acclaimed by critics girl from the north heads to the Forest Theater this month. This Tony Award-winning Broadway musical features Bob Dylan’s legendary music. Findi spoke with Chiara Trentalange, who was an understudy in the Broadway production and is currently playing the role of Kate Draper on a national tour. The Philadelphia native made her debut at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania, at the age of 12, and she has been performing ever since.
[Forrest Theater, 1114 Walnut St.] February 27th – March 10th, 2024; ensembleartsphilly.org
Debra Danese: You are from Philadelphia, where did you receive your early training?
Chiara Trentalange: Growing up, I performed at the Bucks County Playhouse. This is where I starred in my first musical theater production and where I received my first paycheck. I also trained at the Downtown Performing Arts Center based in Lambertville, New Jersey. The community of young theater artists in the Bucks County area has been incredible to me. There I made connections that are still very strong.
DD: When did you know you wanted to pursue theater as a career?
CT: After working on the production, I decided that I wanted to do theater. Annie At Bucks County Playhouse. Yes, I was 12 years old. It was the most exciting thing that ever happened to me. I was really lucky to have such supportive parents. I’ll never forget her mother driving me from Montgomery County to her BCP every day during rush hour after school. What a saint! My passion grew and by the time I appeared in Gwynedd’s Mercy Academy’s show my senior year, I knew that theater would always be a part of me.
DD: What do you enjoy most about playing Kate Draper?
CT: I love that she gets to do the scenes and songs she appears with the character Jean Lane. Conor McPherson’s writing at this particular moment turns out to be very precise and complex. It’s kind of clumsy, poignant, funny, and sad at the same time. In this play, it is said that the scenes are vinegar and the music is honey. They balance each other out perfectly. There’s something quite magical about acting in such a cold, awkward scene and then singing a beautiful, moving Dylan song right afterward. 
DD: How familiar were you with Bob Dylan’s music before the show?
CT: I’m pretty familiar with Dylan’s work, so I thought so. In my late teens, I had just finished listening to “Blood Tracks.” This show allowed me to explore his catalog further. It never ends and has an incredibly wide range of styles and themes throughout his life. he’s a really great person.
DD: What are your responsibilities as dance captain?
CT: Being Dance Captain means ensuring that all the choreography in the show is always fresh, created by our amazing Movement Director Lucy Hynde. I keep a book that records the movements and traffic patterns of all the characters. The stage manager and I hold all the understudy and swing rehearsals and teach them the material. Also, if we have new people performing, we rehearse before the show to make sure everything goes smoothly.
[Forrest Theater, 1114 Walnut St.] February 27th – March 10th, 2024; ensembleartsphilly.org