Interview: Caroline Innerbichler of FROZEN at Hennepin Theatre Trust

Minneapolis and St. Paul area theatre goers are likely just as familiar with Caroline Innerbichler as kids are with the beloved character she plays in the first National Tour of FROZEN, Disney's latest foray into musical theatre. Innerbichler began her professional career in 2001 at Children's Theatre Company in PIPPI LONGSTOCKING, and went on to lead THE LITTLE MERMAID at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres as Ariel. Along with parts in other beloved shows such as LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, MAMMA MIA! and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Innerbichler sang in the Ordway's BROADWAY SONGBOOK series often, including REBELS ON BROADWAY that was the focus of my first interview with her.

FROZEN was to play Minneapolis originally in May 2020, and finally took to the Orpheum stage this month for a limited run ending Oct. 20, 2021. While there are only a couple shows left at the time of this posting (get your last-minute tickets at www.hennepintheatretrust.com), this Minnesota star on the rise will surely continue to stand out in the theatre universe. We Minnesotans love our own and you'll be as delighted as I was to get to know Caroline Innerbichler better in this 6 Questions, back from the pandemic, finally. It's good to be back among friends.

Interview is edited for clarity and length.

Can you start by talking a little about what it was like being cast in Frozen as Anna, and what it took to get this part as a Twin Cities actress?

I had done some work out on the West Coast in Santa Barbara - I had booked a play out there. Just to stay up to speed, I was going in for auditions in Chicago. Having grown up in the Twin Cities, I wanted to see what it was like going into a room where people didn't know me and didn't have expectations of what I was going to offer for certain roles. My partner at the time brought up, "Hey, isn't that one new movie with the girl, with the braids... they have an open call and they're going to put it on Broadway; you should go in for that." I said, "Anna from FROZEN? Heck yeah, let's do this!"

Agents are not typically required for auditions in the Twin Cities. It's about open calls, showing up and eventually who you know. Having had my Equity card for like 10 years at that point, I just showed up and asked for a spare time slot. I sang some LITTLE MERMAID for them. From that point, I had eight call backs for the pre-Broadway production; one of them was flying me out to New York City for like four separate callbacks on four different days for the full team with all the writers and there were like 30 people in the audience. And obviously it didn't work out then. But I think I must've made an impact because when I caught wind that the tour was auditioning, I was in the process of drafting an email to Rachel Hoffman at Telsey Casting... and she sent me an email saying, "We'd like to see you for the role of Anna for the national tour." That was another seven or eight call backs for that process, as well.

That culminated in another callback week of four different times going in but this time around our final callback was on the stage at the St. James Theatre on Broadway. I remember telling myself, "This is my opportunity to work on a Broadway stage... I'm going to pretend that every single seat in the house as I look into the audience is filled with people and I'm going to play this character the way I would like to play it." I just remember walking out of that audition (thinking) "Alright, even if I don't get this,"-and I honestly, truly, Kristen, I had no expectations of getting the part. People may know me here but in terms of New York, national tour or Broadway - y'all don't know me! I never expected to get into this tier of theatre. But I was thinking I made a good impression today; I think I did some of my best work. I didn't let my nerves get a hold of me. That's kind of always my main goal: don't let the nerves get in the way of doing my best work that I can do that day. I was like "That was one of my best" and maybe they'll call me for another show and then maybe I can keep going in for these auditions for good experience.

The next day I got the phone call while walking around New York City on my lunch break. Rachel called and said "I typically don't get to do this because people have representation but I'd like to offer you the role of Anna for the national tour of FROZEN." And I was like, "For the understudy and the ensemble?" And she said, "No, no, you're playing Anna." And I was like (excited/surprised noise) and burst into tears.

So - your tour just restarted after being cut off so soon after opening in 2019. What was it like for you when that early momentum stopped cold - and what did you and the company do to stay on top of the material, and in touch with one another, during the long span between then and now? And how did you spend your pandemic time off?

We'd been running for about 120 shows, I think, so we'd been running for a minute. We were just starting to find the groove of the show ... especially for long-running shows, you're starting to relax into the work, finding new things and getting into the rhythm. You know, your body isn't as shell-shocked from going into eight shows a week, traveling around. Our company was starting to get a good feel for how we worked and traveled together. We were really already close before this pandemic happened. I've never been closer to even the crew members and orchestra... as a traveling company of about 106, I think. It's a really tight knit group full of people that work really hard, take their jobs very seriously, but are also really kind human beings. And really supportive. That was already there when the pandemic hit... like other people, we didn't know what to expect.

We were in Portland when COVID-19 ended up touching down in the United States... when I came back home to Minneapolis within seven days of the shutdown of our show, I decided to quarantine myself. I didn't have any symptoms, but I didn't want to spread it to anyone else... so I got an Airbnb, my mom handed over my dog to me, and I just spent some time there. I eventually moved in with parents for a bit... I stayed through the first fall, then moved back in with my roommates for the remaining part of year till rehearsals started back up.

