“When I sing I feel powerful” – Jessica Mordue.
Singing sensation, actress and dancer Jessica Mordue hit’s all the right notes in the hit musical Mamma Mia! This is one talented English rose that has created a buzz in the New Zealand town Whakatane – Bay Of Plenty!
Meet Jessica Mordue!
Jessica Mordue
Jessica Mordue grew up in the UK, where she spent three years at Stratford-Upon-Avon College, where she gained her first certificate in Musical Theatre. Miss Mordue then went onto gain a Musical Theatre degree with honors at the Arts Educational School in London.
Mordue has been in many production shows including Sweet Charity! However, her life changed dramatically when she landed the principal role of Killer Queen in the musical “We Will Rock You”. This role, however, wasn’t your normal singing gig. Mordue was sent off to sing at sea for thousands of passengers onboard the cruise ship called Anthem Of The Seas.
Little did the singer know that around the corner in the staff crew mess, while sailing around the Caribbean, she would meet a kiwi bloke, who eventually won her over with his cheeky charm. Early this year Mordue was asked the ultimate question…” will you marry me?” – to which she replied…”YES!”.
Jessica Mordue and Fiance Ben Walker
After two years of long distance phone calls, Miss Mordue gave up the glamorous singing life at sea and swapped the high tea and scones for some good old Bay Of Plenty sunshine and “fush and chups”.
Just recently Mordue landed a role she had dreamed of playing. She was cast as the lead role playing Donna in the hit musical Mamma Mia. (Produced by Theatre Whakatane).
I had the pleasure of watching Mordue confidently lead a talented cast through an entertaining and comical journey, that ended up in a standing ovation by an enthusiastic audience.
I decided to catch up with this down to earth singer, to find out more about her creative journey and to see how she’s adapted to the laid back kiwi lifestyle.
Interview with Jessica Mordue:
John Morin Photography. Courtesy of Theatre Whakatane.
Q1. Emmy: First of all Jessica, congratulations to you and Theatre Whakatane on such a great show! I loved it! I know you and the cast and the production team have worked really hard on bringing Mamma Mia to the stage. How did you feel performing to an audience for the first time?
Jessica: It was amazing, you can’t describe how it feels really. You get to become someone else. In my case it was Donna! Rehearsals were so much fun, but what was great was working with people with such passion. Everyone has done this out of their own time. Everyone has families and commitments and work and the fact that people have chosen to do this out of their own time is amazing. Experiencing different chemistries between characters on stage was great too. If the audiences are smiling and they’re happy then we’ve done a good job. We have a story to tell, and we want the audience to feel what we feel. That’s all we want to do at the end of the day.
Q2. Emmy: I know you’ve always dreamed of playing Donna, how did it feel getting the role?
Jessica: Yes, well when I was at Uni I went for an audition at West End for the part. Everything went really well, but in the end, I choose the wrong song for Abba. I chose a Beyonce song, which looking back on, it just wasn’t the right song choice, and plus I was very young then. So now, I’m very happy to play her!
Q3.Emmy: So before coming to New Zealand, your playground has been London, and you’ve been a lead singer on a cruise ship. What was it like singing on a cruise ship?
Jessica: It was amazing! It was really interesting because the passengers didn’t pay for the show as it was all included in their cruise, so some nights were busier than others, but in general they were really lively audiences to perform to.I’ve been very fortunate to be in two principal roles in two shows that are quite famous around the world.
Q4. Emmy: What was the best part of working on cruise ships?
Jessica: Other than meeting Ben, I would say doing the shows and getting to meet people from around the world that aren’t even related to show business. But generally, it was being on stage and being in a different world.
Q5.Emmy: So you met your soul mate in the middle of the ocean, then all of a sudden 2 years later you’re living in New Zealand! It must have been hard leaving your family and friends. Did you have your families support and what was the transition to kiwi life like?
Jessica: It was really difficult, but I think from a young age, I’ve been quite independent, and I’ve always lived in London and I was away for a year on the cruise ship. My family is so supportive, and they knew I was really happy with Ben. Also, the happiness I felt affected my performance. When you are happy in yourself as an actor, your performance and energy changes for the better.
