Making It on Broadway: Actors' Tales of Climbing to the Top

289 Pages·2004·3.86 MB·English

by  David Wienir

MIOB 00 2/17/04 1:13 PM Page i
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR
Making It on Broadway
“If you think working in theater is glitzy and ritzy, you’ve gotta read Making
It on Broadway. It’s a heartbreaking, humbling, and hilarious look at today’s
Great White Way, told by pros who know every stage of showbiz.”
—Wayman Wong, New York Daily Newsand Playbill.com
“The Broadway performers reporting in this devastating multiple-
memoir on the real life of actors are hilarious, grim, rueful, resigned, even
forgiving, but somehow, in every mood, their recollections are inspiring
and transparently honest. Loving intensely what they’re looking for, and
even looking for it in what should be the right place—Broadway—they’re
pretty much shocked by the reality. But like saints and lunatics, they
never lose the vision, see it as real, and sometimes, even for a moment,
find it.
When you start out in New York with little money, and with rats in
the walls of a closet you’re supposed to think of as a whole apartment, it
is not, God knows, any part of the dream that got you there. And then,
when you find out later that life after ‘making it’ is not all that different,
and certainly not different enough—there’s reason to be discouraged. But
like a torturous love affair, there is, after all, at the bottom of it, love. So,
if this book is a warning, it is also PR for a hard, still proud, way of life.”
—Leon Katz, Emeritus Professor, Yale School of Drama
“How is a life in the theater possible when ‘making it’ is a false concept
and ‘Broadway’ is no one’s permanent address? This book is a wise,
uncompromising, and invaluable document, featuring the passionate
voices of those wrestling with the question and living the answer. Long
live their history!”
—Mel Shapiro, Head of Acting and Musical Theater, UCLA
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“Usually, when you climb to the top of the beanstalk, you discover a giant
monster. This book describes that trip up, and what’s there when you
arrive. Some of the contributors to this book were once told what life
would be like once they finally ‘made it’ on Broadway . . . but they didn’t
believe it. Now, the actors in this book tell it like it is—they destroy the
myths and inject the truth. Yet, will it discourage any young artist? Not
likely.”
—Arthur Bartow, Artistic Director, Undergraduate Department
of Drama, NYU Tisch School of the Arts
“Making It on Broadway is a must-read for anyone who has dreamed of
one day performing on the Great White Way. It is honest, thorough, and
inspiring, and lends important insight into the world of show business.”
—Jamibeth Margolis, Director/Casting Director
“The names in this book range from the familiar . . . to the unknown,
and every story is equally fascinating and engrossing. A must-read for
anyone who has ever dreamt of life on the wicked stage—or just loves
going to see live theater.”
—Jeffrey Epstein, Senior Editor, Outmagazine
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Actors’ Tales
of Climbing
to the Top
D AV I D W I E N I R
A N D
J O D I E L A N G E L
ALLWORTH PRESS
NEW YORK
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To all those who have ever dreamed of a life on Broadway
© 2004 David Wienir and Jodie Langel
All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright
Convention, and Pan-American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be repro-
duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.
07 06 05 04 03 5 4 3 2 1
Published by Allworth Press
An imprint of Allworth Communications, Inc.
10 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010
Cover design by Derek Bacchus
Page composition/typography by Sharp Des!gns, Inc.
ISBN: 1-58115-346-5
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Wienir, David.
Making it on Broadway: actors’ tales of climbing to the top / by David Wienir
and Jodie Langel; foreword by Jason Alexander.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-58115-346-5 (pbk.)
1. Theater—New York (State)—New York. 2. Actors—New York (State)—
New York—Interviews. I. Langel, Jodie. II. Title.
PN2277.N5W48 2004
792.02'8'097471—dc22
2003024694
Printed in Canada
TonyAward®, Tony®, the Tony Award® logo, and the Tony Award® medallion are the registered trademarks
of American Theatre Wing, Inc., 250 West 57th Street, New York, New York, 10107. All references in
the text to “Tony Award,” “Tony Awards,” “Tony,” “TONY,” “TONY NOM.,” or any variation thereof,
refers to these registered marks. This work was not endorsed, sponsored, or otherwise approved by the
American Theatre Wing. Furthermore, while all of the contributors consented to be interviewed for this
work, their willingness to be interviewed does not imply that this work was endorsed, sponsored, or oth-
erwise approved by them.
