PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Hands on a Hardbody Star Jay Armstrong Johnson

By Matthew Blank
19 Mar 2013

Jay Armstrong Johnson
Jay Armstrong Johnson

Jay Armstrong Johnson, who plays Greg Wilhote in the new musical Hands on a Hardbody, fills out Playbill.com's questionnaire of random facts, backstage trivia and pop-culture tidbits.

Johnson has appeared on Broadway in Catch Me If You Can (Frank Jr. Standby) and Hair (original revival cast, Claude u/s).

Other theatre credits include Wild Animals You Should Know (MCC), Working (Prospect), A Chorus Line (Mark), Pirates! (Frederick), Pool Boy (Nick), Hairspray (Link), West Side Story (Baby John) and 35mm: A Musical Exhibition.



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Full given name: Jay Armstrong Johnson
Where you were born/where you were raised: Fort Worth, Texas
Zodiac Sign: Virgo through and through
What your parents did/do for a living: Mom was a middle school nurse and now works for the city of Fort Worth. Dad owns his own BBQ catering business in Dallas. www.fastfreddiesbbq.com
Siblings: I have a sister who is one year older and studying psychology.
Current audition song/monologue: A bluesy version of "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson arranged by my friend Caleb Hoyer. I have never been asked to do a monologue in an audition, but if I had to it would be from Romeo and Juliet.
Special skills: I can pop my tongue really really loud. Only to be matched by Matt Doyle.
Something you're REALLY bad at: Remembering people's names who I've just met. It's a problem. A serious problem.
First Broadway show you ever saw: It was either 42nd Street or Thoroughly Modern Millie.
If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? The original company of Hair
Current or recent shows you recommended to friends: Musical: Once
Play: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Favorite showtune(s) of all time: "The Quartet"- West Side Story
"How Glory Goes"- Floyd Collins
"Without Love"- Hairspray
"Sunday"- Sunday in the Park with George
Some favorite modern musicals: The Last Goodbye, Floyd Collins, anything by Ryan Scott Oliver
Some favorite classic musicals: West Side Story, Singin' in the Rain, Company, South Pacific
Broadway or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: James Dean, John Wayne, River Phoenix, Marilyn Monroe
Your personal vocal idols, living or dead: Gavin Degraw, Frank Sinatra, Norbert Leo Butz, Gavin Creel, Marc Broussard
The one performance — attended — that you will never forget: August: Osage County
Music that makes you cry, any genre: Bowling for Soup
MAC or PC? MAC
Most played song on your iPod: "Belief" by Gavin Degraw
Most-visited websites: The New York Times
Yoga to the People
Steps on Broadway
New York Unemployment... hahah
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