BWW Q&A: Jordan Dobson on NIGHT SIDE SONGS at Philadelphia Theatre Company

A ground-breaking ninety-minute new musical, Night Side Songs explores the intimacy of illness, mortality, and the incredible dignity of caregivers through the story of Yasmine Holly, a fictional character informed by interviews with real doctors, hospital staff, and patients, many from right here in Philadelphia. Night Side Songs is a musical convergence which reflects and celebrates Philly’s “eds and meds” community with humor, grace, and profound empathy. The production will tour for free local hospitals, community centers, and places of worship for two weeks before its run at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Directed by Artistic Director Taibi Magar. The show is produced in association with the American Repertory Theater.

Night Side Songs is supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.

Jordan Dobson's career spans Broadway, regional theater, international tours, and film. On Broadway, he has performed in roles such as Prince Sebastian in the original Broadway cast of Bad Cinderella, Orpheus in Hadestown, Shilo in A Beautiful Noise (OBC), and Tony in Ivo van Hove's production of West Side Story. His touring experience includes playing Angel in the Rent Japan Tour. At Signature Theatre and Two River Theatre, he starred in Hair. He performed in Austen’s Pride and Into the Woods at ACT of Connecticut, appeared in The Wanderer at Papermill Playhouse, and tackled roles in Cabaret and Gypsy at Arden Theatre Co., as well as The Color Purple at Theatre Horizon. In film, he has worked under the direction of Bradley Cooper in Maestro, playing William, and starred as Jericho in Closing Night.

Can you discuss your time at Temple University and how it shaped your artistic journey as a Philadelphian actor?

Going to Temple was so cool for me because I got to work at a lot of Philly Theaters while in school. I was very lucky to be able to audition for shows at these professional theaters while being a student. And even luckier to get cast every now and then. So, it felt like I had two educations. I would go to classes during the day and learn from my incredible professors and fellow students. And then, I’d leave class and go perform with professional Philly actors and put everything I learned into practice. It was the biggest blessing for me.

Who were some key mentors or inspirations that influenced your career?

It’s almost impossible to narrow down the professors at Temple who influenced my career. The theatre faculty’s overall focus on discovering what our individual artistry as students looked like was the main thing that I take away most. Someone who really took care of me during my college career was Professor Amina Robinson, and she still continues to look out for me in this industry. In school, she had zero tolerance for being phony and not putting in work.

She’d constantly call me out if she felt I wasn’t being truthful in my work or if I was unprepared. If I came to an acting class unprepared, she’d watch me struggle through a scene for maybe a minute or two before saying “Jordan just sit down. We’re not doing this. Only get back on the stage when you’ve prepared.” It gave me a work ethic that I’m so grateful for. To this day I call her for advice because I know she always has her students’ best interests in mind. And that’s easily said for all of the theatre faculty at Temple.

Peter Reynolds, Maggie Anderson, and Brandon McShaffrey were other professors who really took the time to invest in my education and training, which I will forever be grateful for.

Can you share how you became involved in Night Side Songs?

I got involved in Night Side Songs through the writers (Daniel & Patrick Lazour), as well as the director, Taibi Magar. They reached out to me after seeing my work in a few shows on Broadway, as well as the film, Maestro. They wrote me the kindest letter I’ve ever received from a creative team asking me to be in the show, and as a huge fan of them all, it was a no brainer to say yes to this opportunity.

What drew you to this project and what do you love most about the show?

I was really taken by the music at first. The Lazours sent me one of the songs, and I was immediately hooked. Throughout working on the show, I realized just how special the script is and how well it compliments such powerful music. The Lazours really do have such a clear sense of how to touch the human soul.

The way they work in tandem to accomplish such a healing experience in this show is otherworldly to me. It leads to a sense of catharsis for the entire audience as well as us, the actors. It’s a real shared experience every night which is so necessary to keep alive in this art form.

Can you talk about your character and the significance of playing the guitar as part of your role?

I play several different characters in the show, as we all do. But my favorite character that I play is Harris Reading. He’s a man who fully resists the Healthcare system and is the only person on this show who has that perspective. And, I play guitar throughout the whole show, but it feels very connected to that character specifically. He’s a man who fully embraces the love of his life, music. As long as he has the beach and his guitar, he’s happy. I very much enjoy playing character who finds such simple pleasures in life.

What were some of the challenges or exciting moments you experienced preparing for this performance?

To be completely honest, this is the hardest show I’ve ever had to memorize. I’ve never had to work on memorizing my lines until joining this show and that was a big wake up call. Because it’s not always a linear narrative, it messed with my brain a lot while I was trying to learn it. The other challenge in this show is taking care of the audience. We guide the audience through songs that we sing together with them and it really puts a responsibility on us to not only perform the show, but also to stay present with what the audience needs throughout the show.

Can you explore your relationship with playing the guitar—how you started, and how music enhances your storytelling in the show?

It’s funny you ask that, because I never considered myself a guitar player. I learned guitar specifically to be in Hadestown, and once I joined that show I only knew the songs I had to play as Orpheus. Then, I played guitar in A Beautiful Noise, and I suddenly became known as the guy who plays guitar, which feels so wild to me. So, when this show came along I was like “Really? I’m not even much of a guitarist.”

But for The Lazours, I’d pretty much learn anything they ask of me. Seriously, if they asked me to do a backflip, I’d start taking gymnastics. I think they’re just brilliant and I want to be the best artist I can for them. So, I practiced non stop and continue to do so in order to keep the show flowing smoothly. The guitar in the show evokes the vibe of each song, and I take it as a huge responsibility to usher the emotional journey of the show through this instrument.

Can you talk about the music in Night Side Songs and how it resonates with you personally and professionally?

There’s soooooo much I could say about the music. I can’t say enough how brilliant The Lazours are. They somehow created music that is simple enough for an entire audience to learn on the spot, yet still powerful enough to move people to tears. The melodies themselves touch my heart directly.

Then, the specificity of the lyrics create a direct line to the brain and the songs start to connect to your own personal life. There are several songs in the show that simply overwhelm my body and evoke such strong emotion no matter how many times I perform the show. What they’ve created musically is something I feel extremely grateful to take part in.

What do you hope audiences take away from Night Side Songs?

There’s a line in the show that sums it all up for me. “And so there, we’re singing together. We’re singing for the sick, and we’re singing for those caring for the sick.” I hope people find community, catharsis, and joy in singing together at our show.

What are your goals for the future, whether in acting, music, or other creative endeavors?

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