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Connecticut Theatre Company

10 Jul 2025
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Spotlight On: Julianne Freeman

 

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

 

 

Introduce yourself to our audience.

Hi, I’m Julianne Freeman! I am so excited to participate in my third production with CTC. When I am not performing, I love acrylic painting, writing poetry, and creating floral hair pieces out of ribbon. I hope you enjoy the show!

 

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

Of all the roles that I have played throughout my life, I think Julia is among the closest to me in terms of personality. I’ve shared a number of her struggles with self-esteem, societal expectations, and navigating relationships. In working through her characterization, I’ve encountered many parallels with my own experiences. Because I feel such a strong kinship with her, my biggest challenge has been a combination of giving her space to be her own person, while also allowing myself to be vulnerable enough to express the aspects of her that closely resonate with me.

 

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

I always try to give myself enough time to decompress, release any stresses from the day/week, and focus on my upcoming performance. I find that having a reliable routine helps to ground me, so I’ll often develop one during tech week, then repeat it for every show to get my head in the zone. I also love to sip on a mug of hot tea with honey and lemon while I warm up my voice!

 

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

I absolutely love “Not That Kind of Thing,” both musically and symbolically. The song is very catchy, and I adore the tonal shifts in the music, which I think are perfect for highlighting the developments in Robbie and Julia’s relationship. This song also represents a pivotal point in Julia’s story, where we see her truly open up and have fun with someone who brings out the inner self that she often hides away. The playful interactions between Robbie and Julia also remind me of the teasing banter that I enjoy with my own partner, and I see so much of my relationship with him in this scene.

 

When did you first start performing?

When I was very young, I was obsessed with Charlotte Church, and would often beg my parents to play her CDs on repeat. Inspired by my favorite musician, at age seven, I marched up to my mother and declared that I wanted to be an opera singer. My mother immediately set out to find as many performance opportunities for me as she could. From my debut at a talent show (singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in a bright pink tutu), through my first musicals and operas, to my current role in “The Wedding Singer,” my biggest supporter has always been my mother, and it’s thanks to her that I’ve been able to chase my dreams all the way to CTC!

 

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

Take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. There’s something so enchanting about that liminal space between waiting in the wings still dressed in your own skin, and the metamorphosis that takes place when you emerge on stage as your character, and it’s one of my favorite parts of being a performer.

 

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

To be honest, this question was extremely difficult to answer. My dad is a music buff who adores rock and new wave from the 70s and 80s, and I spent my childhood bonding with him over the incredible music from that era. My dad’s passion for 70s and 80s songs shaped my love of music, and those conversations have always meant so much to me, both as a musician and as a daughter. That said, since I have to choose one, I think I would pick Journey, because their songs are so emotionally resonant and uplifting, and I often turn to their music for inspiration.

 

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

Love isn’t always a fairy tale, and sometimes, the greatest romances come from the most unexpected places. While it may be messy, strange, and a bit confusing at times, the truest of loves is also fun, silly, and supportive, and the best aspects of it rarely fit snugly into a societal mold. Our production of “The Wedding Singer” is a meditation on the pressure to conform to social standards, and how easy it is to lose ourselves and disconnect from our hearts’ desires in the process.  Robbie and Julia both learn how to embrace their individuality, and it is only through that journey of self-discovery that they are able to find each other and fall in love. I think that, in today’s world of pristine appearances and fixation on social media, our show’s message of love and acceptance is more important than ever.

 

 

 

“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

 

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