Theater People: Anthony Rapp

Patrick brings us another phenomenal episode! This week’s guest is the amazing Anthony Rapp! Aside from being a phenomenally successful Broadway star, Anthony has starred in many well-known movies (Adventures in Babysitting, Dazed and Confused) and had numerous TV spots (Psych the Musical, Law and Order: SVU).  He is also one of a small number of actors who was able to successfully transition from child star to adult.

One of the best things about this interview is the way that it begins.  Patrick’s passion for theatre is apparent in every interview, but the way he tells the story at the beginning of the podcast, a story of the first time he saw Rent on Broadway and what it meant to him, was moving.  It is such an iconic musical and the way he describes every detail of that night, it is simply phenomenal!

Patrick delves right into the interview, asking Anthony about his current starring role as Lucas in the musical If/Then.  He stars alongside his former Rent co-star Idina Menzel in a musical which he says “can be very moving for people, and it’s also very entertaining.  It is unusual in so many ways, and one of the ways in which it is unusual is the way it feels very personal and relevant to people’s real lives that they really live in the real world in ways that you don’t always feel when you go to see a musical theatre piece.”  They also discuss the ambitious nature of the musical as an original piece and the form it takes in terms of jumping between timelines, and the talented and hardworking creative team and crew who have worked to make it a success. And of course there was discussion of the talent and powerhouse that is Idina Menzel.

A great question posed by Patrick was how the New York presented in each show (Rent and If/Then) felt different to Anthony.  He answers by discussing how New York has changed and evolved from the city that took center stage in Rent to the place that is alive today and serves as the setting of If/Then.

Getting back to basics, Patrick and Anthony discuss how a kid from Joliet, IL was able to make his Broadway debut at ten years old.  His work in community theatre eventually led to his Broadway debut in a show that never officially opened, and then a part in the tour of The King and I.  He did eight shows a week as a kid and even became emancipated in high school so that he could continue to work.

Anthony discusses his experience of doing John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation as an eighteen year old.  He goes on to discuss the shows and movies he completed in his career between Six Degrees and Rent which includes many wonderful productions, some with impressively big names attached to them.

Rent was a huge success and changed the lives of all of the cast members.  Its reputation as a phenomenal piece has stood the test of time and continues to resonate with fans.  As such, Anthony has been asked a multitude of questions over the years about his experience in the show, but Patrick asks a new one: where would Mark be now? Anthony says he hopes that Mark’s film would have been good and that he would have continued to make meaningful pieces.  Further discussion about Rent includes: the formation of the show in the workshop and working with Jonathan Larson, his first encounters with some the songs from the show, his process of writing his book Without You. 

Make the 44 minutes to listen to the podcast; you won’t regret it! It is great and Anthony is a great actor with an amazing career and story!

Go see Anthony (and Idina) in If/Then at the Richard Rogers Theatre!

Follow Anthony on Twitter and Tumblr.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Theater People on iTunes, and check out their Twitter and Facebook!

CMT Awards 2014

The CMT Awards brought together the best artists in country music, and some surprising guests, to honor the best music videos of the year! There were myriad performances and eight big awards were handed out.

The show opened with a performance by ZZ Top, Florida Georgia Line, and Luke Bryan who were joined by Jason Derulo to segue from "La Grange" to "This is How We Roll" to "Talk Dirty."  Highlights of the night's performances included: Kacey Musgraves and Lee Ann Womack paying homage to Alan Jackson with "Livin' On Love" before Carrie Underwood presented him with the first ever CMT Impact Award, Keith Urban singing "Cop Car" in a recreation of the Bluebird Cafe, Little Big Town's performance of "Day Drinkin'" in which the band was doused in paint, and Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood bringing the house down at the end of the show with "Somethin' Bad". Watch the night's performances here.

Underwood and Lambert sing "Somethin' Bad" | Getty Images

The night's big winner was Carrie Underwood who took home Video of the Year for the third year in a row for her "See You Again" video.  Florida Georgia line took home Duo of the Year and Collaborative video of the year for "Round Here"and "This is How We Roll" respectively. Miranda Lambert won Female Video of the Year for "Automatic" and Blake Shelton won Male Video of the Year for "Doin' What She Likes".  See a full list of winners here.

Fashion

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Carrie Underwood looked stunning in an floral keyhole Roberto Cavalli gown.  Her duet with Miranda Lambert was "Somethin' Bad", but her red carpet look was something very good! 

