Meet Courtney Groves, another one of our visiting guest artists making their way onto the NorShor Theatre stage for its big premiere.
- What got you involved in theater?
- When I was in first grade, my music teacher wrote a show titled “One Special Cookie” for the entire first grade to perform. When I got the role of the grandma, I remember being really disappointed because I really wanted to be one of the beautiful ballerinas in the show. It was then that my music teacher informed me that I would get to sing the title song in the show and put baby powder in my hair to give the audience the illusion I was a grandma….. I was hooked! From there, I kept performing all through school and eventually went to college for a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. I knew from a young age what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and I am very thankful that I have been able to make my dream of performing full time become a reality. When I am not doing musicals like Mamma Mia!, I am fortunate enough to do a lot of on-camera work and tour all over the United States performing for Vets, active military, and their families. Letters From Home, America’s Bombshell Duo is an amazing job that gives me the opportunity to thank our service men and woman, see new places, and keep performing. Seeing the smiles on their faces is the most rewarding thing in the world, I cannot imagine a better job.
- Why Mamma Mia!?
- It’s one of my mom’s favorite shows! I remember listening to the West End soundtrack of Mamma Mia growing up and singing along with my mom. The show means a lot to her and I am positive she will be crying during Slipping Through My Fingers because it’s not only her favorite song but from what I hear it’s a song all mothers can relate to.
- Where do you hope to be in 20 years?
- In all honesty, I just hope to still be able to do what I love as a full-time profession. Commercials, movies, musicals, plays, concerts, you name it and I want to do it!
- Who’s your favorite actor?
- That’s a tough one! I have so many actors and actresses I look up to. I would probably have to say, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, and Morgan Freeman are certainly up there. Their emotions always seem so natural and they are always really connected with both the character they are playing and their scene partners. It’s amazing to watch them. They all are also able to play a wide variety of characters which is really admirable to me. A lot can be learned from watching them.
- What’s the best part about being in a show?
- I would say the best part about being in a show for me is both the people I get to work with and the ability to make the audience feel things. Part of the reason theater has always meant so much to me is the fact it resonates with other people. It has the ability to make the saddest person happy, the loneliest person feel loved, and can even make people feel things they haven’t felt for a while or maybe ever. If that isn’t magic, I don’t know what is!
