"West Side Story": Brazilian actress talks about her character in the musical

Giulia Nadruz is a Brazilian actress, singer, dubber, and art educator. Her artistic career began when she was very young with classical ballet, then moved on to other areas such as singing and acting.

With an extensive theatrical resume full of musical shows, the actress has now reached her 21st production, marked by a great success, the classic West Side Story, in which she plays the lead female role of Maria.

Below, read my interview in English with the actress.

In the interview, Giulia talked a bit about the pause in the production of West Side Story due to the pandemic, her work, and her future projects.

"It's a huge joy! This character and this work are really a great challenge, they demand a certain maturity from the artist for their execution. I believe that nothing happens by chance, Maria came into my life at a time when I can understand her and bring to life all her nuances, her strength and her delicacy. Not to mention the vocal technique demanded by the role, with its thousand dynamics and super high notes. It's an honor to be a part of West Side Story, this production is a masterpiece," she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected rehearsals for the production, which was paused for a while.

"It was very difficult. We were all very happy and fulfilled with the project and this break, which at first we thought would be two months, turned into two years with no return date. The promise to return was something that helped me a lot during this time of pandemic, and being back gives a great sense of relief. When we met again in the rehearsal room, it was almost unbelievable. Everyone was very emotional," said Giulia.

With an extensive theatrical resume, the actress told us which production was the most memorable and exciting for her.

"I like all the projects I've done, they all brought me joy and challenges, but there are some that have left their mark on my heart: The Phantom of the Opera, Ghost, Tick Tick Boom, Shrek, Barnum, and Fame were some of them," she revealed.

Giulia has fulfilled a dream by voicing the character of Princess Beauty, but there are other characters she would like to dub.

"I grew up in the 90s, and Disney musicals were part of my childhood. Beauty and the Beast was always my favorite movie! It was very special to dub the Live Action and it is amazing to be the official voice of Princess Beauty in Brazil. I would love to perform the role on stage too! I also love Princess Jasmine, Elsa... and I know it's not Disney, but I would love to bring Princess Anastasia to life", said Giulia.