Standing @ Zero: Hamilton's Thayne Jasperson

This month, we are celebrating a Standing @ Zero Hero, who is that most revered (and rare) ensemblist: a long-run chorus member/multi-track understudy. In this case, The show is Hamilton, and the cast member is Thayne Jasperson, who has been with the show since its off-Broadway run. That production began at the Public Theater in January 2015. He's been at it for more than five years! Of course, that's not all he's accomplished. His career includes not one but two cultural phenomena, plus TV, national tour, regional, and two other Broadway credits. Congratulations, Thayne!

Standing @ Zero

Hamilton's

Thayne Jasperson

Jasperson showed the world he could dance on Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance, and continues to share his gifts by teaching lots of dance master classes! His other TV credits include High School Musical and High School Musical 2, as well as Smash.

So You Think You Can Dance

High School Musical

 Thayne's theater credits include regional productions of Footloose and Finding Neverland (he was replaced by a real dog!), the national tour of West Side Story, and the Broadway productions of Newsies, Matilda and Hamilton. In Hamilton, he is in the ensemble and plays Samuel Seabury. He understudies the roles of John Laurens/Philip Hamilton and King George.

Finding Neverland (at A.R.T.)

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JKTS Chat: An Interview with Submissions Only's Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Part 2)

He was Mr. Broadway back in April 2012, and now Andrew Keenan-Bolger is back at JKTS with a pretty cool interview!  Earlier this week, he talked about his family ties to Broadway, politics and his love of all things media (HERE).  Today, in the second part (of two) of this chat, he talks about season three of his web series Submissions Only, how Disney has helped to shape his career, and all of the amazing projects coming up in his future - in all kinds of different media, naturally!

JEFF: The majority of your Broadway career has been spent in Disney shows, from Beauty and the Beast to Newsies.  What is the best part of being part of the Disney Theatricals family? 

ANDREW: I think what’s really special about Disney Theatricals is that they are creating unforgettable experiences for families. I’m super close with my family and saw firsthand how theater changes lives at a young age. To get to be a part of that message is extraordinary.

JEFF: During your time with Newsies, you did a lot of backstage videos and the like, and really got the “Fansies” pumped up about the show.  How did those videos come about and evolve? 

ANDREW: I’ve been a part of the Disney family since I began my career and have been treated so incredibly well by them. Tom Schumacher, who’s the head of Disney Theatricals, was one of my first supporters when it came to film-making and one of the first people to encourage me to create content. When I found out I was going to be a part of Newsies I was immediately connected with the marketing department and we brainstormed ways to spread the world to our very tech savvy fans. I loved making these videos and was so lucky to have permission to document our experience in such a close and personal way. It was one of the first shows to have a real online narrative and give access to the inner workings of a show’s Broadway gestation.

JEFF: Just how crazy did those fans get – for the good and the bad?  I’ll bet that their enthusiasm meant a lot to all of you.

ANDREW: It’s my hope that those videos largely propelled our fans’ enthusiasm. I know if I weren’t in the show, I’d absolutely be cyber-stalking all those boys as well! As to the level of crazy, it was never for the bad. I will also say, I was the most well-fed during that run thanks to the generosity of our fansies.

JEFF: Have you seen Aladdin on Broadway yet? If so, how strange is it for you to not be up there, when you were a part of the pre-Broadway genesis of the show?  If not, what are you looking forward to seeing when you finally get to see it?

ANDREW: I did see Aladdin and have to say, even without my history with the show and Disney, I think it’s out of this world. I haven’t been entertained like that in such a long time and to think that it’s going to be a lot of people’s first introduction to Broadway is so cool!

JEFF: So, this latest season of Submissions Only is a little different production-wise.  How did this new situation come about?  How has it helped your enterprise?  What about SO remains the same, and how has it grown to a new level?

ANDREW: This new season was absolutely a game changer for us. We really got to make the season of our dreams! It began with a really lucrative Kickstarter campaign and finished off with the help of Broadway producer, Kevin McCollum. While financing makes some things easier, (mainly the ability to get everyone to agree to do insane amounts of work), it also made things a lot harder as we got more ambitious. After shooting our new season I’m pretty sure everyone on the Submissions Only team feels like a warrior. What’s remained the same is that while we have a lot more help than before, we still try to keep it a small enterprise. We try to use people’s time very efficiently and make sure our work environment is above all, fun.

