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Hey Nathan. Firstly, congratulations on so many successes at the Tony Awards! How is Kinky Boots going for you so far?
Thank you! Tony night was down right magical, so Kinky Boots is going great! Being a part of the show has been such an amazing journey from the start, and every new experience just opens our show up to more and more people. So that is very exciting! And with our Tony wins on Sunday, the future is limitless. For anyone who doesn't know, can you tell us what a swing does and what roles you cover? Sure! A swing is basically a person who covers the ensemble of a show, so when someone is sick, injured, or away on vacation, he/she steps into that person’s track. Sometimes we have lots of notice when we go on, and sometimes it can happen in the middle of the show. So a swing always has to be prepared! I cover all of the ensemble men in the show which is a total of 12, the six Angels and the six factory men. What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a swing? The advantages of being a swing are that you get to have variety in the types of parts that you get to perform. We have the opportunity to do many different tracks in the show, so when we go on, we get to see the show from all angles. It’s fun to have that chance to change things up, something people who do the show every day don’t necessarily have. Another perk is that we don’t always have to perform an 8 show week which in terms of wear and tear can be helpful. The disadvantages, for me at least, are that I don’t get to perform as much, which is what I truly love to do. Every now and then I miss having the rush of performing in front of the audience. Sometimes you can go weeks and weeks without performing which can get frustrating. Also, swings don’t have the luxury of repetition in working with sets, costumes, and props, so the first time you go on can be a bit scary sometimes! Hahaha! You just have to go for it with all you have! What was the audition process like for Kinky Boots? Well, my audition process was very unusual...I didn’t really have one. Ha! I was lucky enough to be called in to do the workshop in January 2012 based on my previous relationship with Jerry, working with him in La Cage aux Folles, and with Stephen Oremus, who I worked with on Wicked.Thank God they trusted me enough to just bring me on board. So I was incredibly blessed to have this project fall in to my lap. As my dance teacher used to say, luck is preparation meeting opportunity. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. That practically NEVER happens. Believe me! Have you had any funny on-stage mishaps? Well, I’ve only been on once, believe it or not, so I haven’t had too many chances to have mishaps. Although when I did go on, I was the Angel who holds the ropes for the boxing ring. When I went to get up at the end of the number, I realized I couldn’t get up off the floor in a normal fashion because I was in boots with a 6 inch heel! That gave me quite a giggle. I looked a little crazy. The angels in the show are some of my favorite queens! I thought I'd ask, are you a fan of RuPaul's Drag Race? Do you have any favorite queens? Of course, I’m a HUGE fan of Drag Race. I really loved Jinkx Monsoon last season. I’ve also loved Chad Michaels, Alaska, Sharon Needles, & Latrice Royale. But really, my favorite queens are the Angels!!! Represent! What has been your favorite moment you've witnessed in a theatre? It could be a performance, a dance break, musical number..anything! One has to be our first preview of Kinky here in NYC. The crowd was so new to the show, and after Billy sang “Hold Me in Your Heart”, people stood up. I haven’t seen that too many times, and it made me cry! So amazing. I also loved the revival of “Hair”. The freedom and abandon of the material and the poignancy of the end really touched me. I’d also have to say watching “Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar” on youtube. Wayne Cilento is delicious and plain fabulous. Jerome Robbins Broadway was one of the first Broadway shows I ever saw, and the dancing inspired me. And the revival of “The Normal Heart” was one of the rawest moments I’ve had seeing a show. It really jarred and moved me. 6 quick questions: Favorite movie? Favorite musical? Favorite T.V show? Favorite performer (Broadway or otherwise)? Favorite food? Dream roles? Bullets Over Broadway. West Side Story. The Cosby Show/Absolutely Fabulous. Meryl Streep (of course). Mac and Cheese! I don’t really have any dream roles. I kinda wait to see what things come my way. Although, I’ve had people tell me I should do Hedwig. We see you were in the original Broadway production of Dance Of The Vampires. What was that experience like? HAHA! Ah yes. I was in DOTV. It was an interesting experience for many reasons. It was my Broadway debut, so I had high hopes. And, of course, the show didn’t really last. It was a difficult process in all arenas, and sometimes the heart of material just gets lost. I will say the cast was extremely talented and so dedicated to making things that didn’t necessarily work work, if that makes any sense. It definitely makes for some fun stories, and whenever people hear that I did that show, they want to know WHAT HAPPENED! Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring Broadway performers? I would say knowledge is power and just do you. The more you know about every style of dance, musical, song and who is involved in the project and what their work is like the more you will be ahead when you step in the room. Be a well rounded artist. Explore things that challenge and scare you. Even if you fail, you’ll learn something from it. And, when you walk in a room, know that you are the commodity. Give them what you have to offer. Take the notes. Do your best. The rest is up to somebody else. Every time I went in to an audition with the thought that I didn’t care the outcome...I booked, booked, booked those gigs! What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far? Well, this moment right now is pretty rewarding!! I always feel best when I know that I’m using my talent to the fullest in every arena. Acting, singing, of course dancing, and using the left side of my brain as a dance captain or swing. Every thing I’ve done has taught me something, so the fact that I have made a living doing this for almost 20 years is probably the finest reward. Thanks so much for your time, Nathan! How would you sell Kinky Boots The Musical to someone who knew nothing about the show? I would say, whether you’re interested in musicals or not, if you want to spend 2.5 hours of your life laughing, crying, and shaking your rump, the Al Hirschfeld Theater is the place to be. Cause Kinky Boots is changing lives!!! You’ll be a better person for having gone. |