By Andrew Gans
05 Oct 2007

And Harvey's amazing, too. Harvey and I click on a different level. We're both crazy Geminis. We're both wacky and talk in character voices a lot for no particular reason. He's an amazing writer and a great person, and I trust him. The whole cast is just amazing. Matt Cavenaugh couldn't be sweeter and more genuine. I mean, I have to be naked in bed with him every night. It's as if we've been doing [the show] forever and we're like brother and sister. It's the best. He's like, "Hey, how's your boyfriend?" and I'm like, "He's good. How's Jenny?" We talk about stuff. It's just like a family, it really is. . . . And, Tom Wopat is one of my best friends out here. He is incredible. . . . I just remind myself how grateful I am to be working and working with the best people.

Question: In this show, I take it the wedding is the centerpiece or a big part of what's driving the action. Is a big wedding something that is very important to you at some point?
Kritzer: I go back and forth. I think I drove my boyfriend crazy in developing this show because everyday I'm talking about a wedding, and then you start to want one, and then you start to want to get married. You just start to by osmosis. . . . Part of me says, "Yes, I would love a big wedding," but my family is all over the place. My friend Sarah got married in this simple wedding on the beach in Jamaica — just a beautiful, small ceremony with a bunch of friends. I think smaller [might be a good idea]… I mean, I want to look gorgeous! [Laughs.] That's fun. But do I need 200-300 people there? No. The way I see it, I get to be onstage and do that all the time. I think, for a lot of people, it's their day to be a star. For me, I like more of a spiritual feeling, a union and a celebration. I believe that whatever any particular person wants is great for them, but I think a spiritual ceremony, smaller, by the water is something [that I might like], just looking beautiful. I just like to look pretty and get my make-up done! That, to me, is a big deal. . . . I think the marriage thing is something that I've been thinking about a lot more lately, and I'm entertaining it more than I ever did before, now that I've turned [coughs] 30. [Laughs.] It's just something that is a possibility for the future. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, I can always put on a nice dress and do my make-up and go out. [Laughs.] A wedding, though, causes a lot of stress for people. That's why there are so many magazines to help you deal with it. . . . I love the wedding dress that Ann Hould-Ward made for me [for the show]. It's so beautiful. It is like a little princess dress. It's just stunning. One of my favorite numbers in the show is "Vision." It's one of Faith's big songs. Without giving it away, it's just stunning. I just can't wait for people to see it.

Question: Is there any talk about a recording of A Catered Affair?
Kritzer: Yeah, I think we're going to record the album on our break, but we're not sure yet.

	Leslie Kritzer and Matt Cavenaugh in A Catered Affair.
	photo by Craig Schwartz

Question: Do you have much singing in the show?
Kritzer: A friend of mine was like, "You know, everyone's gonna want to hear you be funny and belt your face off!" Well, if they want to hear me be hilarious like I was in Legally Blonde and belt my face off, this is not the show. I hope no one's disappointed when I'm not belting to the stratosphere. This is a different kind of show, so it's more beautiful singing and simple, character-driven singing. I have two numbers by myself, and then I sing in the opening number with Tom and Matt and Philip [Hoffman]. There may be people [who say], "She needs to do more," but I think I do just enough, and I'm very happy with that.

Question: This is the first leading role that you'll be creating on Broadway.
Kritzer: First ever. I'm happy I even have a song! [Laughs.]

Question: It seems like this is a great time for you — that things have been steadily building over the last year or so.
Kritzer: I know, it's kind of crazy. It's been great. An old friend of mine said, "You know what? It's been gradual. Slow and steady." That's how I like it. People were like, "That Funny Girl you did [at Paper Mill] was so amazing. It should have moved to Broadway…" And I said, "You know what? I was 24 years old, and if that had moved to Broadway and I got everything I wanted exactly when I wanted it, I wouldn't be here where I am now." And, I feel so much better six or seven years later here where I am now than I think I ever would have been then. I'm happy. I'm kind of glad it didn't happen then. It was a crazy time, and it wasn't the time and it wasn't the place. If I ever were to do a big show like that where I would be starring and carrying the show, when that happens, I will be really ready for it.

Now I get the business more, I get myself more, I'm more grown up. Then, I would have been crazy and all over the place and a mess and not stable. I'm way more stable now than I ever was then — to deal with that pressure. My idols are all people that have attained success later. Edie Falco was working 15 years before she got "The Sopranos." [I admire] those kinds of actresses that are character actresses and are slow and steady and work forever. . . . I just watched The Hours last night for the first time. Oh, Meryl Streep, you kill me! And Julianne Moore … And I'm not even a movie actress. They're the real deal, and you don't see them hanging out in clubs all night long and not showing up for work. They're real actors, they're incredible.

