dimmed, and it was show time. I’ll never forget how my heart raced before the curtain was drawn.

Suddenly, it all began - actors, music, lights, costumes. It was beautiful and mesmerizing. And like a china doll, with eyes wide open, I would sit throughout the entire show, hanging on to every word spoken and every note sung - instantly becoming one with the story taking place in front of me, relating to at least one of the characters in a personal way.

Oh, how I have missed those trips to New York City with my parents.

While I have seen many shows since then, I have not had the opportunity to view a show in New York in some time. And while the most recent traveling tour of Phantom of the Opera with Katie Travis as Christine Daee brought me to tears, other traveling shows just haven't provided me with the same feelings that I once felt as a little girl...

Or at least that’s what I thought until two years ago when I saw Stephen Schwartz’s musical, Wicked, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, at one of my very favorite venues - the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

I’ll never forget it. The show began, and suddenly - the actors, music, lights and costumes pulled me in. And I stared at the scene in front of me, becoming the girl of long ago - the little girl who was mesmerized by actors and actresses on stage.

Why? Because I related to a character once again. I related to Elphaba - the girl who didn’t fit it...the girl who wasn’t accepted...the girl who would one day "defy gravity". After all, haven't we all felt like Elphaba at some point in our lives?

Immediately, I was invested in this "untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good and their unlikely friendship in the Land of Oz, long before Dorothy drops in".

So two years later, when I heard that Wicked was coming back to my hometown, I had to reach out to Elphaba, Wicked's Mary Kate Morrisey, to hear what it’s like to play this amazing character that has struck a chord with so many young ladies around the world.

Ginna Claire Mason & Mary Kate Morrissey in WICKED. Photo by Joan Marcus

CHRISSIE: When did you know you wanted to be an actress? Did you always know you wanted to be on Broadway?

MARY KATE: I always wanted to sing. I came out of the womb singing, and my Dad used to sing on the Irish radio. I have a big Irish family, and we all had to learn songs to sing. I kind of got hit by the bug. My parents put me in the high school shows, one of them being "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". From there, all I could focus on was obsessively learning the lyrics of my favorite Broadway shows. I kind of didn’t excel at anything else because I knew this was my thing. So I went to college for it. My family has been super supportive.

CHRISSIE: How did you begin pursuing that dream? Did you take acting classes and vocal lessons?

MARY KATE: I took voice lessons, and I did a lot of choirs and also played in a band. I built my whole life with music and theater and everything I could possibly get my hands on. Except for dancing, I have two left feet. Now I think, maybe I should have done that.  

CHRISSIE: You have a pretty impressive resume. What has been your favorite role in your career thus far?

MARY KATE: Elphaba. Especially now that I’m not the standby. I was worried that no one was ever going to see me as someone who could handle the heavy lifting, and I always wanted that role so badly.

CHRISSIE: What’s the best part about being part of the Wicked Cast?

MARY KATE: The best part about being in the Wicked cast is doing a show that people love and are so attached to. Every single night, it’s almost like people are cheering for themselves because they see themselves in the roles. People love the characters so much and love the roles so much, that I would say that is the best part - the way that it resonates with people.

CHRISSIE: What’s your favorite song to sing?

MARY KATE: My favorite song to sing right now is probably “Defying Gravity” because we have been doing a lot of work on it. It’s this song where a girl turns into a woman and is finally letting go of the thought of who she had to be in the world. And she's kind of experiencing, in that moment, what it would feel like to break free of the pressures of society and the pressures of what defines success. And then the epic ending...you can feel everyone’s energy with you just vibrating as you are going up to fly, and they are with you in the big roar and cheer after. It feels so good.

CHRISSIE: How long does it take to get in makeup for your role?

MARY KATE: It takes about 20 minutes to get makeup on, but our makeup artist can do it in 7 minutes in a pinch, just in case there is a mid-show call-out and they have to get the standby ready right away. It’s kind of thrilling to see that happen or to have that happen to you. It’s kind of amazing how fast they can paint the “green girl”.

CHRISSIE: What would be the need to have a standby in the middle of a show like that?

MARY KATE: It just happens. You think you can do it, and then you realize you can’t. The show is so demanding, especially vocally. And of course, you want to do as many shows as possible. I love to do it so much. But if you are sick and it’s cold season, you need a standby because it’s a thing that can happen with this role.

CHRISSIE: Where have you traveled so far on this tour?

MARY KATE: The tour started in September 2017. I did Cincinnati, and then I opened Grand Rapids and then Cleveland and now Chicago. We are going to hit Pittsburgh right before coming to you in Florida.

CHRISSIE: A lot of people don’t realize how much work it is to be on Broadway. You must really be passionate about what you do to survive this lifestyle. I heard there is not much time for a personal life. Can you tell me about life on tour?

MARY KATE: You have to live like a nun. You can have none of that and none of that and none of that. But, it’s great. You sacrifice all of that because it’s so much fun.

Mary Kate Morrissey Ginna Claire Mason & in WICKED. Photo by Joan Marcu

WICKED begins performances February 14 – March 4, 2018. Tickets for the return engagement of WICKED are available at the Broward Center AutoNation Box Office, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33312, browardcenter.org or call 954.462.0222. Orders for groups of fifteen (15) or more may be placed by calling 954.660.6307. Ticket prices start at $44.25

Live in a different city and want to see Wicked? Check out: Wicked North American Tour Dates

*PLEASE NOTE: Wicked is recommended for children 8 and older. Children under the age of 5 will not be permitted in the theatre.