Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Jade McLeod swallows a Jagged Little Pill
by Jerry Nunn
2023-04-03

This article shared 4088 times since Mon Apr 3, 2023
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Non-binary performer Jade McLeod has one hand in their pocket as Jo in Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. The other hand is giving a peace sign now that the past controversy is finally settled following the musical's debut on Broadway in 2019. The show's producers received strong criticism for the mishandling of the character that McLeod now portrays on the North American tour, which has been adjusted both onstage and behind the scenes.

The musical uses Morissette's catalog of work as inspiration to address topics such as addiction and sexual assault. The book by Juno author Diablo Cody follows a very complicated American family on a challenging journey for a year. The Broadway production took home two of the 15 nominated categories at the 74th Tony Awards in 2021 and won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album that same year.

McLeod hails from Canada and brings a regional background of musical theater credits such as Mamma Mia! and Priscilla Queen of the Desert to the 2023 North American tour of Jagged Little Pill.

They spoke with Windy City Times while out on the road over the phone before arriving in Chicago.

Windy City Times: Where in the world are you right now?

Jade McLeod: I am in Cincinnati, Ohio and out walking my dog Banksy.

WCT: Where did you grow up?

JM: I grew up in Pickering, Ontario, which is a suburb of Toronto. I fell in love with theater in high school. It was there that I began singing and playing trumpet as well.

WCT: Are your pronouns they/them?

JM: Yes. My whole life I felt non-binary. A few years ago when Sam Smith and Demi Lovato both came out publicly using the term, I figured out that it was also describing me. That gave me permission to be freer to be myself and more expressive. It made everything else in my life fall into place.

WCT: Do you think about how you are now helping others with your role and platform in the same way as Sam and Demi did?

JM: Yes, kids come to see our show and tell me after that they are so thankful they can see themselves onstage. I tell them I am just being me and then they say how happy they are to just see me onstage and to be visible. I know exactly how they feel!

WCT: The Jagged Little Pill tour goes to many places where representation can be hard to find, right?

JM: Totally. There are people out there that have never been in the same room with a non-binary person that they know of, let alone root for them in a show before. That is very rewarding for me to be in a touring show as opposed to Broadway in New York. Some subscribers for the tour in these towns have no idea what they signed up for when seeing Jagged Little Pill.

WCT: What led you to the show?

JM: A dear friend of mine saw it in previews in New York and told me that I needed to do the show. I was in Canada at the time and started listening to the cast album. I already felt like a rock singer and just got obsessed with the material from there.

I put it at the top of my list and then the tour came about, so I auditioned. When I made it past the first round, I screamed at the top of my lungs!

WCT: Jagged Little Pill hasn't played in Chicago before. Can you describe it for audiences?

JM: It is about an American family who are all morally different, particularly their matriarch Mary Jane Healy. It centers around a mother/daughter relationship with her daughter Frankie who is unapologetic and unafraid. Through that relationship, the audience is introduced to other characters like Jo, who I play. Frankie and Jo are best friends with benefits.

It rolls out like a movie, as all of their lives change very drastically. They confront and face things while making it to the other side, which is what life is all about.

WCT: How do you connect with your character Jo?

JM: I have never seen a queer, non-binary trans person like this before. Jo is sarcastic, angsty and many other things. I see myself like this. I step into that and bring that energy into the room.

WCT: The musical Head Over Heels had the first non-binary principal role on Broadway, didn't it?

JM: Yes, you are correct. I haven't seen that one yet.

WCT: Did you see Lauren Patten play Jo on Broadway?

JM: Not live, but I went to some rehearsals before it closed. I have talked to her, and she has made Jo an unfathomably lovable character. It's a gift to know that the audience will be entirely on my side, just from the text, because the part is so well created.

For me being non-binary, the same as Jo, makes this all such a great connection.

WCT: I read that there was written text about Jo being non-binary taken out by the creatives before the original Broadway run. Is that true?

JM: I don't have information about that and was not there, but what I do know is that, from Broadway to the touring version, there have been some changes. We workshopped Jagged Little Pill in New York before touring, and everyone was open to suggestions and bringing myself into the role.

That doesn't usually happen on a tour. Touring shows are usually trying to recreate the Broadway version as much as possible. We kept what worked, and I got to add more of a masculine side to it, such as the baseball hat and Jo's gender journey at the end of the show. The costuming is very intentional, and the reactions from the audience have been great with feedback about it.

It is not so cut-and-dry as everyone wants it to be, but what I do know is that it feels great!

WCT: I'm already feeling emotional about it and I haven't even seen it yet. There are several possibly triggering moments for audiences within the story. Jagged Little Pill is recommended for ages 14 years old and up?

JM: Yes, there is sexual assault content that is serious. There is also drug abuse content that I personally felt triggered by, but it is not HBO's Euphoria. The fact that it is performed live can make it more overwhelming to some people. If they take care of themselves they will be okay.

WCT: That's a good point to make that live theater is a completely different experience than watching the same thing on television.

JM: The communal empathic experience with us and the audience can definitely make it more overwhelming.

WCT: Didn't the production team begin sensitivity training and create a human resource department to address the past issues of Broadway's Jagged Little Pill?

JM: Absolutely. They take care of us and the audience. There are signs everywhere about the content, including in the bathrooms. We had a four-hour training on day one to talk about the issues that exist in our industry and navigate the content of the show as artists.

WCT: This sounds groundbreaking. I interviewed Alanis Morissette in 2012 and her music seems to translate into a storyline fairly easily.

