Meet Julia Smith (Haley Westerbrook) 
Why do you think the world has been so fascinated with the legend of Nessie?
The world is fascinated by the legend of Nessie for the same reason we’re fascinated with all mythical and magical creatures- humans are fascinated by the unknown. If there’s something unexplored, we’ll explore it. If there’s a possibility, we’ll chase it. There’s fear in the unknown and fear can be thrilling and exciting. We have an inherent need to explore, to learn, to discover. We want to believe that there’s more out there. We want to expand our reality.
What is it like to work on a world premiere musical?
It’s incredible. We’re creating a piece of art together that has never been done before. There are no expected ways of portraying these characters that we feel obligated to live up to or stereotypes that we need to break out of. We just get to play. And we’re not only working on a brand new show, we’re working with the team that wrote it. Now that’s an opportunity you don’t get every day.
We get to hear about Marshall and A.D.’s vision first hand and help create it. And we get to bring our own wild ideas to the table and say “what about this?” It’s a conversation between actor and writer that doesn’t get to happen very often. It keeps us on our toes because scenes or songs might change at any time. Anything could change at any time. We have to be willing to try something crazy and then try something completely different the next day. But that’s what’s so fun about uncharted territory.
What mysteries or legends captivate your imagination?
I’m a total fantasy geek so I’m captivated by anything in that genre. But in terms of mysteries, I recently saw a movie about the Dyatlov Pass Incident and that was pretty intriguing. The movie itself was a horror movie take and probably not very realistic, but the actual event where a group of hikers died in the Ural Mountains in ways that no one can make sense of did in fact happen and it’s pretty fascinating.
Do you have a favorite moment in the play?
There are a few decision moments for Haley toward the end of the show and they create a fork in the road for her. Depending on the choices she makes in this 12 hour period, her life could go in several different ways. Ultimately, her choice helps determine the kind of person she’s going to become. Making that final choice is one of my favorite moments in the show. My other favorite moment is every time The Oiler comes onstage.
What’s the biggest challenge for you in this production?
Easily the biggest challenge in this show for me is playing a 12 year old. I’m not 12 anymore (despite the fact that I might look it!) and playing someone so young brings a lot of challenges. Haley is constantly so high energy and so high stakes that it can get exhausting. She’s so uninhibited that I can’t afford to be cautious or careful as an actor. Haley dives in without thinking and I have to as well. It’s challenging, but also incredibly liberating. There are a lot of things that kids can learn from adults, but there is just as much or more that adults can learn from kids. I know I’ve learned a lot from Haley and continue to learn from her every day.
Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
Angeline Mirenda and I were actually the original casting choices for Rose and Jack in the 1997 Titanic film. Unfortunately, right before shooting they ended up saying they were “going to go in a different direction.” But our love for each other remains.
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