Elon University music theatre alumna Ginna Claire Mason '13 steps into her dream role and flies by bubble as Glinda in "Wicked" on Broadway.
Elon University alumna Ginna Claire Mason has had many successes since her graduation in May 2013, performing in the national tours of “Flashdance” and “Newsies” and regionally in Las Vegas.
Now, she joins the Broadway cast of “Wicked” and takes on the standby role of Glinda.
Mason describes her audition experience for “Wicked” as an “exciting whirlwind.” She was living in upstate New York and, upon receiving the role, quickly packed up and moved to New York City the next day. She was soon stepping into rehearsals for one of her dream roles.
“I saw the original cast of ‘Wicked’ 12 years ago on Broadway. Ever since age 13, it has been my dream to play Glinda,” she said. “In my two weeks as standby, I have gotten to do it twice already; I really do feel like I am living in a dream.”
Moving to the city has been a good adjustment for Mason.
“It was exhilarating to see the country on tour with ‘Flashdance’ and ‘Newsies,’ but living out of a suitcase definitely has its challenges,” Mason said. “When I performed in the original cast of ‘Duck Commander’ in Las Vegas, I had my first taste as a working actor residing in a city for more than a couple of weeks, and I loved it. I am incredibly happy to be settled in one place right now.”
Working as a standby on Broadway has been an exciting challenge for Mason.
“Although it hasn’t happened to me yet, there is always the nerve-wracking possibility of going on mid-show,” she said. “I’m at the theatre for every performance and I’m required to stay through intermission. I usually watch the show from the sound booth, house, orchestra pit, rehearsal room, or backstage. The challenge is to continue developing and growing the role even though I am not performing it eight times a week.
“So, I always have my notebook to jot down ideas or inspirations. I feel very fortunate to be the standby for Kara Lindsay, who is a brilliant actress and a wonderfully kind-hearted woman. She brings so much truth and humor to the role, and I learn something new from her every night.”
On her experiences at Elon, Mason said she is a firm believer that well-rounded people make well-rounded performers, and it is the job of actors to learn as much as possible about the world.
“This well-rounded education is one of the things I value most about my time at Elon,” she said. “I graduated equipped to pursue my craft professionally, but I also graduated with enriching experiences in many different areas.”
Click this link to see when you can catch Mason flying by bubble at the Gershwin Theatre: http://www.wickedthemusical.com/broadway-tickets