1. Disney/Pixar wants to make an animated film out of one of your top ten favorite musicals. Which one should they make and why? Avenue Q, because A) this says animated and I wouldn't want most of my top ten musicals animated, kids in Germany discovering sexuality and gay boys in Catholic high schools don't generally make good cartoons? B) a lot of my top ten musicals are already movies, C) Avenue Q is one I'd feel safer letting someone make a movie out of without too much anxiety, D) it's rated R Sesame Street, it'd actually probably be a great hit!, and E) more people need to love Avenue Q
2. What do you think about breaking the fourth wall? I think it depends largely on the show. For example, during Rent's revival, Emma (who was playing Maureen) was in the middle of Over the Moon when she messed up (I think either she slipped or the microphone fell?) and we all laughed, causing her to improv "It's not FUNNY, stop LAUGHING!" and it made the performance even better. I probably wouldn't appreciate someone talking to me as an audience member while I was seeing Les Mis, though.
3. Pick a show. Any show. Got it? Okay, now every single character is now being played by someone of the opposite sex. So who's in it? ....I picked Rent since I was just talking about it.
Roger: Annaleigh AshfordMark: Emma HuntonCollins: Tracie ThomsAngel: Lexi LawsonMimi: Aaron Tveit (come on, he needs to strip, guys)Maureen: Jonathan Groff (train of thought there was "someone who's attractive and knows it...)Joanne: Gavin Creel. Eh, I was gonna pick someone not based on my OTPs, but Sophie says Gavin is good so GAVIN CREEL, suck it guys. Benny: Gwen Stewart
Miki can art this now because I'm high on cold medicine.
4. Stephen Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber? No, we won't judge. NOW EXPLAIN YOURSELF
Always Sondheim. I fell in love with his musicals first, when I was REALLY little, and I still view him as god. I'm not saying Webber isn't great, it's just, I love Sondheim more, personally. Most of my favourite musicals are Sondheim, or by people who have publicly said they worship him, okay? (Look at how much Jonathan Larson loved him!) Plus I still don't get Cats.
5. Cast one of your least favorite shows with people who would make you want to see it.
...That being said, if Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, and/or Aaron Tveit are in Cats, I will go see it. I don't even know the show well enough to fully cast it, but get me my men in this show and I will see it more than the one time I watched it.
6. Who killed Edwin Drood?
Welll, technically Charles Dickens, so it probably had something to do with the Doctor and have I mentioned I'm excited about this?
7. You're in charge of some prime advertisement space in Times Square. Which shows are you giving this space to and why?
Bare, because I want it around next time I go to New York, Peter and the Starcatcher because did you know it's going to New World Stages and I still need to see it?, Book of Mormon because it's awesome, and also Without You because if I'm this rich I've made Anthony put the damn show back in New York.
8. Movie musicals: awesome or awful?
They can be really, really awesome when they have original cast members (like Rent) or are just REALLY great productions that bring in new fans (like Les Mis), but they can also be really awful (I will not name names but singing on a rock in Santa Fe in long sleeves is questionable).
9. Bootlegs: best things ever or worst things ever?
Right, so I know they're legally wrong. But they're also how a lot of people, including me, fall in love with new shows and before I lost most of mine, I used to trade so... best thing ever.
10. How many playbills do you take when you see a show?
Just one per ticket I've purchased. I feel weird otherwise.
11. Weirdest/funniest/most memorable stage door experience. GO.
One time Anthony Rapp and I had a heart to heart about my grandma at a book signing. Okay, so when I went to NYC for my birthday and met up with Sophie there we had really interesting stage door experiences. The first night, at Into the Woods, we froze our asses off to meet Bernadette Peters, who bless her soul, seemed curious as to why someone would freeze their ass off to meet her. The next day everyone was freaking out about Billie in American Idiot, and then there was us, squealing over seeing John Gallagher Jr. walk in. We were rewarded with a smile and wave and later took pictures with the awesome cast members. But then there was Next to Normal later that night. That was when my anxiety and depression were the worst. After N2N, we were explaining how much the show meant to us to Marin and Jason. Marin was incredible about it and Jason was most concerned about the fact that it was January and we weren't wearing gloves. Like, he honestly went "Oh my GOD you must be cold you don't have gloves, why don't you have GLOVES!". Then out walks Adam and he has these huge headphones on. Everyone's trying to talk to him and he yells "HOLD ON. I CANNOT HEAR YOU OVER MY MUSIC" before removing the headphones to talk to people. I'm in love with him.
12. What is your most prized theatre-related possession?
I have a ton of shit signed by Anthony because I stalk him too much. But my most prized possession would have to be Mimi Marquez's tacky blue sparkly pants from Out Tonight. Yes, they fit. I wear them.
13. Which Book of Mormon missionary would you let in your house?
All of them, but especially Elder Cunningham.
14. Jukebox musicals. Are they a waste of space or super fun?
I actually just had a conversation about this with Clairissa. Before seeing American Idiot, I would totally tell you "Waste of space" without a doubt. I'm converted now, not even so much into "super fun" as much as "they can be really meaningful". American Idiot, for example, not only makes sense as a musical with a plot, but expresses the sentiments of a generation. It shows the world post-9/11, makes sense if you have no idea about Green Day or the album, and is so FULL OF EMOTION. I think juke box musicals really have a lot of potential to be done properly like that.
15. What shows are you most excited for this season (on Broadway, the West End, or on tour)?
I feel bad, but I haven't had time to be caught up lately so I DON'T KNOW! I'm usually easily excitable though.
16. It's an understudy extravaganza! Cast the two lead roles of three of your favorite shows with understudies who have played those roles before.
Roger Davis (Rent): Will Chase (he was an understudy first, shh)Mark Cohen (Rent): Neil Patrick Harris (um, okay, he wasn't an understudy, but he's Anthony's favourite Mark and my second favourite)Melchior Gabor (Spring Awakening): Matt ShingledeckerMoritz Steifel: Can I just has Coby Getzug? I know he was tour, but he's miiiiine.Um...I'm too drugged to think of understudies right now?
.....I have to take medicine. (BUT I AM RETURNING FOR PART TWO IN WHICH I DO THE REST OF THESE QUESTIONS)