Q6.Emmy: What was your first impression of New Zealand?
Jessica: I loved the culture, it seemed chilled, there was no rush! I like the scenery here, it just seems relaxing and family orientated. And of course the accent!
Emmy: Yes, we have the sexiest accent apparently. 😉
Jessica: Haha yuss!
Q7.Emmy: How would you describe your singing style?
John Morin Photography. Courtesy of Theatre Whakatane.
Jessica: I wouldn’t say I’m a pop singer, although I can sing pop. I would say more a Jazzy musical theatre style. I also love Opera singing too. I had a fabulous singing teacher in London called Ann James, and she encouraged me to find my legit singing voice.
Q8.Emmy: Singing and music are obviously in your blood, as you also teach singing at Stage Door Performing Arts Academy as well as working with pre-schoolers. Is teaching something you also want to pursue in the future?
Jessica: Yes, I would love to do that more in the future. I love teaching my passion and I get a lot of reward from that. I love teaching the students that everyone is unique, and it doesn’t matter who they are, they deserve success and happiness just as much as anyone else. I love teaching them positive things about themselves.
Q9.Emmy: That leads me to my next question. When you were their age, what’s one thing you wish a teacher said to you more?
Jessica: I guess just to believe in yourself and don’t be ashamed of anything. Like if you can’t hit a certain note don’t think of it as a bad thing. Try and find the skills that you have and put them on the table.
Emmy: Yes everyone has different strengths. If your not a great singer you could be better at comedy…
Jessica: Exactly, and even though I’m grateful for the great feedback in Mamma Mia, deep down I still have to remind myself to believe in myself.
Q10.Emmy: Do you write your own songs?
Jessica: Yes, I don’t write music but I write lyrics. I have written two song’s and I’m currently working on one.
Q11.Emmy: What doe’s singing and music mean to you and how do you think it contributes to the world?
Jessica: For me, it’s a place where I feel at peace. We live in a chaotic world, and time is going really fast. When I sing it’s like a release for me. When I sing I feel powerful.
Q12. Emmy: Well, it definitely shows in your voice. You have a powerful set of lungs!… Now would you rather have dinner with Freddy Mercury, Bob Marley, Elvis or Eminem?
Jessica: Bob Marley! I love reggae and I think he’d be chilled. I think I would learn a lot about life from him.
Q13.Emmy: Nice!… Would you rather sing a duet with Celine Dion, Beyonce, Odel or Lady Gaga?
Jessica: Lady Gaga! I like her style, there’s something about her.
Q14. Emmy: What’s one piece of advice you can give to our readers who want to pursue singing?
Jessica: Believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to mess up and don’t be afraid of failure. It’s a hard industry, but be who you are and be proud. Don’t change for anyone and don’t seek approval. We say to the children at school if you think it’s good, that’s all that matters, and that’s it. Respect others and treat them the way you want to be treated. Whether its in a show environment or anywhere in the world. In a show, it’s just not about you there are so many people involved.
Emmy: Yes, the audience gets to see the shiny end product, but the reality is, it takes a lot of time and people with all different skills sets to get a show to the stage.
Jessica: Absolutely, for instance, the Mamma Mia set has been worked on for like a year!…
Ultimately a nice word from someone can really make someone’s day. I truly believe a successful performer isn’t just about talent, it’s about how you are to work with, and showing compassion and gratitude for everyone involved.
That’s a wrap!
For everyone in the Bay Of Plenty/ New Zealand, Mamma Mia runs until the 25th Of May. To get your paws on a ticket before they sell out visit www.iticket.co.nz
In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek of Mamma Mia brought to you by Theatre Whakatane. (Facebook)
P.S Jessica Mordue is not only a talented performer but a guest writer here at woopdedo. Check out her article Let’s Face It-No Bodies Perfect!
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article. Please feel free to share or if you’re a performer who wants to be profiled here at woopdedo visit the work with us page for more details. ♥
Emmy is the founder and content writer at woopdedo. With a background in the performing arts, she then had a career working on cruise ships, until she decided to return to NZ where she spends most of her time storytelling and freelance writing. You can contact her on the social media links below or visit the work with us page.