Question: What's it been like working at the Old Globe?
Kritzer: Oh, my goodness! First of all, let's discuss Southern California for just a second here. The most beautiful beaches and just palm trees everywhere. Gorgeous weather every day. It's just beautiful. And you're working in Balboa Park, which is this gorgeous, huge park with beautiful art museums and history museums, and the architecture is gorgeous. The people are wonderful. It's just a dream come true. And, we're living in a complex with these Shakespearean actors who are doing Shakespeare in rep, and we're getting to know them. I get to drive, which is awesome because I love driving. I don't like finding parking, but I love driving. [Laughs.] I drive to La Jolla everyday, and I take yoga in La Jolla. As I'm talking to you right now, I'm looking at La Jolla Cove, looking out into the ocean. It's a gift to be able to go out of town and to do this kind of work.

Question: Do you have any other projects in the works?
Kritzer: Well, I am going to be taking some time to do some of my own writing. We have a little break in between [the Old Globe and the Broadway run], and I'm in the process of writing some things. . . . Once we open A Catered Affair in New York, I'm going to probably do another late-night kind of crazy extravaganza of a show of some sort.

Question: What do you think it'll be?
Kritzer: I don't really know yet, [but] it'll be fun. [Laughs.] It'll be something wacky and out there, totally different from A Catered Affair — something a little crazy.

Question: What are you writing for yourself? Is it musical?
Kritzer: Yeah, it's musical. It's kind of like a one-person show, but I hate saying "one-person show." I don't like saying "cabaret" and I don't like "one-person show," so I will say, as my friend says, "Environmental Theatre." [Laughs.] I don't like putting it in a box, so I just put it in some weird term that doesn't mean anything at all! I don't know what it is. The Patti LuPone show was like performance art/cabaret — so many different things. I don't know exactly what it is, but I know it's going to be a lot of fun. . . . So I'll just say, "Stay tuned, and you'll see this spring. I'm going to whip out something crazy!"

[A Catered Affair recently extended its run at San Diego's Old Globe through Nov. 4. Tickets are available by calling (619) 23-GLOBE, by logging on to www.TheOldGlobe.org or by visiting the Globe box office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. The musical will arrive at New York's Walter Kerr Theatre March 25, 2008. Opening night on Broadway is scheduled for April 17.]

DIVA TIDBITS
Three award-winning Broadway favorites will be part of the Ravinia Festival's 2008 Martinis at the Martin series. The popular cabaret series will celebrate the Great American Songbook next summer. Kicking off the series will be Tony Award winner Betty Buckley, who will play the intimate cabaret June 23, 2008. Another Tony winner, Barbara Cook, will perform July 7, and original West Side Story star Carol Lawrence will perform her evening of song Sept. 4. Tickets are now only available for the entire series, which is priced $180. Visit www.ravinia.org or call (847) 266-5100 for more information.

Two's Company – An All-Star Event Celebrating The Songs of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz is the lengthy title of an upcoming benefit concert that will be presented Nov. 5 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. Produced and directed by Bruce Kimmel, the 7:30 PM concert will benefit the Los Angeles City College Theatre Alumni & Associates and the Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy. Cindy Williams will host the evening, which will boast performances by Misty Cotton, Rita McKenzie, Michelle Nicastro, Linda Purl, Alice Ripley, Julie Reiber, Emily Rozak, Sara Rue, Kevin Spirtas, Alet Taylor, Andy Taylor, Terry Trotter and Bruce Vilanch. Adam Cates will be the concert's choreographer with musical direction by Richard Berent. The one-night-only event will feature songs from such musicals as Wicked, Godspell, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pippin, The Magic Show, Rags and Little Shop of Horrors as well as the films "Newsies," "Pocahontas," "Little Shop of Horrors," "Aladdin" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Boulevard in Glendale. Tickets, priced $20-$250, are available by calling (818) 243-7700, ext. 216 or visiting www.alextheatre.org.

A concert version of the new musical The Women of Brewster Place will be presented Oct. 12 at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD. The 8 PM evening is presented in conjunction with Arena Stage, the Washington, DC, theatre that will stage the new musical beginning Oct. 19. Brewster Place, which is based on Gloria Naylor's best-selling novel, recently made its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA. The concert, according to the official Strathmore website, will be directed by Molly Smith, who helmed the Alliance production. The cast will feature Tina Fabrique, Harriett D. Foy and Marva Hicks. Tim Acito penned the musical's book and score. For ticket information visit www.strathmore.org.

The 13th Annual Nothing Like a Dame concert — the annual fundraiser benefiting The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative of The Actors Fund of America — is set for March 31, 2008. No theatre has been announced for the star-studded evening, which is presented by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Those participating in the event will also be announced shortly. To date, the Dame benefits have raised over $3 million for the Health Initiative. Tickets for Nothing Like a Dame will be available by calling (212) 840-0770 or by visiting www.broadwaycares.org.

The multi-talented Rachel York, most recently on Broadway in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, will go it solo at Feinstein's at the Regency Oct. 14 and 15 at 8:30 PM. Backed my musical director Eugene Gwozdz on piano, York will offer such tunes as "Lost and Found," "I Dreamed a Dream," "Losing Track of Time," "My Funny Valentine," "Fly Me to the Moon," "Maybe This Time" and a medley of Burt Bacharach tunes. Feinstein's at the Regency is located in Manhattan at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street. For reservations call (212) 339-4095 or visit www.feinsteinsattheregency.com.

Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.