The Tony Awards red carpet coverage

We're back with even more coverage of the 2008 Tony Awards! This time we've got conversation fresh from the red carpet leading up to the event, again with a variety of people; while the gift lounge was reserved for presenters at the awards ceremony, however, this time I got to talk to some of the other Tony Awards guests and nominees. Over here we got to speak to In the Heights actors Janet Dacal, theatre legend Priscilla Lopez, director Thomas Kail, and star as well as creator/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda; Grease stars Laura Osnes and Max Crumm; Xanadu actors Kerry Butler and [title of show] Show star Cheyenne Jackson; and spectacular Broadway actress and current South Pacific star Kelli O'Hara. Enjoy the coverage... and if you're sad it's over, trust me, so are we.

Janet Dacal
Hi, my name is Keely; how are you?
Hi, nice to meet you!

Are you excited to be here at the Tonys?
Oh my god, yes. It’s amazing. It’s what you dream of as a kid and now it’s really happening!

Has it really sunk in yet?
Uh… no, I don’t think it’s going to sink in until it’s over! [laughs]

You’ll be taking a bath and you’ll be like, “Wait. I was at the Tonys tonight!”
Exactly! And it’s all documented by everyone!

So you’ve been with the show definitely since the off-Broadway run, but—
Actually, I’ve been with the show since it pretty much started.

Yeah, I was going to ask!
The workshops and the readings and all that.

Such a journey. Almost like a Cinderella story.
Yeah, it really has. We’re kind of like the underdogs, so.

Well, it was great to speak to you!
Great to speak to you!

Thanks so much! Good luck!
Thank you!

Priscilla Lopez
Hi, my name is Keely. It’s great to meet you!
Hi! same here.

You were absolutely fantastic in In the Heights.
Thank you so much.

When did you find out the show was coming to the Tonys?
Well, I just assumed we would be coming to the Tonys!

[laughs]
It was not a surprise, because of our off-Broadway run and because it was such a crowd-pleaser and the fact that we had won so many awards off-Broadway. It was just… something I assumed that would be happening.

But it’s still exciting getting to be here, I’d imagine!
It is totally exciting. It’s totally exciting!

And you get to sing a little too! I was very happy when you got that song [Enough, which was added to the show when it moved to Broadway].
So was I! Well, I came in late to that incarnation off-Broadway so I had hoped when they found out that I was getting into it that they could get me some [singing material] but they didn’t. And so when we moved I thought, “They’re giving me this. They’re giving me this!” And then they did!

So you weren’t a part of the workshops?
No, I didn’t become involved until the end, just before we started rehearsals. They did ask me to be a part of the workshops and it just didn’t work out.

But it’s great that it did in the end! And I certainly think the music in this show is so modern and it could get so many different people into theatre.
Well, you know what, our album came out last week and it’s #1 already. I had nothing to do with it. But!

[laughs]
But yes. It’s been wonderful. A beautiful journey. Totally, totally beautiful.

Oh—on a complete aside, my theatre teacher’s husband is your chiropractor.
Oh! I am in love with [that man]! He has saved my life. He is the best human being on that earth. He has saved my life twice. And I have been going to him for thirty-five years. They just came to the other show the other day—with your teacher!

Yes! And I’d interviewed Karen [Olivo] recently as well, so the other week in theatre class [my teacher] said to me, “So what was it that you were doing with In the Heights exactly? Because we went to see it recently and my husband is a chiropractor for…”
More importantly, on top of that, he’s a nutritionist.

But thank you so much! It was so great to talk to you.
Thank you!

Thomas Kail
Hi, my name is Keely. Nice to meet you!
Nice to see you. How are you?

How do you feel about the incredible journey that In The Heights has taken?
I’m thrilled to be here. The fact that we’re all together as a group is something that really speaks to the community.

Right. And the show’s bringing in a new audience to appreciate theatre.
That’s something we’re thrilled about. We’re thrilled that traditional theatergoers like it and we’re thrilled that nontraditional theatergoers like it. So we figure if we just keep telling the truth up there, then maybe everyone will see it.

Thank you so much. You have an amazing show; good luck!
Thank you. I appreciate it! Thank you!

Lin-Manuel Miranda
Hi! So I know you’re in a hurry but could you answer a couple of questions?
Sure!

I know you conceived of the show when you were in college so this must be especially incredible that a college idea of yours has come this far.
It’s incredible. It feels surreal; it feels—what I compare it to is having a kid and it growing up: it feels very gradual and natural for me, but my friends who haven’t seen me since college are like, “Holy crap! Your kid is huge!”

[laughs]
So that’s what it feels like.

