Spotlight On: Jordyn Powell

Connecticut Theatre Company’s “Spotlight On…” series continues with a look into the cast of The Wedding Singer. Get to know Jordyn Powell who is in the ensemble of our production!

Introduce yourself to our audience.

Hi! My name is Jordyn, and I’m 24 years old. I’ve lived in CT for pretty much my entire life, growing up in East Hartford then moving to Stafford Springs for high school. I received my B.S. in developmental psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University (shoutout Warriors!). I now live in North Haven because I’m a third-year law student at Quinnipiac University School of Law, and I work at a criminal defense firm in Fairfield, CT.

What aspects of your character do you find most relatable or challenging to portray?

As part of the ensemble, I get to play many different characters – a different one per scene. I think that’s the best part about being in the ensemble – I get to challenge myself with characters that come easily to me as well as those that are more out of my comfort zone and completely different from my usual self. I think the most challenging of them all is Nancy Reagan because I did not grow up in the 1980s and so I did not know a lot about her at first. After doing some extensive digging, I’ve learned that most of the rumors and stereotypes about her life (including ones we lean into for this show) are actually untrue!

How do you prepare for a performance, both physically and mentally?

As cliche as this is, I listen to a lot of music. I personally still get nervous to sing in front of people, so I blast playlists filled with classic rock, metal, early 2000s pop, and show tunes to hype myself up.

What Is your favorite moment or song in “The Wedding Singer” and why?

My FAVORITE moment is after Robbie gets left at the altar and he sings “Somebody Kill Me” in his basement bedroom. It’s just my favorite song from the show. It’s hilarious but also relatable to a lot of people going through heartbreak.

When did you first start performing?

I first started performing basically when I learned to walk. Before I was 2 years old, I was dancing and singing (the best a baby can) in front of my family. I started taking dance lessons and performing in showcases for jazz when I was 8 or 9, then became a cheerleader for the town of East Hartford for 2 years. My first musical, however, was in middle school, where I was a Lemon Bug (play on the Beatles) in “Everything’s Groovy!”. I continued being in choirs and musicals all through middle school and high school. My favorite show that I ever did was “Tarzan” in 9th grade – shoutout to Mrs. Dillon from Stafford High School for being the best music director and human anyone could ever ask for. And shoutout to her husband, Mr. Dillon, for designing and creating the most beautiful sets I have ever seen.

What’s the last thing you do before you step out on stage / the curtain goes up?

The last thing I do – because I’m always doing this – is telling a stupid joke. If I’m not laughing or making other people laugh, something must be wrong.

What’s your favorite 80’s song/band/performer and why?

Okay, this is the hardest question because I love so many performers from the 70s/80s, so I’m going to list a bunch and you just have to deal with my non-answer: Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest.

What do you hope audiences take away from this production of “The Wedding Singer”?

I hope everyone just enjoys a good laugh and appreciates how much heart and soul is put into this show by the entire crew and cast. And on a serious note, I hope everyone realizes that money isn’t everything.

“The Wedding Singer” opens on July 11th and runs through July 20th at Connecticut Theatre Company. Tickets on sale now!

“A good-natured, harmless, high-energy knockoff of the 1998 Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy” — LINDA WINER of NEWSDAY

“The Wedding Singer has more heart and a better sense of humor about itself than some of its similarly wacky, winking peers.” — ELYSA GARDNER of USA TODAY