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The night's host, Kristen Bell, sparkled in a beaded Zuhair Murad gown and Brian Atwood heels. 

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Mirana Lambert showed off her gorgeous figure in a Celia Kritharioti sequined mini dress with a plunging neckline.  

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Nicole Kidman, Oscar winning actress and wife of country crooner Keith Urban, graced the carpet in a Giambattista Valli embroidered silk dress.

Questions Answered: George R.R. Martin

George R.R. Martin was the guest of honor at  Con Carolinas in Charlotte, NC.  He met many adoring fans, read from his upcoming book The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros, and answered many stirring questions.

George R.R. Martin has been a full-time writer for more than 30 years and has worked in television as a Story Editor, Executive Story Consultant, Producer, and Co-Supervising Producer among other roles.  He is a New York Times Bestselling author and his work has garnered a multitude of awards and honors.  With all his success, one may think he would take to being reclusive and distant from his fans, but quite the opposite is true.  In the autograph signings he was personable and funny, on one instance a family set their child on the table to keep from having to hold him and jokingly Martin responded "Whoa, I don't sign babies!"


In the reading he was able to bring the story to life and hold the audience's attention for a full hour and a half which is doubly impressive considering that he was reading from a history book, albeit a fictional one, as opposed to a novel.  You can read the sample chapter from his upcoming book, The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros, here.

As a part of the question and answer event, Martin answered fan questions which ranged from why he wrote a character the way he did to what we can expect in the future. Many questions he could not fully answer because he can't give away anything that is in the books or will be in future books, but the questions he did answer gave insight into his process, writing decisions, and other aspects of the world of Westeros.

When asked about the way we are supposed to view or feel about Elia Martell (is there more to her than we have seen so far), Martin responded "One of the things I learned from Jack Vance, he made his secondary and tertiary characters come to life and actual people of realm, I try to keep that in mind when writing my character.  I try to give all of my characters an internal life even if they only appear in a few scenes, and try to see the world through their eyes for that period of time." He also tried to explain that he cannot control what happens on the television show, and therefore cannot explain what will come next as it often differs, at least partially, from what is in the books.

He was asked why he chooses to use songs and bards so prominently in his books, and if we can expect to see more of them in the future.  His answer was that Tolkien used songs and bards in his works, and he enjoyed the way that they fit the story.  He also added that "they don't have television in Westeros... and bards fulfilled a function in society.  They are the source of legends and myths.  They spread tales from castle to castle and realm to realm, and they help to unite people together." He also spoke to his poor treatement of bards in the book and the power they carry in their role as bards and singers.  He goes on to mention that he enjoys hearing the words that we wrote set to music and sung in the television show and at conventions because having only written the lyrics it would be possible that they would not work set to music.

Some of the questions were more comical including one from a teenage girl asking why he made Joffrey "such a hateable character" to which he responded "He's a thirteen year old boy! Do you know any thirteen year old boys?"

A very interesting question was how he is able to keep track of his world building, as they are very extensive and ever expanding worlds that he has created.  In response he said: "I use my brain.  My brain is rapidly being filled though.  I do have to refresh myself from time to time if I am away from it for awhile... The hardest thing to keep track of is that by now every character is separate and has their own cast of secondary and tertiary characters.  A lot of it I know and sometimes I think there's something wrong with me because what I don't know is all of your names.  I'm using brain synapses that other people use for real people for made up people."

He is an eloquent and entertaining speaker, and as such an accomplished writer he has a lot to offer.  If you ever have the chance to see him speak or meet him you should not hesitate to take the opportunity.

George R.R. Martin's Website | Blog

Update: Another example of Martin's dedication to his fans, and to causes that he cares about, is his recent Prizeo campaign which fans flocked to in droves! You can donate today and get a reward for your donation while also entering to win a trip to go with George RR Martin to a wolf sanctuary! Check out the campaign here.

Seth Rudetsky Deconstructs Broadway

Seth Rudetsky, Broadway actor, comedian, musical director, and Sirius/XM Radio host, brought Deconstructing Broadway to the Durham School of the Arts.  As in the style of his videos, he deconstructs recordings of everyone from Patti Lupone to Bea Arthur, with a sprinkle of Carly Simon and Cher.

