THEIR FAVORITE THINGS: Tony-Winning Jersey Boys Star John Lloyd Young Shares His Theatregoing Experiences
By Andrew Gans
July 25, 2012
Playbill.com's new feature series, Their Favorite Things, asks members of the theatre community to share the Broadway performances that most affected them as part of the audience.
This week we spotlight the choices of Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young, who recently returned to his Tony-winning role of Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys through Sept. 30 at the August Wilson Theatre.
A Chorus Line.
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"The original long-running production. The struggles and triumphs of these New York theatre actors appealed to me so much, it became my childhood dream to become one of them." |
Les Misérables.
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"The epic scale and sweeping emotion of this show made it an early favorite. I wore out the cast recording (on cassette) and later collected recordings from around the world, including the recording from Spain (Dos-cuatro-seis-zero-uno!)." |
The Who's Tommy.
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"An electric director, thrilling rock songs, hot-shot producers and a magnetic newborn star: recipe for success." |
Al Pacino in Hughie.
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"If you somewhat even slightly aspire to become a legend of the stage, first lesson is to go see one." |
Chita Rivera in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
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"If Broadway were a zoo, and its actors feral stage animals, how would you re-spell 'Chita?'" |
Elaine Stritch in A Delicate Balance.
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"Unabashed boorishness on delicious display." |
Avenue Q.
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"Writers Jeff Marx and Bobby Lopez were the first people of my generation who I knew socially who went on to win Tony Awards. It was an exhilarating, vicarious experience." |
Rent.
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"I wished myself up onstage with that fantastic original cast. The first time I saw it, I had just moved to New York and hoped someday I'd be on Broadway. By the fifth time I saw it, I was determined to be on Broadway, and the themes of people struggling bravely with HIV helped set the stage for my future involvements with charity." |
Dame Judi Dench in Amy's View.
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"Such subtle skill. Immediately after meeting her daughter's new beau, Dench as her character, 'Esme,' privately jabbed a notebook lying on the sidetable with her finger, as she politely sat into an easy chair. With one simple gesture, she communicated her character's entire internal reaction to this man." |
Isabel Keating as Judy Garland in The Boy From Oz.
Xanthe Elbrick as Alexander Ashbrook in Coram Boy.
Tovah Feldshuh as Golda Meir in Golda's Balcony.
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"Uncannily believable, complete transformations by actors into the characters they were playing. Truly inspiring." Visit Isabel Keating's page at the Playbill Vault. |