THEIR FAVORITE THINGS: "Smash" and "It Could Be Worse" Star Wesley Taylor Shares His Theatregoing Experiences
By Andrew Gans
March 27, 2013
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 The Addams Family and Rock of Ages singing actor Wesley Taylor, who can currently be seen in NBC's "Smash" as well as in his own web series, "It Could Be Worse," which debuts each week on Playbill.com.
(Clicking on a name bolded in blue will take readers to that actor or show's entry in the Playbill Vault.)
Christian Borle in Peter and the Starcatcher
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"Comedy is in his blood. The thing about Christian is no matter how good of an actor he may be, he is also this incredible performer. This was such a high-voltage performance, and I ate it up with a spoon." |
Laura Benanti in Gypsy
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"I can't get enough of this broad. I've always thought she was a total star." |
Nathan Lane in Waiting for Godot
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"I had just been cast in The Addams Family, and at the time Nathan was doing some sensible, existential Beckett. I'm not usually one for intellectual masturbation, but damn...he is the most brilliant clown. I would go see Nathan read the phone book." |
Laura Linney in The Crucible
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"She's one of those actors that can be so hardened and at the same time very vulnerable. I was 14 years old when I saw this play, and my dad was asleep next to me...(expensive nap)." |
Denis O'Hare in Take Me Out
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"I was craaaaaazy about this play, and not just because there were beautiful men taking showers with each other on stage. Denis floored me in this show. He was incredibly funny but also so rooted to the ground. I used his speech about democracy and baseball as a monologue in high school." |
Bernadette Peters in Gypsy
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"Yeah... I picked one, so what? Bernadette is a great American treasure. I was 16, and she gave me a kiss on my cheek at the stage door. A couple months ago, I brought the photo to the set of 'Smash' and showed her. That was fun." |
Mark Rylance in Boeing-Boeing
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"Rylance is the real thing. I don't even want to articulate it. I saw this with Lauren Molina, and we laughed till we cried." |
Mark Rylance in Jerusalem
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"C'mon. He's like the Daniel-Day of the stage." |
Robin De Jesus in In the Heights
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"That kid didn't miss a single opportunity. Perfect example of taking a small part (with NO song!) and running away with a show." |
Norbert Leo Butz in Catch Me If You Can
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"This man can do no wrong. I feel like growing up I learned how to sing/tell a story through song by listening and watching Norbert. He was who I aspired to be. I'm still trying to be his friend...which is probably why we're not really friends." |
Joe Mantello in Angels in America
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"Before he was a director, this man was acting circles around most. I watched an archive of this, not the real thing...but was knocked over, nonetheless. Broke my heart with a generally unlikeable character." |
Brenda Blethyn and Edie Falco in 'night, Mother
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"OMG. These two were so hilarious in this (kidding...suicide isn't funny, except when it is). |