By Seth Rudetsky
01 Jun 2009
My main guest was Kevin Chamberlin, who came to the show on a break from Radio Girl rehearsal, where they let him go for the hour. I, of course, had to get no special dispensation to leave rehearsal since my role could be covered by someone who speaks only a few words of English. Since the Tonys are coming, I asked him about his first nomination for Dirty Blonde. Kevin said that the show opened on the last Thursday of the season, and a few days later were the nominations, so he didn't have any time to worry if he would be nominated. Luckily, the whole cast was nominated, so there was no weird/uncomfortable showing up at the theatre and saying that awards are meaningless. Kevin was sure that Roy Dotrice from Moon for the Misbegotten would be the winner because he was a great actor… and he was in his eighties. Right before the big night though, The New York Times came out with an article saying Kevin would be the winner. Kevin arrived at the Tonys and found out he was seated right in back of Roy, who turned around and told Kevin, "You're going to win." When Kevin's name was announced as one of the nominated, he said the TV cameraman filming him was literally in the aisle, inches away from him, and he's never felt more self-conscious. This from a man who, in The Ritz, did an Andrews Sisters number wearing a wig and sporting D-cup balloons in his shirt. The winner was announced, and The New York Times was wrong. Roy Dotrice did indeed win. Then, when Kevin was nominated for Seussical, it was the opposite experience at the theatre. Nobody else involved with the show was nominated. Awkward. And, because there was only one nomination, the show immediately posted a closing notice. When the voters all rushed to see the show that week because it was their last chance to see Kevin, they didn't see him because he had always planned to take that week off to film a movie. And, most weirdly, the person they did see playing Horton was his understudy, who was performing his last hurrah as an actor…director Casey Nicholaw! It's too bad the voters didn't get to see Kevin because I'm sure he would have won if they did. He was up against very light competition; Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane in The Producers. Anybody? Everybody?
All right, since I started writing the article I flew to Charlotte, NC, did my master class and Deconstructing show and now I'm back. Oddly enough, the day I got there, Corey Mitchell (who booked me there) told me there was a marriage equality rally. He wound up taking me there, and it was great! I never thought I'd be in the Deep South screaming, "Gay, Straight, Black or White! We deserve our civil rights!" I also never thought I'd scream something that, while important, didn't rhyme. ("white" and "rights" isn't an exact rhyme…except in one of the new Broadway "pop" shows). It would have been so easy to change it to "Gays, Straights, Blacks and Whites! We deserve our civil rights," but there was no fellow Sondheim-fanatic there with whom to lodge a complaint.
Tonight, I'm playing for the velvet-voiced Norm Lewis at Feinstein's (info at ActorsFund.org), and then I'm going to try to make an appearance at Chandra Wilson's "Welcome to Chicago" party at The Gate and then, Kate Pazakis' CD release party at Le Poisson Rouge (featuring Jason Robert Brown…info at www.KatePazakis.com). This Wednesday my Sirius/XM Live on Broadway Show will have the fantastic Anika Larsen and Lea Salonga, and then this weekend I'm doing my auditioning Master Class and my Deconstructing Broadway show in Harrisburg, PS (info at www.SethRudetsky.com). And when I get back… The Tonys!!!! I got tickets to the dress rehearsal…I can't wait!! I heard Dolly Parton is gonna sing some of "Nine to Five" in the opening number! Set your DVRs and peace out!
*
| View article on single page | Previous Page 1 | 2 Next Page |