Kate Wetherhead and Andrew

On Set of Submissions Only

JEFF: As theatre lovers, most of us have some familiarity with the collaborative nature of bringing a show to the stage.  How does collaborating on a web series from scratch work like doing a play or musical, and what are the most challenging differences? 

ANDREW: In many ways they’re similar. Kate and I had little to no film experience when we began Submissions Only, but what we did know was how to create environments that fostered learning and creativity. Theater prepared us for that. The biggest difference was having to have the mind of a producer. It’s great to think up something but figuring out to execute it is a whole other story.  

From HBO's Looking

JEFF: Finally, what can we look forward to seeing you in the near future?  A new show? More  Submissions?  How about another stint on Looking? Any chance you’ll be doing a show with your sister?  What is something you haven’t done that you hope to try and/or accomplish in the next year?

ANDREW: I’ve got a couple films coming this year that I’m really excited about. One is called The Rewrite, starring Hugh Grant and Marissa Tomei. Hugh plays a professor and I get to play one of his wacky students. The second is a film that’s written by my friends Jake Wilson and Sas Goldberg called You Must Be Joking. It’s a hilarious look at the world of an aspiring comedienne. Of course there’s a lot of awesome Submissions Only love coming at you every other Monday on BroadwayWorld.com. Also, Kate Wetherhead and I are writing a book series for Penguin Publishing called Jack & Louisa. We’ve completed the first book and are hard at work on the second. The thing that I haven’t done that I’m setting my sights on is writing and directing a film. Kate and I have already tossed around a lot of ideas but it’s the thing that I want to do most in 2014.

JEFF: Thanks, so much, Andrew!  Can't wait to see all of your future successes!

Photos used by permission of Mr. Keenan-Bolger.

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Jeff
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JKTS Chat: An Interview with Newsies' Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Part One)

If you follow my blog at all, you know that I am a huge fan of the Keenan-Bolger siblings.  Maggie is an accomplished writer, and her sister, Celia, is an accomplished actress (if there is any justice, she'll be a Tony nominee shortly for her devastating turn in The Glass Menagerie).  And then there's Andrew Keenan-Bolger, probably most famous these days for starring as Crutchie in Disney's Newsies.  But he is also a political activist, filmmaker, and, soon, a published author. That is a lot for a guy who isn't even 30 yet!

Today, I am thrilled to bring you the first of a two-part interview with Andrew, in which he talks about his love of social media, being involved in the Broadway community, and the special bond he shares with his sisters.

       JEFF:  Thank you, Andrew, for taking the time to do this interview!  It seems appropriate that you’d be a part of the “blogosphere,” since you are EVERYWHERE on social networks and the Internet.  What is it about all of the different platforms – Twitter, tumblr, Facebook, etc. – that so appeals to you?  As a performer in the 21st century, how important is it for you to “be out there”? 

ANDREW: I totally love what social media has done to the entertainment industry. As a member of the theater community I am first and foremost a fan. Growing up, I remember being so enamored by people who worked on Broadway and would have done anything to get a glimpse of their world. I think twelve-year-old Andrew would have gone bonkers if he knew there was going to be a way to interact with your favorite actors. I also think social media and advents like YouTube have given artists an incredible platform to share our ideas and (most significantly in my case) our work.

JEFF: Of course, as my readers know, backstage videos are just a little bit of your “Internet filming career.”  You also post some really amazing road trip videos with your friends.  And there’s that little thing going on called Submissions Only… What is it about the video/film medium that you find gives you a creative spark?  How is that “spark” similar AND different to the creativity you find when performing on stage?

ANDREW: I’m a storyteller by nature and when I picked up a camera for the first time I realized it was just another way to tell a story. Documentary style or scripted, what I’m always trying to do is share a slice of life. Having gotten to both, I find that acting and directing absolutely speak to each other and I am always learning about one by doing the other.

JEFF: One of the ways you “put yourself out there” is through your charity work and activism.  What has made you so interested and involved in these causes?  Is there a sense of obligation and pride that has been instilled in you that has gotten you involved with elections, causes and charities?

ANDREW: Growing up in Detroit, MI, our parents were very involved in community work. I remember my mom’s workplace going on strike and her bringing us along to walk the picket line. It started a dialogue at a very young age about social consciousness that I think has carried over into our adulthood. I’m so proud of the work that Maggie and Celia have done in the world when it comes to activism and I’m grateful that we’ve found a way to use our art and presence as a tool for social change. Maggie has made it her career creating theater with and about the under-represented voices in our world, so much of which is truly breath-taking.

