Meet Nina White – The Soul of 'The Queen of Versailles'

In the pre-Broadway musical "The Queen of Versailles," Nina White plays Victoria Siegel, the troubled teenage daughter of the titular character, Jackie Siegel (Kristin Chenoweth), and her husband David (F. Murray Abraham). The show centers on the building of an enormous mansion in Florida patterned after Versailles that Jackie pursues is a maniacal zeal, to the detriment of her role as mother, which she consigns to her Filipino nanny Sofia, played with compassion by Melody Butiu.

Victoria is a bit like Elphaba from "Wicked," another Stephen Schwartz musical in which a teenage girl doesn't fit in. Unfortunately for Victoria, there is no magical solution to her issues, and (spoiler alert) in the second act, she passes away from a drug overdose.

The musical is loosely based on Lauren Greenfield's award-winning 2015 documentary that shares its title. But Lindsey Ferrentino's libretto looks at the Siegels' lives both before and after that film. It has a score by Stephen Schwartz, his first since "Wicked," and direction by Tony-award winning (for "Parade") Michael Arden.

Victoria's death came in 2015 from methadone overdose. To this day the grieving Jackie cannot bring herself to pack up her room. Her death led the Siegels to start the Victoria Voice Foundation, which assists parents in dealing with children dealing with drug addiction.

White previously appeared in one show, the Pulitzer and Tony-winning "Kimberly Abimko," both in both its off-Broadway and Broadway runs in which she originated the role of Teresa. But expect her touching performance as Victoria Siegel to be her breakout role. In her two solos – "Pretty Always Wins" and "Book of Random" – she powerfully conveys her growing disillusionment with the excessive lifestyle that had come to define her parents. And, as a queer person, she empathizes with Victoria's feelings of being an outsider.

EDGE spoke to Nina about learning about the Siegels in preparing for the role, working with Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham, and being part of a new Stephen Schwartz musical.

EDGE: Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Nina White: My name is Nina White, and I play Victoria Siegel in "The Queen of Versailles," which is currently playing at the Emerson Colonial Theater in Boston.

EDGE: Before getting the role, how much did you know about "The Queen of Versailles?"

Nina White: I had never heard of the Siegels or the documentary before. I had no idea who they were before I got an audition, and it was suggested that we familiarize ourselves with the documentary before sending in the audition video. So, I watched it; it was my first exposure to them.

EDGE: How did you prepare for your role as Victoria?

Nina White: I watched the documentary a handful of times. Victoria's arc in the show is interesting because it's slightly different, and it's not exactly true to what was happening in her life. There was other stuff happening. The writers and director, Michael Arden, talked a lot about how the musical is a representation. We are not doing impressions of anyone in their family. We're making a story out of their lives. I do feel like that's the case with my role. However, a very interesting piece of my preparation is that the Siegels published Victoria's diary, which is a part of the show, so I have had access to her inner life and thoughts through the diary. You rarely have that kind of insight into someone's inner world, real or fictional. It did feel a little bit complicated, morally, to have it. I feel protective over her and want to embody her with the most respect possible.

EDGE: Were you able to have any conversations or input from Jackie?

Nina White: I haven't had any input. I've met Jackie a couple of times, but we've never talked much about Victoria or my portrayal. I've talked a bit with some of Victoria's siblings, and I know it's intense to see someone playing their loved one on stage. I have heard that I'm shorter than she was. They did let me know that. We've never spoken at length about my work in bringing Victoria to life, but they've always been very warm, and they seem to have signed off on it, which is all I could hope for.

EDGE: Do you have a favorite moment on stage?

Nina White: That's a really good question. I have a few, but one that comes to mind is a song I sing in the second act with Jonquil, who Tatum Grace Hopkins plays, and we're burying our pet lizard. We have a really good time having fun with each other during that scene. Tatum is so wonderful, and it feels like a moment of release in an otherwise very intense section of the show for me. Victoria grew up fast in many ways, but that moment feels like she is just a kid.