Now is the time to see the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Once because the current stars, Paul Alexander Nolan and Jessie Fisher, make absolute magic together as Guy and Girl at the Jacobs Theatre. With Nolan and Fisher, the love story becomes so real it keeps you at the edge of your seat; you can see what it is about each of them that causes the other to fall so quickly and so hard…and we won’t even talk about the wonderful vocals. Below, the dynamic duo share with BroadwayBox the secret to their onstage performance, how they keep it fresh each night and the time Jessie helped Paul reach the next level with Girls.
My first impression of my co-star was:
Paul:
She's tough and I'm not to mess with her.
Jessie:
Canadian's must really like deep V-neck t-shirts.
I think what makes our performances gel so well together:
Paul:
We are safe to try almost anything.
Jessie:
We both play in a similar way. We are willing to see how our characters change one another night to night. So there is some great listening and responding in the moment and he keeps me on my toes. He is definitely one of the greatest scene partners I've ever had. Also, Paul is pretty dreamy so it’s easy to gel with him.
My favorite moment onstage with my co-star is:
Paul:
Anytime we surprise each other.
Jessie:
I love our last scene together. It is different each performance and feels like a true celebration/release/appreciation for the past 2.5 hours we have spent supporting one another onstage.
My most memorable performance we’ve shared has to be when:
Paul:
Jessie was still the Girl cover and Joanna Christie had to leave after act one sick and Jessie came in for act 2. I've never had two girls in one night.
Jessie:
As I was nearing the end of my understudy contract, we had a performance that I was sure would be my final one. But like five minutes before the show, John Tiffany (our director) offered me the role in my dressing room! I had to keep it a secret for awhile. So that night, Paul was giving me this great kind of saying goodbye performance...but I got to go through it with this excitement of knowing I'd get to do the show with him every night soon enough!
If my co-star were a musical instrument, he/she would be:
Paul:
Clarinet.
Jessie:
A penny whistle. Seriously, he is the skinniest man I know. [click here for Paul Nolan's retort]
My co-star and I bond over:
Paul:
Luggage. Yeah I know. It's weird.
Jessie:
How awesome I am. We both just totally agree on that. Sometimes I wish he'd stop leaving me flowers and love letters, but I know it makes him happy so I let him carry on.
I’m envious of my co-star’s ability to:
Paul:
Let things go and have fun.
Jessie:
Sing like a freakin rock god. His voice is an insane instrument that he has such amazing control over. It is easy to be absolutely taken by his voice every single show. When he was cast, I watched a video of him singing “Gethsemane” from Jesus Christ Superstar. My jaw was on the floor. His vocal abilities are disgusting.
If I had to describe my co-star in a song, it would be:
Paul:
"Trouble"
Jessie:
“Blame Canada.”
Make a date to see the sparks fly between Paul Alexander Nolan and Jessie Fisher in Once at the Jacobs Theatre.
