Artist Spotlight: Nathan LaPointe Stars as Frederick!
Nathan LaPointe stars as Frederick in Frederick the Musical
Born in Florida, raised in Arizona and Maine, Nathan Lapointe aka Unique Unknown found his creative roots in Van Buren, Maine. Starting out playing drums to classic rock music, his love of wordplay inevitably guided him towards hip-hop and theater, both of which he has embraced through his time spent at USM and beyond. With a strong compass for the conscious, Unique Unknown has sought to ease his own chronic pain through art, powerful bonds and personal expression. Along with his friend Kyler Henningsen, he has formed Family Banned Records to bring awareness to the healing power of art and culture.
FREDERICK is the first musical in Maddy’s Theatre! Can you tell us about the process of bringing this story and the music to life?
The process for me specifically is looking inward and collaborating. There are five actors working together to create this piece, plus a Director (Hollie Pryor) and Musical Director (Brynn Lewallen). It started with a reading and I fell in love with the story right away. Frederick is my soul, he finds joy in everything; from the tiniest little thing you can see to the flaws - everything has a beauty to it and that’s what I’m using with Frederick. It’s been a huge collaboration process. We’ve been finding out so much about each other and becoming a family, just like the mice in this story. It’s about building relationships, collaborating, and working together.
“It’s been a huge collaboration process. We’ve been finding out so much about each other and becoming a family, just like the mice in this story. It’s about building relationships, collaborating, and working together.”
Why is FREDERICK THE MUSICAL an important story to tell in Maddy’s Theatre?
Frederick is important because as you get older, the easier it is to lose track of your soul and to lose track of the beauty of things while you get caught up with life. I think it’s important to teach kids at a young age to keep a hold of that wonder. Yes, you have to live practically but you have to hold onto the beauty of everything. Especially after a time like Covid, where that really rocked the world, it’s given us the opportunity to find the beauty in the tiny things, to connect with our family, to fall in love again. I think it’s important for kids and adults to see this - to see a family working together, working through rough times and then coming together in beautiful harmony.
From left to right: Kyah Morrissette, Carrow MacLean, Nathan LaPointe, Michela Micalizio, and Dan Leonard
Production Photo by Katie Day
“I think it’s important for kids and adults to see this - to see a family working together, working through rough times and then coming together in beautiful harmony.”
You have an extensive background in hip-hop, how does that influence crossover into the realm of theatre?
I actually started with the drums and keyboard and then fell in love with acting. Hip hop didn’t happen until college. Throughout the years after college, I dealt with depression, anxiety and chronic pain. Hip hop was my saving grace with writing and getting my feelings out that way when I couldn’t talk. Through all of that, I knew acting would come back, and that opportunities would come through hip hop. And here we are now! Since I’ve been writing songs and performing music for years, jumping into a musical has been easier because I know how songs work. It’s all really melded together. In all the years I wasn’t acting, I was still using acting through performances with how I move my body and use expressions to convey the songs to audiences.
Can you tell us about the mission and work you do with Family Banned Records?
Kyler Hennsington is my partner in music for Family Banned Records (he came up with the name) and we’ve been working together for six years. It started with us jamming together at Art Walk; to supporting other artists and going to their shows; to putting on our own shows; to coming out with the website; to where we are now. We’ve produced albums and now I’ve veered into empowering the youth in our communities. The point of Family Banned Records is to support other artists with their creativity, no matter what age, to support positive social change through music and art. Collaborating, bringing people together, sending out a positive message. I’ve been working with youth a lot more and it’s about teaching the kids, the real change will come with the youth so that’s where the focus is.
Nathan LaPointe as Frederick
Production Photo by Katie Day
Can you tell us about the work you do as a teaching artist, bringing expression, dance, and hip-hop to students and to kids in the greater Portland community?
I’ve had the opportunity to be a teaching artist through Be The Influence. Thanks to Laura Morris, I have the opportunity to teach kids! I started teaching Improv with Laura, and then she got me an opportunity to teach hip hop. With me, it’s not about the history of hip hop but instead how hip hop has saved me and how that transfers to the kids’ experience. Through writing, through expression, by looking in the mirror. With Unique Unknown - that’s my hip hop name - it’s looking in the mirror to see myself where I struggle, and see who I am and get out what I may not be able to get out with other people. That’s what I teach to these kids. Building resiliency, building strength and positivity through hip hop. Through writing, through singing, through music and art. They don’t always have the opportunities to be creative and are often pushed down and not flourished. So my goal is to provide and facilitate that opportunity. When I come in, we pick a beat; we pick a song; we write it together based on concepts like struggle, perseverance, patience, or perspective; and then we go to the studio to record the song. The kids do everything from learning the equipment to being on the recording. Starting from beginning to end, we are building something and collaborating together.
“The point of Family Banned Records is to support other artists with their creativity, no matter what age, to support positive social change through music and art. Collaborating, bringing people together, sending out a positive message. ”
Anything else you think audiences should know about FREDERICK THE MUSICAL?
It’s going to be a beautiful experience. Bring your souls with you. This is going to be a reminder about finding the beauty in everything. I am so appreciative of every single moving part of this play. I am so thankful for everyone at the Museum and Theatre, and for the rest of the cast.
Follow Nathan’s artistic endeavors through hip hop as Unique Unknown, and learn more about the community engagement of Family Banned Records by visiting his Website: https://www.familybannedrecords.com/unique-unknown
Nathan stars as Frederick in Frederick the Musical through December 30th. Get your tickets today: kitetails.org/frederick-the-musical