photo by Evan Zimmerman of MurphyMade
Penn State graduate Aidan Wharton can currently be seen on tour with Girl From the North Country (he was also a part of the original Broadway cast). The Tony-winning musical comes to the Forrest Theatre later this month and reimagines some of Bob Dylan’s songs in a story set in a boarding house in 1934.
Wharton is teaming up with a different LGBTQ+ charity in every city that the show plays to raise funds for them. Below, he talks about the organization he partnered with in the Philly area, his time at Penn State, and the differences between playing the same role on Broadway and on tour.
Girl From the North Country is in Philadelphia from February 27th to March 10th. Tickets can be purchased by calling 212-239-6200, visiting www.telecharge.com or at the Forrest Theatre box office (1114 Walnut Street).
Q: Can you tell us about the role you play, Elias, and his importance to the story?
A: Elias is the innocence within our story. Girl From The North Country explores how the people of Duluth and the boarding house press on through a particularly challenging winter, and Elias helps bring people together through the unique way in which he inhabits the world.
Q: You also covered Elias on Broadway. What was it like to transition into the role full-time? Is there anything you do specifically to get to know a character?
A: Covering and playing a role could not be more different. There is a wonderful energy and adrenaline that happens when you’re covering, but it doesn’t always allow you to sink into a role comfortably. The gift of playing the role eight-shows a week is that you really get to explore the nuances in the show and the relationships you have with the other characters around you. A new choice may arise one evening that surprises you, yet informs the role going forward, and that evolution can only come out of the repetition of doing the show every night.
Q: It was recently National Swing Day (January 18th); what would you like audiences to know about swings and what they do for a show?
A: Swings are incredible. They have to always be prepared to go on at a moment’s notice for whichever of the many roles they cover, which can be a thankless, really challenging job. I swung the show on Broadway, but loved the constant excitement of not knowing what each day would bring. Our swings are so incredible; they make beautiful choices and fit seamlessly into the fabric and world of our show, and it is such a delight to perform with them.
Q: What’s your favorite Bob Dylan song? Does it appear in the musical?
A: My favorite classic Dylan song is probably “The Times They Are A-Changing,” which is not featured in our show. But that being said, the way that Simon [Hale] has orchestrated Dylan’s music has given each song new life in the context of the show. It makes me unable to think of Dylan without hearing the songs the way they’re done on our stage. Our songs honor him yet also bring something new to his music.
Q: Why do you think Dylan’s songs work so well on the Broadway stage?
A: I think Dylan writes pure poetry set to music. And Conor [McPherson] writes in a similar world. His text, while not verse poetry, is deeply poetic, and the two are made for each other. The music informs the script, and the script informs the music, but neither forces the other to become something they aren’t. Many jukebox musicals try to shoehorn the songs into the plot, but Conor trusts that both the music and text can stand side by side and uses this partnership to tell an incredibly moving story.
Q: You graduated from Penn State, how did your education there prepare you for your career as a performer? What’s something you learned there that you can apply to every role you work on.
A: Penn State was an incredible place for me to learn. It combined a small-scale conservatory environment with a big school university energy, which really helped me grow as a performer, student, and person. I grew up in Hawaii, and there wasn’t much in the way of theatre training, so Penn State really helped me build the foundations of craft and discipline. But what Penn State taught me most was how to trust that what I bring to a role and a character is enough. My take on a part is not better or worse than anyone else’s, but it is mine alone, and that’s a very artistically powerful thing.
Q: Can you talk more about your partnership with LGBTQ+ charities? Which one are you working with in Philadelphia and how will you be raising funds for them?
A: I’ve been partnering with a different LGBTQ+ charity in each city, highlighting their work and raising money for them, which has been one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever done. So many incredible people are working tirelessly to better the lives of LGBTQ+ folk in this country, and it has been an honor and privilege to get to know some of them. Especially during this time when gay people and trans people are being attacked from all sides. I wanted to find a way to bridge the gap between these LGBTQ+ organizations and my community in New York and other big cities. So each city I’m in, I find an organization, make a video highlighting what they do, and then start fundraising through Instagram. It also helps encourage people to be more active in their own advocacy and feel empowered to learn more about what our community is doing around the country and builds a bigger sense of community. What I’ve found is that these organizations really just appreciate the recognition for their hard work because it can so often feel like it goes unseen and unthanked. So, if this sounds interesting to you, head over to my Instagram at @aidanwharton or go to gaybuffet.substack.com to learn more!
I’m partnering with in Philadelphia is SisterSpace, which is an annual celebration of women’s community, music, and culture. “From its beginnings in the 1970s as a feminist women’s self-defense weekend, the SisterSpace Weekend Women’s Festival has evolved into a 3-day women/nonbinary sisters-only camping event featuring music, workshops, parties, crafts, sports, and all sorts of opportunities for socializing, learning, and having fun!” Since I’m raising modest amounts of money, I like to choose hyperlocal organizations where the money will go a long way. SisterSpace seems like such an incredible organization that creates a beautiful, safe space for those who need it, and that is what drew me to them immediately.
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