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«You can actually hear the ensemble uniting as one on that song.»

«I was talking to somebody the other day, it was Seth Rudetsky? He said 'when did you learn to sing? ? He said please don?t say in Church. That?s where I learned to sing.Well actually, I didn?t learn how to sing in Church, I just sang in Church with my family. My family was quite musical. I grew up listening to people like Barbara Mandrel and whoever else my dad listened to, Roger Miller. When I found out that he wrote Big River I was super excited because I loved Roger Miller growing up? just a bunch of those christianly angelic singers like Sandy Patty, Michael W. Smith, you know all those people. That?s where I got my influence.»

«They were filming this TV pilot called Adventures of St. Clair Island in Seattle . It was really kind of low budget. It wasn?t like Hollywood ; they were filming in Seattle and trying to shop around. My brother was into summer stock Seattle ?s children theatre and I was about seven, I think, and they were having auditions. Our elementary school had gotten the 'word' and my brother was going to go. I asked if I could go too and my mom said sure. I went - and ended up getting it over him and two thousand kids, it was ridiculous! That was my first thing and then when I was about twelve I was in Our Town . I was Joe the paperboy and I was fantastic. I was amazing. ? I brought the house down with three lines. There are no small roles, only small actors. (he laughs) So that?s how I started, and from there on I knew that was what I wanted to do. There was really no question for me»

«We had a great drama department and a great on site voice teacher actually. I started taking lessons with her and doing some community theatre. Then when I was seventeen, I did some professional theatre gigs locally and had already made up my mind that that?s what I really wanted to do and my parents really never questioned it.»

«I had a great time in college, and I did some really fantastic stuff. After that, I did Sweeny Todd and I played Tobias. Love that role! We also did the first off Broadway or outside of New York premiere of Side Show (after it had closed on Broadway) and I played Buddy.»

«We were all young and our like leader was Capathia Jenkins ? who had been around and is amazing. We did a lot of improv and the show was completely re-imagined. We kept very little of the original book. It was a lot of fun and we had a great time. Being able to be so creative and get that vibe where it?s not usually the case? It was really kind of a dream come true to be able to have such success with it and the recording my first cast album. Stephen Schwartz was wonderful.»

«It's one of those roles where you realize why you got into theatre and without sounding too proud, it?s just one of those moments where you feel born to play a role that was made for you. It?s a great show and I really hope it find its way to Broadway. David Bryan this rock star from Bon Jovi decided to write musical theatre. At first I was like 'all right?whatever' But his music and lyrics are so refreshing. It reminds me a lot of Yazbek but more gospel and R&B influenced. It?s the best original music I have heard in a long time.»

«[Going from one] jukebox musical ... I read the script for Lennon and thought this is right up my alley. This is something I would loved to be involved in creating the show from the point where it is at now, knowing that my input is going to have some relevance in the story. It?s interesting because I think that there are two different definitions for a jukebox musical. The first is the kind of Mamma Mia!, Good Vibrations, All Shook Up theme ? the kind that creates a story around a catalog of music. The thing that spoke to me about Lennon (I am so fortunate to have done two of the same genre) is that it?s almost as if John Lennon wrote a musical. It?s hard to say. It?s almost as if he wrote a musical about his life because his song are very specific about who he was as an individual?where he was going?where he had been?and his present life and its almost as if he wrote the songs to a book of his life that wasn?t written ?you know what I mean? So that?s what really interested me about it. There?s also this deep mysticism about John and this mystic kind of man that is intriguing and I thought we could capture that on a Broadway stage. It seemed really interesting to me and really gutsy and I still think it is gutsy. So the experiences of both Good Vibrations and Lennon couldn?t have been more different, I am thankful for both.»

«It?s a point where we kind of step out as actors again. You can hear the audience gasp because they have waited all night to hear those first chords of ?Imagine? and there is a space - and then it starts. It feels important.»

«I don?t know. I would love to do some TV, but what I?d really love is to see Memphis ? on Broadway. It would be the crowning jewel in my career?if my career were ending in a few years (laughs) but it?s one of those roles that you just love doing I can?t wait for it to come here be seen. It is (not to sound dramatic or anything) but a triumph and return to the American Musical.»