JM: It does surprisingly well, especially the first track of the album Jagged Little Pill, "All I Really Want," which is at the top of our show. It is the perfect song to depict what all the characters want within the concept of a musical. Alanis wrote those lyrics and they fit so well. The music is iconic and even more relatable now than it did over 20 years ago. This just shows how far ahead of her time she was.

Jagged Little Pill is not a typical jukebox musical. We have some talented rap singers in this cast and Heidi Blickenstaff as MJ sings her head off. If you want an Alanis Morissette concert with a touching story then you will get both!

WCT: Speaking of other cast members, does the touring show have a diverse cast?

JM: Yes. They were very intentional with casting. It is about a white Connecticut family with a Black daughter, which is important to the story. The ensemble cast and crew represent America, with over 10 trans and non-binary people. The creative team has been very diligent about not reinforcing negative stereotypes and the drug dealer is played by a white person. Casting people of color has been important to the producers as well.

This show has been carefully and meticulously built from the ground up. It is not perfect, but the team is all doing the work to make this show as inclusive as possible.

WCT: Where would you like to see your career go in the future?

JM: This show has personally opened my eyes and I want to tell more stories through someone like Jo. I want to play roles that some people might imagine for men. I want to tell stories that are factual and mean a lot to people who have sometimes not had a spotlight on them before.

WCT: So a career continuing with activism?

JM: Art is activism, and that has spoken to me my entire life. It is just who I am and why I was put on this earth. This all comes naturally to me!

"You Outta Know" that Jagged Little Pill has a limited run from April 11 to 23, 2023 at James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 West Randolph Street. Tickets can currently be found at BroadwayInChicago.com .


This article shared 4088 times since Mon Apr 3, 2023
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Nex Benedict's autopsy report released
2024-03-27
The full autopsy report for Nex Benedict (he/they)—a 16-year-old transgender and Indigenous student from Oklahoma's Owasso High School who died in February a day after a school fight—has been released. The Oklahoma Office of the Chie ...


Gay News

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor talks theater, comics, queerness
2024-03-26
City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2024-25 season—which will be the company's 44th. It will also be the first season to be programmed under the leadership of Brian Pastor (they/them), who will assume ...


Gay News

An interstate trans healthcare crisis: Illinois prepares for influx of people seeking gender-affirming care
2024-03-26
With hard-won rights, such as access to hormone replacement therapy or permission to use one's chosen pronouns in school, breaking down in states across the country, trans residents of all ages are left with a choice: ...


Gay News

The Jeff Awards announces the 50th anniversary awards for non-equity theater
2024-03-26
--From a press release - A complete list of recipients can also be found online in the Non-Equity and News and Events sections at www.jeffawards.org. (March 25, 2024 - Chicago) — Celebrating its 50th anniversary awarding recognition for Non-Equity theater, the ...


Gay News

No charges filed in Nex Benedict fight; campaigns call for Walters' removal
2024-03-22
In Oklahoma, Tulsa County District Attorney Stephen Kunzweiler announced that no charges will be filed in connection with the fight that happened the day before transgender, nonbinary high school student Nex Benedict died by suicide, NBC ...


Gay News

JP Karliak morphs into non-binary character for Disney+'s X-Men '97
2024-03-22
series X-Men '97, a revival of the popular X-men: The Animated Series that's both continuing the ongoing mutant storyline and breaking new ground along the way. The character of Morph now looks more like the comic ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Queer musicians, Marvel situation, Elliot Page, Nicole Kidman
2024-03-21
Queer musician Joy Oladokun released the single "I Wished on the Moon," from Jack Antonoff's official soundtrack for the new Apple TV+ series The New Look, per a press release. The soundtrack, ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist
2024-03-21
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

THEATER Chicago's City Lit has anxiety on tap with 'Two Hours in a Bar'
2024-03-21
Two Hours in a Bar Waiting for Tina Meyer by Kristine Thatcher with material by Larry Shue Text Me by Kingsley Day (Book, Music and Lyrics). At: City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.. Tickets: ...


Gay News

Jamie Barton brings nuances of identity to her Lyric Opera 'Aida' performance
2024-03-18
Chicago's Lyric Opera is currently featuring a production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida starring Michelle Bradley as Aida, Jamie Barton as Amneris and Russell Thomas as Radamès. The opera runs through April 7, 2024, with Francesca Zambello ...


Gay News

Almost 8% of U.S. residents identify as LGBTQ+
2024-03-16
The proportion of U.S. adults identifying as LGBTQ+ continues to increase. LGBTQ+ identification in the U.S. continues to grow, with 7.6% of U.S. adults now identifying as LGBTQ+, according to the newest Gallup poll results that ...


Gay News

WORLD Leaked messages, Panama action, author dies at 32, Japan court, out athletes
2024-03-15
Hundreds of messages from an internal chat board for an international group of transgender health professionals were leaked in a report and framed as revealing serious health risks associated with gender-affirming care, including cancer, according to ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Missouri measure, HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, judge, Texas schools
2024-03-15
In Missouri, a newly proposed law could charge teachers and counselors with a felony and require them to register as sex offenders if they're found guilty of supporting transgender students who are socially transitioning, CNN noted. ...


Gay News

College athletes sue NCAA over transgender policies
2024-03-15
Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines was among a group of college athletes who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on March 14, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing trans swimmer Lia Thomas ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'P-Valley,' Wendy Williams, Luke Evans, 'Queer Eye,' 'Transition'
2024-03-15
Lady Gaga came to the defense of Dylan Mulvaney after a post with the trans influencer/activist for International Women's Day received hateful responses, People Magazine noted. On Instagram, Gaga stated, "It's appalling to me that a ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.