How do you feel about In the Heights bringing a wider audience to Broadway?
I’m very thankful that we have affordable tickets and that we have tickets in every price bracket, so that we can get people across the board. And, yeah, I think it’s music that you’re not afraid to blast out of your car stereo! It’s hip-hop music; it’s loud music; it’s all that fun stuff.

Did you ever think you’d be here?
Yes.

[laughs] Congratulations. Thanks so much!
Thanks!

Laura Osnes and Max Crumm
Hi, I’m Keely!
MAX CRUMM: Hi!
LAURA OSNES: Hi, Keely! Laura. Nice to meet you!

Excited to be at the Tonys?
MC: “Are we excited”! Yes!
LO: [laughs] Yeah!
MC: Absolutely! This is insane, you know?

The essence of Broadway in New York all boiled down to one event.
MC: Yeah.
LO: I mean, the whole year, at least on Broadway, culminates at the Tonys. So it’s a pleasure to be here!

What are you performing?
MC: You’ll have to watch! [laughs] No, we’re performing Grease is the Word into We Go Together.
LO: A little medley.
MC: Yeah.
LO: I’ll be having the spandex on later this evening!

And you’ll be leaving the show in July, right?
MC: We both are, actually. July 20th.

Are you going on to other theatre…?
MC: We don’t know at the moment, but there’s… things in the works. So—
LO: Things in the works, yeah.
MC: We’ll have to see what happens.

It was great to meet you!
MC: Same here.
LO: Thank you!

Kerry Butler
Hi, Kerry! How are you tonight?
Good, how are you?

I’m good! Are you excited?
I’m super excited!

Ever think this would happen with Xanadu? It’s such an off-beat kind of comedy.
Well, I knew it was good, but you never know how people are going to take it. I never in a million years thought that I would be nominated for a Tony for Xanadu! [laughs]

If you win are you giving your accepted speech in an Australian accent?
Um—I haven’t thought anything about any acceptance speech, but that’s a really good idea. And I think I will. [laughs]

Were you going to do roller skates down the red carpet?
No. I have done that in the past, though!

Thanks so much!
It was great meeting you!

Cheyenne Jackson
Hi! My name is Keely; it’s nice to meet you.
You too!

Are you excited to be here?
Yes. So excited. And I’ve never been to the Tonys, or even to Radio City, so this is really fun.

I wanted to ask you about The [title of show] Show.
[laughs] Yes.

How did you meet—?
I met Hunter at, I don’t know, some party, I think, a year and a half ago. I had done something at the—where was [title of show] originally? The Public [Theatre]?

The Vineyard [Theatre].
I’d done something at the Vineyard, and he was there, and we met and became friends. And Jeff, and then Heidi, and everybody. We just became friends, and our senses of humor are all a little bit off, and they said, “Do you want to come play with us?” And so any time they call me I say, “Alright.”

So now you’re a series regular on their web show.
Yup. Me and—

And Mindy!
And Mindy. [laughs]

And… the Nathan Lane video [on Youtube entitled Cubby Burnstein – Xanadu – Episode Six]?
We did a couple of takes, but, you know, we were doing it on our free time, so we didn’t have a lot of time. The lotion was—I have to say I made that up, yeah. I thought it would be funny.

Were you and Kerry going to do roller skates down the red carpet?
We’ve done roller skates down red carpets before. She has. I refuse. I refuse to be in roller skates outside of the show, because it’s not pretty.

Thank you so much!
You’re welcome!

Kelli O'Hara
Kelli! Two questions?
Yeah!

So you were here recently when you were nominated for The Pajama Game. How does it feel to be back and nominated again?
Oh, it just feels—incredibly blessed and fortuitous. And I just feel lucky, and it feels a little more calm, because—no pressure. We’re just here having a good time, and we’ve got a great show. I’m very proud of my show.

How did you get involved with it?
Well, I’ve worked with Bart Scherr before, who directed it at Lincoln Center, and I think it’s the right role for me. We really found a fit and I’m very happy there.

How do you think South Pacific relates now, with a new war and everything in America?
Oh, it resonates hugely right now because of the war, the presidential race—we’re just right there. We want to talk about it. Everyone comes to the show and feels things they didn’t expect to feel, and I think that’s why it’s the right time.

What do you think it is about Bartlett’s touch that makes this work?
Because he tells the truth. He goes to the source. He doesn’t start with any flashy numbers, dancing, transitions; he starts with the book, the truth of it. I always knew he could make it work. I was certain. A hundred percent.

It was great to talk to you!
Thank you!

Unfortunately, this marks the end of our Tony Awards coverage; as I said earlier, if you're even remotely upset, imagine how we feel. Keep checking back for more interviews, however, and next year when the 2009 Tony Awards come around, come take a look and see if we come back to cover more!