How to lure a Disney princess to local theatre. Anika Noni Rose visits 'Caroline, or Change' cast

It was the happiest of endings for a local stage production.

The cast of Footlite Musicals’ staging of “Caroline, or Change” in Indianapolis drew none less than Anika Noni Rose, the actress who won a Tony for the Broadway production.

When Rai Ortman learned that Rose would be in town for the Indiana Comic Convention at the same time Footlite was staging “Caroline, or Change,” she set out to get the actress to come to a show.

Rose, who voiced Tiana in Disney’s 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog,” was among about 100 celebrities meeting fans and speaking at the March 14-16 con at the Indiana Convention Center.

It was the first time in Indiana for both the actress and the musical.

Ortman was high on the community production, which included her 11-year-old son Asher.

“She won a Tony for this! In what world with her never having been to Indiana would she be here during the weekend of the Indiana premier of this incredible show?” Ortman said.

“Caroline, or Change” opened on Broadway in 2004. 

Rose originated the role of Emmie Thibodeaux, the rebellious and headstrong daughter of an African-American maid in 1960s Lake Charles, Louisiana, winning the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. The production was nominated for Best Musical in a field of that included “Wicked” and “Avenue Q.”

Ortman initially reached out on multiple social media platforms. As the comic con got closer and she hadn’t heard back from Rose, she contacted friends who she thought might be attending the event to see if they could get an invitation to Rose.

When that was a no-go, she and Asher made sure they were in line at the Friday morning opening of the con and bought a photo op with the actress.

“This show was so amazing. And as it got closer, I was like, ‘I can’t not go and personally invite her,”’ Ortman said. “I literally bought tickets just to go to her booth.”

Rose also starred alongside Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy in the musical “Dreamgirls,” and was nominated for a Tony in 2014 for “A Raisin in the Sun.”

She was preparing to reprise the role of Tiana in a Disney+ series, but Walt Disney Animation Studios recently scrapped the project.

Ortman and Asher took a poster invitation featuring a play on the words to the “The Princess and the Frog” song “Almost There” with directions to the Herron-Morton Place neighborhood theatre and letting her know she’d be welcome even if she came in late.

Along with the poster was a note written by Kaylee Johnson-Bradley, the actress playing Emmie in the Feb. 28-March 16 Footlite production. 

“Everybody in the satellite production was incredible. But Kaylee’s so great. She’s this young Black female; and I just thought it would be so incredible for her to have the moment for Anika to be able to see her play this role that she originated,” Ortman said.

The mom and son’s matching “Caroline, or Change” cast T-shirts stood out from the myriad “The Princess and the Frog” items that other fans carried; scoring a reaction of surprise from Rose and her husband, actor Jason Dirden, who accompanied her at the signing and photo area.

Anika Noni Rose duets with local kid actor

Asher told Rose he was playing the role of Noah Gellman in the show.

Rose inquired about his favorite number from the production; and when he responded, "Roosevelt Petrucius Coleslaw," she began singing the song.

“I hesitated at first, but then I joined in,” Asher said. “It was really fun. She was so sweet.”

Then Rose thanked them for coming and took a picture with the boy, but didn’t respond to the invite.

The duo left, with fingers crossed.

“We were just hoping that she would read the invitation further and read the note and decide to come,” Ortman said.

Disney princess meets Indianapolis 'Caroline, or Change' cast

The March 15 evening performance rolled around, and they didn't see her.

Ticket booth workers were told that should Rose arrive, she should be given a ticket and escorted to a seat.

“We performed the show like normal. None of us had any idea she was there.”

But Rose and Dirden arrived wearing masks and unrecognized as they bought tickets and took seats in the middle of the theatre during the first number.

Management realized the actress was there when she approached Ortman’s husband, who was working the soundbooth, and asked if she could meet the cast backstage.

“It was just this emotional release to actually have her come; and not just come, but take a Lyft, buy her own ticket, sit in the middle, watch the entire thing, and then take time out of her schedule to come down and speak words of life and encouragement into the entire cast. It was really cool,” said Ortman, who portrayed Grandma Gellman that night.

Rose spoke with the cast and took a couple of photos with them before director Bradley Allen Lowe gave the couple a ride to their hotel. 

“She talked about how awesome the show was and how needed it was again, and how culturally relevant it was with his messages and encouraged him to not stop telling these kinds of stories,” Ortman said.

“It’s not every day that you get to perform a community theatre production in front of the person that won a Tony for it,” she said.

Founded in 1955, the non-profit, volunteer-driven Footlite Musicals produces seven productions each year, while providing education and training in theatre at 1847 N. Alabama.

Next up for Footlite is “Kinky Boots,” which runs May 2-18. There's no word yet on where Billy Porter will be.