The next interview in our stagey chat series is with Courtney Stapleton. Courtney is set to appear as Kelly in the revival of The Mad Ones. The Mad Ones opens at The Other Palace on 7th May. You can book tickets here.

Hi Courtney, how are you doing today? Thanks so much for chatting to Stage to Page! Would you mind introducing yourself to our readers and telling us how you first got into acting?

Hey, I’m really well thank you, thanks for having me! So, I’m Courtney and I’m from Kent and I first got into acting half way through secondary school. I joined my local youth theatre HYT (Hazlitt Youth Theatre) in Maidstone and it kind of went from there. After a while I started to get involved in productions at school and then decided to study musical theatre at West Kent College instead of continuing onto sixth form. After those 2 years I auditioned for drama schools in and around London and managed to secure myself a place at Arts Ed London and the rest is history!

You're set to play Kelly in the revival of The Mad Ones at The Other Palace from May. Can you tell us about the story and the character you play?

I am! So, The Mad Ones is a story of self-discovery and self-love. It’s about a normal high school girl, navigating the world, figuring out who she is and dealing with the curveballs that life can throw at us. It’s a story of love, friendship, grief and fear but ultimately a story about learning to be yourself and love yourself through it all. I play Kelly, Samantha’s best friend who is so secure in herself, super spontaneous and doesn’t give a crap what anyone else thinks of her.

The Mad Ones deals with themes of ambition, love, and self-discovery. How do you think these themes resonate with the audience?

I think the story forces people to look inward. We spend so much of our lives moving at other people’s pace and trying to make other people happy whether it’s friends, family or partners that we often neglect our own ambitions, wants and needs sometimes without even realising that we’re doing it. This story encourages the audience to ask themselves “what do I want?” and I think that is something we should be asking ourselves on a regular basis. We ALL deserve to be happy.

From Six, to Dear Evan Hansen, to Beauty & the Beast, you're always at the heart of shows with a huge following. Is there a role or genre you've not yet tackled that you'd love to take on?

I think a dream role for me since I saw the show on Broadway is Eurydice in Hadestown. I am completely in love with the score and the story and there are so many little parts of her that resonate so strongly with me that I would love the opportunity to play her one day.

What do you think the musical says about the idea of chasing your dreams or questioning your path in life?

I think the musical encourages people to follow their dreams but not without recognising that it’s important to go at your own pace. Sometimes there can be pressure from all angles but it’s okay to hesitate, be gentle with yourself and wait until you are truly ready. You will know when you are.

Equally questioning your path in life is SO normal. It’s so inconceivable to me that we come out of school at 18 and we’re expected to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives. People change. Life changes. If that means you change your mind, then that’s okay. That’s you being true to yourself and living authentically. Go with your gut.

My blog is called Stage to Page. But if you could turn any book, from page to stage, what would it be and why?

I have to say I’m not a huge reader, but I think Call Me By Your Name could be an absolutely beautiful musical. The story alone is one thing, but with the right accompaniment I think the whole thing could be elevated and queer stories still aren’t told enough in theatre so any excuse!

And finally, why should people book tickets to The Mad Ones?

This show is a rollercoaster. You will laugh, you will cry, you will fall in love with this score and with these characters. You would be a FOOL to miss it.

You can book tickets to see The Mad Ones, here.

**photo credit: Ruth Crafer**