Janelle Good chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about playing Skye in the upcoming Paw Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure” production at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, which will take place from April 9 to 10, 2022.
What do you love most about playing Skye in “Paw Patrol” at the Hulu Theater?
While there are many aspects of this job that I love, I think the one that brings me more joy than anything else is being able to find special moments during the show to connect one on one with the kids.
Every kid that comes to see the show has their favorite pup, and while seeing them brought to life in this way is an incredible experience, every so often there will be a brief moment where someone in the front is calling out to Skye- and when she winks at them or waves her paw acknowledging she knows they’re there, their faces are truly magical.
How does it feel to be playing at the Hulu Theater once again?
This is actually my first time performing at the Hulu Theatre and my excitement is unparalleled! I have loved New York since I first visited almost a decade ago, and every opportunity I have had to perform in this city has been- not to jump to dramatics, but- lifechanging.
What motivates you each day as a performer?
Finding a career as a performer is not for the faint of heart. This career takes dedication, determination, passion, and motivation. While passion is one of the biggest motivating factors for me, I think what truly keeps me going during tough, tiring, stressful, and disappointing times is reminding myself that I am completely capable of creating the life I have always dreamed about.
One where going to work never feels like work, and one where the most important part about my job is having fun. In everything I’ve encountered during my professional career as a performer, making sure I have fun has been the number one priority. Because at the end of the day if what you do doesn’t, or no longer brings you joy, it’s okay to take a step back and search for something else that does.
How does it feel to be a performer in the digital age? (Now with streaming and technology being so prevalent)
I’ll be honest- navigating the growing prevalence of digital media has been difficult for me, especially in light of the pandemic. One of the most unique experiences of live theatre is that of shared experience. By standing on a stage and sharing my passion with others, I have the ability to touch people’s lives.
Each person coming into a performance space will leave different than they came in. Whether it’s making someone smile, laugh, cry, or even angry, the ability to make others feel is, in my opinion, the best aspect of being a performer. In live theatre, we are able to sense and feel this in real-time. We are able to make a direct connection to everyone in the room.
While digital media is certainly able to touch and change the lives of people, the type of connections we form with others is fundamentally different. We can choose to engage with, pause, or even ignore the presence of the people our content reaches. I think the breadth of creativity we are seeing in the film industry today is truly inspiring but as for my relationship with it personally, I’m still figuring out how I may fit into that world.
What is your advice for young and aspiring actors and performers?
My advice to any young performers who aspire to do this professionally, or recreationally, is that there are SO many different communities just within the performance industry. I didn’t fully realize this until I went to college for the performing arts, but a degree in performance does not limit you exclusively to performing.
There are theatre educators, fight masters, stand-up comedians, puppeteers, dialect coaches, dancers, music therapists, animators, costume designers, performance directors, and so many others who all started out just like you and stumbled upon exactly where they fit in in this community.
Whether your goal is to have a career in performance, or simply keep it in your life in any way, shape, or form because it’s something that brings you joy- there are countless ways to do just that.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
The word success has always struck me as one that has a deep resonance. There is a lot of pressure in our society to be “successful.” Often times when looking back at our lives or careers to determine whether or not they were successful it’s easy to think of success as the sum of an immeasurable worth from our accomplishments. Have I accomplished everything I tried to? Were my accomplishments also seen as valuable by others? Did I do enough?
To me, success isn’t measured from the grand scheme of things. It comes from the little things. Those that may go unnoticed but when they add up to prove to be much more inherently valuable than anything that reflects a “big picture.” Success means getting up every day and doing everything to the best of your capacity in that moment.
Success means not comparing your most productive days to your worst, but learning to appreciate that everything you do has value. Whether it’s just getting out of bed and eating a meal, or finally going through all of those unread emails, or landing a job you really wanted and have been working towards. Success means you tried or failed, but regardless, you made it- and chances are wherever that is, is exactly where you needed to be in that moment.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Paw Patrol” at the Hulu Theater? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
The amount of happiness this show has brought into the lives of all of us on that stage and behind the scenes, after a period of much uncertainty and a deep desire for any sense of normalcy in the world, is truly indescribable.
I hope everyone who comes to see our show can not only sense that happiness, but brings their own to share with us as we all sing, dance, and bring these characters to life together.
For more info about PAW Patrol Live!, visit the official website or follow PAW Patrol Live! on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