The event was a sort of  lecture on how to deconstruct Broadway videos and audio, that is if lectures were incredibly hilarious and entertaining.  All learning should be so enjoyable; we learned as we laughed so hard that our sides ached.

Seth knows Broadway backward and forward, as he lip synched every song perfectly, stopping only to point out vibrato, head voice, chest voice, whether the singer was on key, and other technical details.  And, as his listeners know, his show would not be complete without his use of "amahzing," explaining the two proper uses of the term and providing examples for each.  The show was hilarious, and informative and we plan to deconstruct every song we have ever loved, but only after we spend hours deconstructing The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.

Aside from deconstructing Broadway, Seth is also an author.  He has penned three books, the most recent of which is an amazing novel.  The Q Guide to Broadway is the ultimate insider's look to Broadway, as Seth demonstrates his incredible knowledge of musical theatre, Broadway Nights, and My Awesome (Awful) Popularity Plan are novels that capture the reader's instant attention and leave them wanting more. Even in those two works, his love of musical theatre shines through.

If you get the chance to see Seth deconstruct Broadway live or have the chance to take a master class with him, do it! You won't be disappointed!

Keep up with all of the amazing things Seth has going on with Twitter, Seth TV, and Sirius/XM channel 72.

Billboard Music Awards 2014

The biggest stars from all genres of music come together to celebrate the year's achievements and musical milestones in the musical showcase that is the Billboard Music Awards. This year's show say performances from everyone from Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez to Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood to a hologram performance by Michael Jackson.  Every year the show tries to top the previous year's show and this year succeeded.

The BBMAs are about celebrating music and the show can usually be mistaken for a concert with myriad interruptions for commercials and the occasional award.  This year, however, the show had a more balanced lineup of awards and musical performances.  Some of the night's big highlight performances included: 5 Seconds of Summer singing their smash "She Looks So Perfect", Imagine Dragons performing "Tiptoe", hologram Michael Jackson's rendition of "Slave to the Rhythm", and the premiere of Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood's "Somethin' Bad".  All of the performances were interesting, to say the least, but thankfully there was no major publicity stunt that caused pandemonium and mayhem.

Lambert and Underwood performing "Somethin' Bad"

Full Winners List
A more concise winners list can be found here.

The night's big winners were Lorde with Top New Artist and Top Rock Song, Carrie Underwood who took home the Billboard Milestone Award, Jennifer Lopez who was the first female to be awarded the Icon Award, Imagine Dragons with five wins including Top Hot 100 Artist and Top Rock Artist, and Justin Timberlake with his 7 wins including Top Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album.

Fashion

Carrie Underwood wore the lemon yellow Oriett Domenech Goddess Desire Gown.  The Milestone Award winner  looked classy and elegant as she walked the carpet in the gown. While it may have been overdressed for the BBMAs, the color helped to add a layer of playfulness and Underwood overshadowed all of the other styles on the carpet.

Kesha wore a black and gray gown with an elaborate mermaidesque train.  Her dress was overstated and too elegant for the atmosphere of the Billboard Music Awards, but she looked healthy and gorgeous on the carpet.

Nikki Minaj walked the carpet in a black Alexander McQueen gown. She brought a serious and sultry style to the carpet with the dress' strappy element.

Jennifer Lopez wore a sheer gown by Donna Karen to walk the red carpet.   The sexy see-through scarlet gown featured a high slit and a plunging neckline.

Theater People goes Cabaret with Bridget Everett and Maude Maggart

In episode 10 of the amazing podcast Patrick and Vonia bring us an interview with two powerhouses of the NYC cabaret scene! Bridget Everett has a standing gig at Joe's Pub, travels the country opening for Amy Schumer (as well as being on Inside Amy Schumer), and is currently working on a solo musical with Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman.  Maude Maggart is one of today's most compelling international concert artists, she is a part of an acclaimed show business family: her grandfather was the star vocalist for the Harry James Big Band, her grandmother and parents were Broadway stars and her sister is Fiona Apple, and she recently made her debut at Cafe Carlyle.

Bridget Everett

Over Chardonnay, Patrick and Bridget discuss Bridget's style of cabaret: cabaret meets comedy meets last call, all of the things she currently has going on and how she met and became close with Patti Lupone - which is a great story and no one tells it better than Bridget.  At a cabaret show Bridget sang "Just a Tip" and brought Patti on stage, they sang together another time and a short time later Patti asked her to sing with her at Carnegie Hall.



