How this HSE grad went from Indianapolis Children's Choir to Broadway in Indy's 'Frozen'

Evan Duff will soon see the convergence of several high points when he takes the stage in Disney's "Frozen." He'll perform in Indianapolis for the first time as part of a Broadway touring musical. He'll put to work the foundational skills he learned from the city's arts groups while growing up in Fishers.

And from the audience, his family will witness it all.

"I never really imagined that something like this would happen," the baritone said, "so I'm just really trying to take it all in."

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Duff, who will join performances Nov. 20, has been based in New York since he graduated from Ball State University in 2017. And as the villainous, wealth-loving Weselton in "Frozen," he's fulfilling a major goal that he began working toward when he joined the Indianapolis Children's Choir in fourth grade — before he ever knew he wanted to be a performer.

In advance of the tour's stop at Old National Centre that begins Nov. 16, Duff spoke with IndyStar about his arts training in Indianapolis and Fishers, how he refocused himself during the pandemic and how he landed his "Frozen" role.

Duff's journey to performing started when he was a kid

Growing up, Duff tried what he described as every sport imaginable — but none of them worked out.

"I told my parents I didn't want to play sports anymore, and my mom was like, 'That's totally fine, but you do have to do some sort of activity,'" he said. "I liked to sing around the house, and so my mom put me in the Indianapolis Children's Choir. That sort of started my love for music in general."

Duff remained a member for nine seasons and participated in Summer Stock Stage, where he performed in "Hairspray" and "West Side Story." At Hamilton Southeastern High School, he learned foundational skills in acting from teachers who'd attended Ball State.

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Once he was accepted there himself, Duff decided to level up as a performer.

"I would say that Broadway is a huge dream, right? And it's an amazing goal," he said. "But I think for me going in, it was like, 'I want to be a professional actor, and I want to be the best version of myself I can be.'"

What Indianapolis theater taught him

Over the course of his training, Duff came away with several formative experiences. A big one, he said, was the 2012 production of "A Chorus Line" at Summer Stock Stage.

The performer had come in armed with plenty of singing experience, but dancing was a new challenge where he had to learn extensive choreography alongside a group of actors who would become some of his best friends in Indianapolis.

"Most of us were put in positions where we were sort of working on our weakness as performers," Duff said. "I feel like when we opened that show and all of the hard work that we had put into it, I had never felt so much gratitude and just accomplishment."

The pandemic gave him a new outlook

When Duff moved to New York, he gave himself a year to acclimate and worked odd jobs in catering, as a temp and in fitness studios, among others, to support himself.

"I really wanted to be successful here, so I would say that my first goal when I got to the city was actually just to figure out how to live a New York life," he said. "I didn't put too much effort into auditioning or any of that in my first year."

He eventually sought out performance jobs and worked on productions including "Diana" at La Jolla Playhouse in California and "Becoming Nancy" at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.

But a few years into his new life, Duff found himself working harder rather than smarter. So when the pandemic hit, he used the time to focus on self-care.

"I sort of completely lifted myself from the burden of needing to perform or be artistic in any way," he said.

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How he landed the 'Frozen' job

The break worked. And when he felt ready to return to his artistic roots, an important opportunity arrived.

"When I went in to audition for 'Frozen,' I was so much more in my own body and in my authenticity and individuality, which is what I feel like got me the job," Duff said.

Since joining the tour in August 2022, the performer has learned the demands of such a job. Duff has recently spent time recovering from an injury and will return to the show in the middle of the Indianapolis run.

Audiences will see the actor's own take on the character of Weselton — a little goofy, a little off.

"Sometimes people think that Weselton is the villain, but I like to think that Weselton is the person in the room using the most common sense. I often feel that way myself," he said with a laugh.

If you go

What: "Frozen" from Broadway in Indianapolis

When: Nov. 16-26

Where: Old National Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St.

Ticket prices and more information: indianapolis.broadway.com

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Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Frozen in Indianapolis: Fishers' Evan Duff will be in the musical