It’s easy as an actor to feel like we’re self-serving and in a profession that doesn’t make a difference, but when you look at the incredible charity and benefit work the theater world does, it really is amazing.  For example, I remember during the election, Celia and I were both in Broadway shows and wanted to be out there in the field doing the good work for Obama. Of course our show schedule made it difficult to uproot and go work on his campaign. We felt like a lot of other people in the community felt the same way.  We decided to create Broadway for Obama. I’m so glad the theater world has found a way to funnel that frustration into something that makes me really proud to be an actor and in a community that is so invested in our future.

JEFF: Perhaps it is presumptuous of me to say, but it really seems like the three of you are particularly close.  Why is that do you think?  What is something fun and revealing that you can share about your sisters? 

ANDREW:  I think my sisters and I share something unique. They are the two most important people in the world and I can’t believe we all get to live in the city and share similar passions. This is kind of a downer but my mom passed away almost 15 years ago. Losing a parent at such a young age really did form an unbreakable bond between the three of us and ever since we’ve been super involved in each other’s lives. As far as fun and revealing I will just say that holidays at the Keenan-Bolger’s is a sight to be seen!

Part 2 will post on Thursday!  Andrew talks Disney, fansies, Submissions Only and the future!

Photos used by permission of Mr. Keenan-Bolger

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Jeff

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So You Think You Can Dance on Broadway?

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Forever Tango

With Forever Tango back on Broadway, in previews and already extended, I was kind of pleased to see some success beyond the ballroom for Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff, two of my favorites on Dancing with the Stars.  True, this is not their debut - that came a few seasons ago in Burn the Floor, a ballroom dancing extravaganza.  Before that show was over, fellow pros Derek Hough and Kym Johnson also appeared in the show.

TV's other dance competition show, So You Think You Can Dance, which I have grown to love, sent one of its judges - Mary Murphy - to also burn the floor.  What I love about that program is that to even be on it, you have to already be near professional level, meaning most weeks who gets eliminated is a real nail biter!  It also features Broadway as a style of dance for the contestants to try.  Thank God the choreographers generally stay away from the stereotypical cheesy smiles and jazz hands.  On the downside, most of the time the Broadway routines look more like Hollywood movie musicals than anything we see on today's stages.  Still, it is nice to see Broadway featured as a viable, challenging form of dance each week.  Many times, the choreographer of the routine is Broadway veteran Spencer Liff, who has been featured in such shows as Big: The Musical, The Wedding Singer, Cry-Baby and Equus.  (Mercifully, so far this season, we've been spared the campy style of Tyce Diorio, who the show refers to as a "Broadway choreographer."  Technically, maybe, as his lone credit is as Associate Choreographer for Good Vibrations.  I think he's better known for his amazing ego as shown in the documentary film, Every Little Step, which I reviewed HERE.  Of course, he did inexplicably win an Emmy for one of his routines...) 

Mary Murphy and Spencer Liff (as seen in Equus)

Neil Patrick Harris and Jesse Tyler Ferguson

The Panel with Christina Applegate

Travis Wall and Tyce Diorio

And it is great to see Broadway represented on the judging panel - Neil Patrick Harris (Cabaret, Assassins), Christina Applegate (who really knows her dance stuff - Sweet Charity), Wayne Brady (Chicago) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Spelling Bee) are regulars.

But I think the best part of SYTYCD is that so many contestants actually go on to dance careers, including choreographer of Bare, Travis Wall, and FOUR original cast members of Disney's Newsies: Jess LeProtto, Alex Wong, Thayne Jasperson and Evan Kasprzak.  And I am sure they won't be the last.  What I find particularly nice is that these people are accomplished at their craft, not just stunt singers with marginal acting skills like so many of the American Idol people who have been brought in to beef up various box offices over the years.  (Fantasia and Clay Aiken notwithstanding.) 

Newsies' Jess LeProtto

(Clockwise from Top Left) Evan Kasprzak, Jess LeProtto,

Alex Wong and Thayne Jasperson

I love to watch talented dancers onstage and on TV, so between shows on the Great White Way, it is great to have the Dancing  pros and the vitality of SYTYCD contestants.  What do you think?

Jeff

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