PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Rock of Ages' Jay Klaitz | Playbill

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News PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Rock of Ages' Jay Klaitz Jay Klaitz, currently playing the role of narrator Lonny in the Broadway production of Rock of Ages, fills out Playbill.com's questionnaire with random facts, backstage trivia and pop-culture tidbits.

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Jay Klaitz

Klaitz has previously appeared on Broadway as Barry in High Fidelity and the opera-singing Bellhop in Lend Me a Tenor.

Screen credits include "Rescue Me," "Frozen River" and "Law & Order."



Full given name: John David Klaitz, Jr. But you can call me Jay.

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL. Wussup Action-ville?!
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio! Look out!
Current audition song: Beyonce's "Single Ladies"
Special skills: Guitar, cartwheels
Skill/talent you wish you had or were better at: Piano
First Broadway show you ever saw: Cats - meow!
If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? Nathan Lane in ...Forum
Current show you have been recommending to friends: Rock of Ages!
Favorite showtune of all time: Beyonce's "Single Ladies"
Three favorite musicals: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
West Side Story
Rock of F***in' Ages!
The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: The first time I saw Blue Man Group, when I was in high school. It blew my mind.


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Music that makes you cry, any genre: I love sad country music. Willie, Hank, Loretta, etc.
MAC or PC? I hate computers.
Most played song on your iPod: Anything by Wilco
Most-visited websites: eatkittens.com
Last book you read: "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" by Christopher Moore
Last good movie you saw: "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World"
Some films you consider classics: "The Big Lebowski"
"District 9"
"The Lord of the Rings" series
Must-see TV shows: "The Walking Dead"
Three greatest TV shows of all time: "Twin Peaks"
"Lost"
"How I Met Your Mother"
Pop-culture guilty pleasure: "Glee" (I can't believe I just admitted that)
Performer you would drop everything to go see: Jeff Tweedy
Favorite cities: San Francisco, NYC, Atlanta
First CD/Tape/LP you owned: First tape was "The Best of The Doors." I literally played it until it was worn out.
Top Five Greatest Rock Bands of All Time: If we're talking strictly rock: Led Zepplin, Guns 'n' Roses, Queen, AC/DC and, personally, I love Motley Crue.
First stage kiss: Cabaret. I was a very naughty Emcee at 17 years old.
Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: See above
Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living: I have no idea. I've always been afflicted.
How you got your Equity card: Understudying in grad school.
Favorite post-show meal: Joe Allen for the meatloaf and a Manhattan made with Maker's Mark.
Favorite liquid refreshment: Jack Daniels
Pre-performance rituals or warm-ups: Lots of stretching, and a little scales.
Most embarrassing or spectacular flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: My first night of Rock of Ages, I simply didn't sing my part of the first verse, which threw off Adam Dannheisser and left us dancing awkwardly and laughing openly. Oops!
Most unpleasant or unappealing costume ever: The bellhop costume in Lend Me a Tenor was gorgeous but brutally hot as it was made entirely of wool.
Worst job you ever had: Working as a not-so-glorified secretary for a divorce lawyer. So much sadness...
Who would play you in the movie? I would, dammit!
Who have you played on "Law & Order"? What edition? I played a cop on "Criminal Intent." I found a dead body with his pants around his ankles, and I got to use the word "jingus" on national television. Yes, it means what you think it means.
Leading man role you've been dying to play: F that! Long live the character actor!!
Leading lady role you wish you could play: Thelma in Thelma & Louise: The Musical
Career you would want if not a performer: Rock star!
Three things you can't live without: Coconut water, my guitar, Burt's Bees chap stick
Something about you that surprises people: I'm obsessively neat and clean. I have a kind of slacker exterior, but my apartment does not.
Cool celebrity guests you've met at this or other shows: De Niro, Buscemi, Galifianakis and lots of other fun celebs came to see Lend Me a Tenor. I'm currently working with Dee Snider, lead singer of Twisted Sister, at ROA, and that dude rules. Great performer, great guy and great friend.
"I'll never understand why…" ...so many people are so uptight. Life's too short!

 
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