“I was nervous to perform that one because it’s a big moment for Kendra and Brett and it is also one of my favorites!”īut as for which song speaks the most to what it feels like to be the grueling age of 13? Lengel considers it a no-brainer: “definitely ‘13,’” he tells Tudum. I love it!”īlackwell says that “definitely ‘Tell Her’ ” was the song that had her reeling before shooting. She’s going to be watching for this.’ That song has such a good message for the end of the movie and it’s so well done - so jazzy and upbeat. And I have her solo! So I was like, ‘Oh, this is a moment. Luke Islam notes that “Brand New You” was his favorite song to perform “because I am the biggest Ariana Grande fan, and she is the one that originated that song. McNellis wasn’t the only one eager to do their original Broadway counterparts justice. I have to do good just for her.’ I really hope she likes it because that was, like, really cool!” The camera is on me the whole time, and Liz Gillies was the original Lucy, so I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I cannot mess this up. “I had to do it, and at the end of the song, I have to do a lift and that was first time ever doing cheer. Definitely nervous, but definitely still exciting!”įor McNellis, her big cheerleading number “Opportunity” was the most nerve-wracking “because it’s me,” she tells Tudum. was definitely more challenging than the rest of them. Dubuc, who takes the lead on “Bad Bad News,” notes that “preparing for that. Nerves ran rampant on the set, though, as many of the cast have showstopping numbers that they headline.

Uhl echoes that “Jason Robert Brown’s music is so amazing, it’s timeless, and it definitely gets in your ear, so we were always humming whenever we weren’t filming.” They were always singing some really cool musical theater number or something.”

As to who burst into song the most, Golden wagers it was “Frankie or me! Or maybe Nolen.

But no matter what clique they’re in, all the 13 kids have musical numbers they perform to help get them through.ĭuring filming, the cast was always singing off camera. He soon meets new friends like Patrice (Gabriella Uhl) and Archie (Jonathan Lengel), but once school starts, he’s entranced by the popular crowd of jocks and cheerleaders like Kendra (Lindsey Blackwell) and Lucy (Frankie McNellis). The musical follows Evan Goldman (Eli Golden) as he moves to small-town Indiana from New York City after his parents’ divorce and his attempts to fit in while planning for his upcoming 13th birthday celebration, his Bar Mitzvah.

13 by jason robert brown