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Contents
The Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Opening Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
Part 1: The Early Years
Chapter 1: Singing on the Coffee Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
• Not by Choice • Church and Tractor • A Young Passion for Music
• Cheerios, Indians, and Show Tunes • A Special Talent
Chapter 2: First Impressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
• Tickets, Please • Field Trip • Broadway Dreaming
Chapter 3: Don’t You Dare Call My Child a Thespian! . . . . . . . . 15
• Play Ball • What’s Wrong with the Family Business? • Proving
Parents Wrong • Plan for the Future
Part 2: Getting Settled
Chapter 4: Welcome to Gotham City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
• A Special City • Driving into Town • Taxi! • Sharing the Wealth
• Adjusting to City Life
Chapter 5: New Home and New Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
• Roll Out the Red Carpet • Where’s My Carpet? • The N.Y.C. Wildlife
• Loving the Landlords • Dealing with the Devil • Leaks, Freaks,
and Gregory Hines
Chapter 6: Survival Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
• The Toilet Scrubber • The Fitness Instructor • Welcome to Macy’s
• The Ice Sculpture • The Telemarketer • The Waiters • Pebbles, Winnie,
and The Count
Chapter 7: Singing for Supper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
• Bar Hopping • Hava Nagila • All Aboard • On Guard
• Carrots and Hamburgers • Life before the Union
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VI • MAKING IT ON BROADWAY
Part 3: Transition to Stardom
Chapter 8: The Audition Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
• The Life • The Open Call • Growing Pains • Destiny Calling
• Crossing the Atlantic • Fashion Statement • Cinderella Stories
• Truth Be Told • Patience Is a Virtue • Weighing In
Part 4: The Thrill of Live Theater
Chapter 9: Take Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
• Unexpected Transformations • Look Out Below! • Unleashed
• Left Hanging • The Rest of the Story • A Bit Behind Schedule
• Say What? • Stop the Show • Dressed for Disaster • Set for Disaster
• Broadway Carnage • Unplugged
Chapter 10: Please Remain Seated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
• Breaking into Show Biz • Quiet Please! • Stage Door Drama
• Backstage Tours • Love Letters • The Ultimate Payoff
Part 5: The Secret Life
Chapter 11: The Broadway Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
• Take the Elevator to the Third Floor • Call the Cleaning Lady
• Misconceptions • A Twenty-Four-Hour Job • Only Human • Not for
the Money • Moonlighting • Homes of the Stars • The Glamour of It All
Chapter 12: Sex in the Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
• The Showmance • Testing Boundaries • Crossing the Line
• They Don’t Do This on Wall Street • Straight Man Out
Chapter 13: Forget the Picket Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
• Courting Civilians • Marrying Civilians • Keeping It in the Family
• Flying Solo • Planned Parenthood • Working Parents
Chapter 14: Road Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
• Fantasyland • Love on the Road • Seeing the Country
• Guns and Drugs • A Big Star in Toledo, Ohio
Chapter 15: What Am I Doing Here? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
• Careful What You Wish For • Why Aren’t I Smiling?
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CONTENTS • VII
Part 6: A New Era
Chapter 16: The Disneyfication of Broadway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
• Where Did All the Stars Go? • The Death of the Gypsy • The Good
Old Days • Britney Spears on Broadway? • Another Standing Ovation
• The New Business Model • Size Does Matter • Six Flags® Times Square
Chapter 17: Broadway, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
• Job Security • Cogs in the Machine • A Company of Clones • Tracked
• Acting on Empty • Just Part of the Scenery • Malpractice • Playing in the
Shadows • Watch Out, Giuliani, XXX is Back • Hey, My Mom’s in the
Audience • No Acting Allowed
Part 7: When Dreams Come True
Chapter 18: The Base of the Tony® Is Plastic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
• The Plastic Prize • Who’s the Best? • How Does It Feel to Be a Big Star?