She studied opera, she trained her voice and has a great appreciation for classical musical, but also for Chardonnay.  She left Arizona when she was 27, moved to New York and landed a children's theatre tour. She auditioned for Broadway every once and a while but she didn't really feel like there was a place on Broadway for her.  She has a fierce relationship with karaoke, the only outlet she had to sing at one time. Once while singing karaoke, an artistic director of a cabaret club saw her doing karaoke and told her she should book a show and the rest fell into place from there. New York is a very expensive town in which to live, however, and Bridget does still wait tables uptown and then go and do her show downtown on occasion to fill in the money gap.

On stage, she plays a character and it feels out of body for her and almost a superhero version of herself. Her shows are like conversations with the audience, so she tries to tell stories that the audience will connect with, and that will transition well into a song. She writes, or co-writes, all of her own songs, and interestingly enough she has a Beastie Boy, Adam Horovitz, in her band. He has helped Bridget gain exposure, encouraged her to write her own songs, introduced her to some amazing new people, and there is much more on the horizon.

Downtown cabaret is blossoming with so many exciting things happening right now.  The shows are inexpensive to see and the star quality is amazing! Some of the downtown venues include: Joe's Pub, Dixon Place, Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Duplex, among others. Cabaret shows are incredible and well worth the money for the level of entertainment they provide! Go see a show next time you get a chance.

Follow Bridget on twitter for more amazingness and hilarity!

Maude Maggart

She just made her debut at the Cafe Carlyle, a dream come true for her given its status as such a legendary and intimate stage. She defines cabaret as "an intimate space, usually with no windows, one or more performers and it is an open space to define what you want it to be as the performer".  For her cabarets, she typically chooses more obscure songs from little known black and white movies and musical theatre productions before the big coming of theatre in the 1940's.    

She discusses her beginnings at LaGuardia High School, including how Andrea Marcovicci became her mentor.  She helped Maude understand how to put together an elegant and intelligent act. Maude discusses her grandparents' and parents' work in the business and how that has influenced her work in cabaret.

What's the next step for her after the Cafe Carlyle debut? She says she would love to take the show to other cabaret theatres and of course her upcoming album.  The album is taken directly from a show she performed at the Algonquin, "Speaking of Dreams".  The show centered around the idea of dreams and how love exists in a dream state and vice versa. It is all live and recorded at the Algonquin Oak Room.

She ends the podcast with a story about Marshall Barer when she stayed at his house on her way through New Mexico.  It is an amazing story and completely worth the listen! 

Check out Maude's website for more information.

Don't forget to follow Theater People on twitter and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! 

Keith Urban and Vince Gill's All For The Hall

Starting in 2009, Keith Urban has brought together some of the biggest names in Country Music to pay homage to Country greats who have come before them and support the Country Music Hall of Fame.  The Country Music Hall of Fame has been a prominent part of the downtown Nashville landscape, and Country Music in general, since the announcement of its creation in 1961.  The Hall of Fame ensures that the circle of Country Music remains unbroken and new generations can grow and learn in the experiences of those who came before them.

This year, Keith Urban and Vince Gill brought together the very best that country music has to offer.  Reba, this years Hall of Fame inductee Ronnie Milsap, Lee Ann Womack, Deana Carter, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, and many others came together to raise money to support the programs of the Hall of Fame.  Each artist sang two songs and the only stipulations were that the songs had to either be a song that the artist themselves wrote, or a classic song.  Full set list can be found here.

Every single artist was phenomenal and brought together the best songs and voices in Country Music. Some of the night's highlights included Reba bringing the house down with "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" and "Survivor", Keith Urban singing "Somewhere in My Car", Carrie Underwood paying tribute to Dolly Parton by singing "I Will Always Love You", and the finale in which almost every artist came out to help Darius Rucker sing "Wagon Wheel".

It is well worth a trip to Nashville to see the amazing performers and all of the money goes to the amazing institution that is the Country Music Hall of Fame! Next year it is sure to be even bigger and better, so if you get a chance to go you won't regret taking it!

If you don't live in Nashville and can't come to town for the event, there are still lots of other ways that you can support and be a part of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Watch Carrie Underwood sing "I Will Always Love You" here.
Watch the "Wagon Wheel" finale here.