We shared with you our classical music and jazz interview highlights from 2022 earlier this week. Now let’s talk plays and musicals in our Stage Interview Highlights from 2022.
John Fleck rose to a certain type of fame when he was labeled one of the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) Four. Conservatives didn’t like the art he was creating and were up in arms about his receiving money from the NEA. That didn’t stop him and nothing has slowed him down since that controversy erupted in 1990. We spoke about his show It’s Alive, It’s Alive! and his career. He’s wildly entertaining.
Before Joshua Henry joined the Encores! production of Into the Woods, we spoke with him about his Broadway career which included In the Heights, The Scottsboro Boys and a revival of Carousel.
We first got to know Wayne Cilento as an original member of the Broadway cast of A Chorus Line. He’s the director behind the upcoming revival of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ which will open on Broadway in 2023. This production began its life at The Old Globe in San Diego. So we talked all things Fosse (and perhaps a little A Chorus Line).
Adam Pascal is best-known for originated the role of Roger in Rent. This year he was on the road in the musical Pretty Woman. We talked about Rent, Pretty Woman and coming to grips with the ups and downs of fame.
Bobby Conte had just finished his run in Company on Broadway when we caught up with him before he was performing his show Along the Way. He talked about Sondheim, LuPone (Patti, of course) and his approach to music.
If anyone had a Cinderella story this year it was Broadway star Julie Benko. She was Beanie Feldstein’s understudy in Funny Girl before taking on the role full time until Lea Michelle joined the show. We spoke with her and husband Jason Yeager about their album Hand in Hand, but you don’t think we ignored Funny Girl do you?
Julie Halston is one-of-a-kind. She’s also a Broadway star, has a recurring role on And Just Like That, and a wonderful conversationalist. This might be our most purely enjoyable interview of the year.
John Rubinstein originated the role of Pippin in the Stephen Schwartz musical directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. He’s currently on stage in his first one-man show as President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Los Angeles. We talked Ike, Fosse and politics!
Those are just some of our Stage Interview Highlights from 2022. Be sure to go to our YouTube channel to check out all of our interviews to date and to subscribe.
Tomorrow we conclude our interview highlights with some of our favorite interviews from the world of opera!
Photo: Jared Grimes and Julie Benko in Funny Girl (Courtesy Polk and Company)