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Broadway Takes Over Bryant Park
Including an interview with Tony Award-nominee Chad Kimball, star of the hit musical Memphis
The Rockettes rocketting (Photo: Josh Kurp)
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Earlier today was the second installment of 2010’s “Broadway in Bryant Park,” presented by 106.7 LiteFM. With beautiful weather and free admission, thousands of New Yorkers came out to hear selections from some of Broadway’s finest.
First up was the Rockettes’ “Tribute to Irving Berlin” from their Radio City Christmas Spectacular, followed two songs from The Phantom of the Opera, including “The Music of the Night” by Paul Schaefer.
Next came the guys and gals—mainly guys—from South Pacific singing some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatest songs, such as “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame” and “Younger Than Springtime.” The mainly-young cast of Billy Elliot took the stage afterward, performing the Elton John-written, “Shine.”
The final performance of the afternoon was Memphis. Their introduction received the largest applause from the audience, which should come as no surprise to anyone who watched this year’s Tony Awards. Memphis received eight nominations and won four awards, including Best Musical.
Before going on stage to sing “Music of My Soul,” Encore had a chance to speak with the show’s male lead, Chad Kimball.
When you’re about to go on stage, what’s going through your mind?
It’s very exciting because you just see all the people out there. Five years ago, while performing Lennon, we sang “Give Peace a Chance” here and there wasn’t nearly as many people. This is very, very exciting. It’s grown over the years.
Since winning the Tony for Best Musical, have you noticed an increased audience? Has anything else changed?
More audience, definitely, but the reaction has been the same, which is great. It hasn’t really changed much. The excitement of winning Best Musical…I keep pinching myself.
What was it like being there?
I’m going to have to write a book about that day because every minute of it was filled with something. It literally went from 6:30 a.m. on Sunday to 6:30 a.m. on Monday.
What’d you do right afterward?
I slept for, like, a day-and-a-half. It was such a cool experience. To see the people in our industry who were nominated going and doing shows, then going back from rehearsal at Radio City to going back to doing shows to going back to Radio City and then getting their tuxedos and costumes, then performing. You wouldn’t do that at the Oscars. People in our industry are very industrious.
What’s it like to perform outdoors?
I never perform outside; I’m from Seattle. I haven’t performed outside in a long time. I’m actually a little nervous to be out in the light of day and not under the lights of the theater.
The show’s going on tour next year, beginning in Memphis. Are you excited for that?
So excited. I’m so happy for the people who can’t get to New York to be able to see our show because it’s so exciting to watch people getting excited about something they really don’t know anything about. I liken it to the audience opening a Christmas present every night. They don’t know what’s underneath, but just unwrapping the paper is a lot of fun. I’d love to be a part of it.
Have you been to Memphis before?
Once.
For research?
We went last July for “research.” The best “research” you can ever do is on Beale Street. Beer and blues and barbecue. It’s the only time I’ve been there, but I want to go back. It’s a great city. I think it’s cool for them to have a show named after their city that tells the truth about the city but also tells about the greatness of it, too.
Who were you most starstruck by at the Tony Awards?
I kept going to a lot of Tony events and I just couldn’t muster up the strength to go up to Scarlett Johansson. In fact, my publicist wanted me to go into this room and I started going in then said, “Nope, I’m not going in.” “Why aren’t you going in the room?” “Because Scar-Jo’s in there!” Finally, at the Tonys, she had already won hers, and you have to wait to come back in during the commercial break, and I look behind my left shoulder and she’s standing right behind me. And I introduced myself, but completely bumbled it. I was like, “I’m Chad, I, um, from, um, Memphis, um…anyways, congratulations. Bye.” But she was very gracious.
More sights from “Broadway in Bryant Park”:
The aforementioned Paul Schaefer from The Phantom of the Opera
The boys of South Pacific
Billy Elliot‘s grand finale
This picture serves no other purpose than to say: Look at the size of those heels!
World’s #1 Memphis fan
World’s #1 Billy Elliot fan
Bryant Park crowd
Montego Glover, who usually plays Felicia Farrell in Memphis, couldn’t make it to the performance, so her understudy, Dan’yelle Williamson, stepped in. And stepped up. She was fantastic and got the biggest crowd reaction of the day.
To purchase tickets for Memphis, please click here.