Maddy's Theatre Artist Spotlight: Brie Roche
“Creating inclusive and engaging learning opportunities is my passion.”
Brie is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine's teaching and history undergraduate program. During her time there, she was recognized for her research in women's history and the history of those often forgotten. Currently, Brie performs in local musical theater productions as well as at children's parties with Brie's Best Guests and Jurrasic Jo's Dinos. When not on stage, she works as a Humane Educator at the Animal Welfare Society, where she writes curriculum and teaches students of all ages about animals, empathy, and compassion. Brie’s educational and professional career has consistently revolved around making learning fun, accessible, and engaging. Brie is thrilled to be able to bring her passion for social-emotional learning and musical theater together in A Year with Frog and Toad.
Can you tell us about the process of bringing A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD to life and why this is an important story for Maddy’s Theatre?
A Year with Frog and Toad is an important story to tell in Maddy's theater because it is able to show how our friendships can cause difficult emotions, and uses the magic of musical theater to promote social emotional learning for our little friends who are learning how to navigate their big feelings.
It has been so much fun to bring this heartwarming and silly show to life. Our performers and production team have worked so hard to create such an awesome piece of theater in a very short amount of time, navigating challenges with grace.
For the most part, the shows I have done have catered to more "grown up audiences". I had the honor of playing Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz at Biddeford’s City Theatre many years ago where a large number of attendees were children and I learned what a gift it was performing theater for children. Getting to be a part of so many children's first experience witnessing live theater is nothing short of magical. Theater is all about suspending disbelief, and creating new worlds, people, and stories for people to witness and feel a part of. Getting to do this for children is an enhanced version of this experience. I can only hope this show can plant seeds for budding little artists.
“Getting to be a part of so many children’s first experience witnessing live theater is nothing short of magical.”
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD is full of different characters! Can you tell us about Snail and other roles that you play?
I am so honored to be playing Snail. She is a sweet character who is thrilled when her friend Frog trusts her with a very important task. She defies the odds of her slow moving body and ends up performing a show stopping number before the end of the show. I also play a Bird, who helps shepherd the different seasons, and Young Frog.
Brie Roche as Snail, performing on the Igloo Stage at Carnaval ME, February 2022
Event Photo by Kat Moraros Photography
An understudy is someone who learns another actor’s role to be able to act as a replacement on short notice. Everyone in our cast is not only working hard learning their own parts, but learning to cover another character or ensemble track as well. On top of Snail and Ensemble roles, I’m also the Toad understudy! This is an exciting challenge. Most of the work I have done in musical theater has not had understudies, and it's so fun to see others get opportunities to shine in new roles. My Snail understudy is absolutely fantastic and anyone would be lucky to see him go on.
Can you tell us more about the educational and inclusion work you do through Brie’s Best Guests, Jurassic Jo’s Dinos, and the Animal Welfare Society?
Yes! Brie's Best Guests started with a mission to spread joy, while also being inclusive and sensory-friendly to allow princes and princesses with different types of abilities to enjoy magical experiences. From Princesses and fairy tale characters, to dinosaurs and paleontology lessons, we are all about combining entertainment with education and creating inclusive experiences for all kids to enjoy.
Brie as Princess Anna in a Brie’s Best Guests event
I am so lucky to be the Humane Educator at Animal Welfare Society. I spend my work days providing interactive learning opportunities for children using shelter animals. I get to use animals to help children grow emotionally, socially, culturally and academically. This program benefits animals and students, inside and outside the classroom. Whether we’re working together to improve literacy skills by reading aloud to a resident pet or learning about animal body language and how it can mirror our own feelings, students participating in AWS’ Youth Programs are more engaged, more compassionate, and more knowledgeable about animals and the world we share.
Brie with puppies at the Animal Welfare Society
Creating inclusive and engaging learning opportunities is my passion, whether it be on a stage with frogs and toads, in a school with a shelter dog, or at a birthday party with a princess or a dinosaur! You never know how one of these lessons, interactions, shows, or events can impact a child. These programs can be life changing and I have a blast working in them. I am truly the luckiest!
To learn more about Brie’s work in the Maine community, you can find Brie’s Best Guests on Facebook and Instagram, Jurassic Jo’s Dinos on Facebook and Instagram, and the Animal Welfare Society on Facebook and Instagram.
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD runs in Maddy’s Theatre March 4-20th. Meet the rest of the cast and creative team, and reserve your tickets by visiting kitetails.org/frog-and-toad
Based on the books by Arnold Lobel. Music by Robert Reale and Lyrics by Willie Reale. A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD - TYA is presented with special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com