F. Michael Haynie, who plays Olaf, organized a weekly Zoom meeting called "hygge happy hour" and they were there hosting every single week... and some members of the cast would do ladies wine nights over Zoom. Caroline Bowman and I were texting and calling and Facetiming a lot... these were my buddies; these were my people I worked closely with every day. It was wonderful to keep tabs and know I wasn't alone in feeling isolated and wondering if my job was coming back.

The main thing I did personally was dug really deep into self-improvement with my mental health issues. Like a lot of other actors, and a lot of other people, I suffer from depression and anxiety, and I'd been in therapy for a while but I had an opportunity to take a nice, long, hard look and do some really good internal work that I think has really, truly turned my life around... I'm so grateful that I had the privilege to access that during that time.

Just to keep busy, I picked up the guitar, which is something I've always wanted to do... and it's a new passion of mine.

You've performed locally since you were a child-what's it like coming home and doing a Disney/Broadway first national tour in your hometown? What has surprised you about it, and what is delighting you?

I've never played any theatre in the Hennepin Theatre Trust, so I have enjoyed getting to play a new theatre in town-just the history that's embedded in all our theatres here in the Twin Cities. Knowing the reverence whenever you step into a new place, a new theatre, anywhere we go on tour... but specifically it was really special. It was like going home and feeling like you're coming home but also you get to be in a new place. So it's a cool balance of that.

Every single performance, I've known someone either from recent shows I've been a part of, or people who've seen me perform throughout my career, friends and family, and I even had a group of my friends from high school speech came and supported me one night. A couple of them have kids of their own at the right age to see the show. That has been incredibly surprising and special to me, having people from all through life and career come out and support me. It's very humbling... it also gives me huge boosts of energy. It's a pretty demanding show and role and knowing there's people out there that love and support me helps keep me going.

I read that you loved the Frozen songs and wanted to play the part of Anna right after seeing the animated film. What is it like being a part of a show written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and meeting them? What changes have they made to the show?

I didn't have much contact directly during audition process.... After I got cast, we were doing a little professional video to introduce Caroline and I and I got to meet them just briefly and got to hang out a couple hours. I got to sing "For the First Time in Forever" with Bobby playing piano, which was really, really special and really surreal. They came to see the show in LA when we opened. They gave us tiny tidbits and notes and thoughts on these characters.

They write brilliant musical theatre songs, in the sense that Alan Menken's writing gives a beautiful arc for actor to follow from the beginning of a song to the end. It's just good classical musical theatre writing but with a contemporary sound to it. It makes it easy. It's easy to play this character because these two writers have such a great sensibility for the art of musical theatre, even though they were writing for films.

It's such a pleasure to sing their music. There are so many nuances in the orchestrations, in the arrangements in this production that make it as rich and as colorful as Rodgers & Hammerstein. They're definitely the "it" writing pair for our age, I think.

I think there are 12 new songs for this stage show - we have all the songs from the movie, and they've added, sort of like they did for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and LITTLE MERMAID and ALADDIN, they've added in songs so you get a full two hour-15-minute production. And you get to dig deeper into individual characters.

Specifically, Caroline and I got to debut a duet, even from the Broadway production, they've added the song, "I Can't Lose You," so we were the first people to debut that.

You and stage sister Caroline Bowman seem to have a particularly close relationship and look to enjoy one another with many hugs and shared Instagram posts. What is your favorite number or moment with "Elsa" and what is a story or memory with Caroline that you can share?

We're definitely very close - I'm always so grateful the creative team assembled this particular group of actors together. I cannot imagine a better, stronger cast and better people. Especially the chemistry between me and Caroline. I noticed it from our audition together in our final call back. I also had the opportunity to hear her sing "Let it Go" and she FILLED that house; we weren't wearing microphones. She filled the St. James and was bouncing off the back walls. I was like, "Who the heck was that?!" She blew me away vocally.

When we got into the scene work, we briefly introduced ourselves, "I'm Caroline," "I'm Caroline," (Laughter) and we were like, "Hey, cool!" She muttered to me, "Wouildn't that be cool if..." and I said, "Yeah, right?!"

Then we got into the scene work and it's hard to meet someone and try to do a scene with them; it's one of the harder things about auditioning for actors, I think, or for at least me personally. You're trying to feel someone out and also trying to do good work on the character. You're like, "I hope we're on the same page here." I just instantly felt connection with her. She might be auditioning for next job but she gave me her full attention, she's listening and responding to me, we're feeding off of each other in this moment and that's how it stayed.