• Where Did I Put That Thing Anyway? • Tony® Wanna Cracker?
• The Trophy on the Shelf • “Hello, You Have No New Messages”
• The Curse of the Tonys® • A Ticket to Nowhere • Making It in
the New Millennium
Chapter 19: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
• Sorry, We’re Closed • Onward and Upward? • There is Only Square One
• Remember Me? • Typecasting • Wanted: Fresh Talent Only • Don’t I Get
at Least Sixteen Bars? • Tenure Denied • A Time for Retribution
Chapter 20: The Time in Between . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
• Time for Therapy • Actors Anonymous • Paying the Rent • Back to
the Day Job • At Least I’m Not Waiting Tables • Has It All Come
Down to This? • Didn’t I Do a Show with You on Broadway?
• At the End of the Day
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Chapter Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
The Contributors and their Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
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The Voices
Jason Alexander Jarrod Emick
Joan Almedilla Cory English
Ana Maria Andricain Robert Evan
John Antony William Thomas Evans
Michael Arnold Harvey Evans
Frank Baiocchi Gina Ferrall
Antonio Banderas Allen Fitzpatrick
Roger Bart Hunter Foster
Anastasia Barzee Alison Fraser
Bryan Batt Boyd Gaines
Gary Beach Jeff Gardner
Craig Bennet Deborah Gibson
Michael Berresse Anita Gillette
Michael Berry Randy Graff
Sarah Uriarte Berry Debbie Gravitte
Geoffrey Blaisdell Brian Lane Green
Jeff Blumenkrantz Jeff Gurner
Matt Bogart Danny Gurwin
Ron Bohmer James Hadley
Kelly Briggs Marsh Hanson
Steven Buntrock Sam Harris
Kerry Butler Paul Harman
Liz Callaway Heather Headley
Ann Hampton Callaway Ruthie Henshall
Joseph Cassidy Wilson Heredia
Patrick Cassidy Philip Hernández
Dave Clemmons Tom Hewitt
Daniel C. Cooney James Hindman
Nick Corley Brian d’Arcy James
Ann Crumb David Josefsberg
Charlotte d’Amboise Betsy Joslyn
Lea DeLaria Kevin Kern
Erin Dilly Davis Kirby
Jonathan Dokuchitz Marc Kudisch
Kip Driver Jodie Langel
Robert DuSold Jane Lanier
Daisy Eagan Michael Lanning
Jeff Edgerton Sondra Lee
Susan Egan Daniel C. Levine
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THE VOICES • IX
DeLee Lively Craig Rubano
Jose Llana John Rubinstein
Angela Lockett Daphne Rubin-Vega
Kevin Loreque Sophia Salguero
Rebecca Luker Lea Salonga
Heather MacRae Alex Santoriello
Terrence Mann James Sassar
Marin Mazzie Craig Schulman
Sal Mistretta Jane Sell
Andrea McArdle Roger Seyer
Christie McCall Brooke Shields
Sean McDermott Emily Skinner
Gerry McIntyre Doug Storm
Donna McKechnie Rena Strober
J. Mark McVey Jerry Tellier
Idina Menzel Lea Thompson
Ann Miller Clarke Thorell
Jessica Molaskey Robert Torti
Mark Moreau Lucy Vance
Donna Murphy Andrew Varela
Christiane Noll Donna Vivino
Nancy Opel Ray Walker
Brad Oscar Barbara Walsh
Ken Page Jim Walton
Sean Jeremy Palmer Amanda Watkins
Hugh Panaro Laurie Wells
Joe Paparella Colm Wilkinson
Erin Leigh Peck Jessica Snow Wilson
Lonny Price Patrick Wilson
Paige Price Marissa Jaret Winokur
Faith Prince Pamela Winslow
Steve Pudenz Scott Wise
Kelli Rabke John Leslie Wolfe
Anthony Rapp Deborah Yates
Lee Roy Reams Lee Zarrett
Alice Ripley Karen Ziemba
Chita Rivera Adrian Zmed
Darcie Roberts
Ray Roderick