By Michael Buckley While he's seen "lots of parts of the film—and it's just beautiful," Pascal has not seen the feature in its entirety. "I think Rent fans would go see the movie regardless of the reviews. But if it was bad, chances are they wouldn't go back to see it. I think that it's going to be so good that they'll love it, and go back the way they go back to the show. In a way, the die-hard Rent fans will be the biggest skeptics. They feel it's theirs. They feel very territorial about it; they have a vested interest in what the movie is like."
Nine years ago, I asked Pascal if he should win the Tony [Nathan Lane won for Forum], whom he'd like to thank? He replied, "Of course, Jonathan, but that's obvious," and added, "I would thank Anthony Rapp." Today, that sentiment remains. "Anthony's generosity of spirit helped me so much. Jesse Martin and [stage director] Michael Greif helped me, too, but Anthony and I worked so closely together. We had so much to do together, and he had so much experience.
"Anthony helped me in the film, as well. I look up to him in so many ways on a personal level. He's all the things that, as a person, I wish I could be. He's much more forgiving, much more giving, much more optimistic. His vision of the world is better than mine. We're polar opposites. I think the way I am causes me internal grief that I wouldn't have if I was more like Anthony."
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25 Sep 2005
It was his friend, who was dating Idina, who told Pascal about Menzel being cast in a new rock musical. Adam decided to audition "to see what it was like. Here we are, ten years later. [Laughs] I feel very lucky." His luck also brought him to the Nantucket Film Festival in 1997, where Pascal met playwright Cybele Chivan. Married in December 1998, they are parents of sons Lennon and Montgomery.
Going from the drug scene and Manhattan's East Village to Disney and Ancient Egypt, Pascal followed hisRent engagement (in which he was succeeded by Norbert Leo Butz) by playing the Palace, where Aida premiered in March 2000. Pascal portrayed Radames, opposite Heather Headley, who received a Tony Award for her performance in the title role. "I didAida three-and-a-half years," following which he returned to the musical at the end of June 2004 for the final nine weeks of its run.
Next, his theatrical journeys took him to 1929 Berlin, and the role of the MC in Cabaret. "I'd been trying to get them to cast me for months. I just kept going back; I really wanted to do the part. Then I heard the show was closing. I'd been cast in a leading role in a film and was just about to sign the contract, when the Roundabout called and asked if I'd come and do the last stint as the MC [October 2003-January 2004]. It was the greatest experience I ever had!"
Explains Pascal, "I was so afraid of doing it. I thought: If I can pull this off, I'd be really proud to call myself an actor. And I did! For that reason alone, it was incredible. But I loved the music and the production." The 2003 benefit concert ofChess (set in Italy and Thailand during the early 1980s) cast him as Freddie. "I was totally unfamiliar with the show, and thought the music was great—and I'm by no means an ABBA fan. I'm surprised that it hasn't come back to Broadway."
He journeyed back to the East Village in the 2004 benefit concert of Hair, and then to the African jungle in two workshops of Tarzan. "I have a great relationship with everyone at Disney and I wanted to work with them again. [Director-designer] Bob Crowley and Tom Schumaker [one of the heads of Hyperion Productions] wanted me involved. I was the Storyteller. They didn't want Tarzan to sing. I sang his songs and was his conscience, sort of his guardian angel. But, after two readings, I think they realized that there was no reason for my character, and the part was eliminated. Now, Tarzan gets to sing his own songs." (The musical opens next spring at the Richard Rodgers. Since it's playing at that theatre, might it called The Swing & I?)
There are no upcoming theatre projects for Pascal, who claims, "I've become a little disillusioned with what's happening in the theatre—just in the material that's been offered to me. I wish there was material that I responded to more. I can't make a living doing theatre. But I can't wait to come back. I'm doing a lot of film auditioning. I'm trying to make a transition into film. I'd like to see if I could have a little success in front of the camera."
I mention that on the heels of "Rent" (which has Roger and Mark dreaming in a loft) comes "The Producers" (with Max and Leo sharing lofty dreams), and Adam Pascal enthusiastically says, "I hope that they're both huge successes!"
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Michael Buckley also writes for TheaterMania.com, and is the author of the book "Between Takes (Interviews with Hollywood Legends)," to be published next year.