I know that whenever I'm going to go out on stage that Caroline will be present with me and that we're going to be able to do our best work. Or maybe if one of us is struggling that day, because hey, we do eight shows a week, for months and months and months, and life happens and things happen, and every day is different as a human going through this world, we're going to have different shows. If someone is struggling, fighting through some sickness or having a rough day mentally, I know she's got me and I've got her. That's what we always say to each other: "I got you." She's never let me fall once.

Our characters don't come on for first 15 minutes because our little younger versions of ourselves are telling our story, we always go into each other's dressing room and check in with each other. Maybe sometimes we even set an intention for that show. Or we just talk about where we're at, and get excited and pump each other up. She makes me laugh; she's so silly. So goofy - just like I am - we're both just a pair of dorks, I tell you, just the weirdest humans. I'm glad she's weird as I am; I really appreciate her for that.

She just inspires me because she's got so much experience in this profession; she is a Broadway veteran. She's played some of the most challenging roles in musical theatre to date. She's played Elphaba, she's played Evita and Elsa. I call it the "triple E" - no one else has done that at this level. Not a single person. Those vocally demanding roles. I don't know if people understand how challenging those parts are. And it's not just her voice that does it. It's the fact that she's a brilliant actor and throws herself into these characters. So I am sponging up as much knowledge and insight as I can from her. She's definitely inspired me from the first moment I worked with her and she has just the biggest heart. I'm so glad I get to share that with her. I'm so honored.

The Twin Cities audiences, like me, have seen you in shows since you were a little girl. You mentioned favorite roles in a past interview we did as Chrissy from HAIR and Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID. What about those or other parts have helped bring you to where you are today? Who or what was most influential in your development as an artist in the MSP area?

I think playing the little mermaid definitely helped prepare me for this point in my career; it was my first professional lead, headlining that show. In terms of physical stamina, combined with that I love being a physical actor, both of these roles, Ariel and Anna, are great for getting to challenge me. I love dancing. I'm not a dancer-dancer but I love getting to use my full body in my work. And this is definitely challenging but I'm so glad I got to play Ariel first and got to see what that was like. So that definitely helped prepare me the most.

I think the favorite - like the most fun I've had on stage... my favorite play is FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. I could do that show until I die. I would love to just age up in all the roles and I could run that for 20 years. I think it's a perfect show. That at Chanhassen was one of my favorite productions just because of the satisfaction of getting to do a production and tell a story I believe in so much. And then, PIRATES OF PENZANCE at the Ordway! That company was incredible... singing Gilbert & Sullivan music was a total trip. I grew up loving the film version of Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith. James Rocco let me take this tiny character and just run with it. And do whatever the heck I wanted; I've never had somebody let me do that comedically - it was the first time someone trusted me enough with my own comedic experimentation.

And Sophie in MAMMA MIA! just because I friggin' love ABBA and it's just a fun show. I could also do that forever. The music and the character and it's just fun. It's a party. Too many answers!

6 quick hits

• Favorite (non-FROZEN) Disney character? Panic from Hercules
• Most amazing "celebrity" experience you've had since joining Frozen? I have two: John Legend & Chrissy Tiegen, that was mind-blowing. And meeting Whoopi Goldberg on "The View." She's magical. (Here's a clip: https://youtu.be/m9FbH2aJ6hs)
• What album could you listen to nonstop? "Hounds of Love" by Kate Bush
• Favorite dessert: My mom's Lemon Bars
• What thing at home do you miss most on tour? My room. I'm a total homebody. I love my bedroom.
• What cause are you most passionate about? Black Lives Matter movement - I definitely care a lot, I think it's incredibly important ... and an overarching cause that kind of umbrellas that in is intersectional feminism. While I might think it's hard for me as a woman, it's 10 times harder for women of color or trans women... especially in the arts community, lack of representation.... And how that's starting to shift and change. I think it makes for better art and stronger communities. Also, I really believe in arts education, that is incredibly important at all levels, especially in public schools. I grew up with a lot of privilege; I had parents with money who could pay for classes... and even if I didn't have arts at my school, and I did have an incredible arts education at Eagan High School... but if I hadn't had that, my parents could've afforded any music classes I wanted and I don't think that's fair. Everybody should have access to explore their creativity and express themselves.

Bio:

Caroline Innerbichler (Anna) is excited to share this beautiful story with you! Credits include: Little House on the Prairie (national tour); Guys and Dolls, Little House on the Prairie (Guthrie Theater); Mamma Mia!, White Christmas, The Sound of Music, The Pirates of Penzance (Ordway Center); Grease, The Little Mermaid, Fiddler on the Roof, Bye Bye Birdie (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres); Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Ensemble Theatre Company); Hair (7th House Theater); Ragtime (Park Square Theatre). Heartfelt gratitude goes to Rachel, Tim, and Liz. Love to her family and her incredible friends. Dedicated to Basil and Cecily. http://carolineinnerbichler.com/ Instagram: @carolineinnerb

Photos:

Courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust; North American Tour production photos by Deen Van Meer.

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