This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Jon Schwab: Hi, Jon Schwab here, and welcome to Episode 178 of the Curtain Call Podcast. Curtain Call is the podcast that takes you deep behind the scenes of the theater world, bringing you in-depth conversations with the storymakers that are shaping the future of theater today. We pull back the curtain to reveal the stories behind the stories and give you a glimpse into the backstage world like no other podcast does. And today, we have both a returning guest and a returning show, although not exactly what you think or expect. Listeners of this podcast will remember Jonathan Andrew Hume from the original London cast of the Olivier Award-winning best musical, Come From Away, as one of the Kevins. He was brilliant in that show.

He was great, so funny. And when I was offered a chance to speak to the cast, the incoming cast of the revival of Guys & Dolls at The Bridge Theater, I jumped at the chance and asked if I could speak to Jonathan. He's just, he's just one of the loveliest guys in the business, pun intended. Now, if you haven't seen Guys & Dolls at some point in your life, then something in the universe is misfiring. It's as ubiquitous a show as kind of like Panto is at Christmastime. There's always a production at some point in some high school near you, or an amateur theater or a professional theater. It's guaranteed. Listen, in fact, here's a little, here's a little tidbit of information. Tom Cruise was injured in his high school and he couldn't wrestle a year, so he auditioned for Guys & Dolls and won the role of Nathan Detroit and thus began his acting career.

But Mr. Cruise's production and every other production thereafter I know cannot hold a candle to the energy, the musicality, the just plain theaterness of Nick Heitner's current production at The Bridge. It is truly immersive. It's in the round, has lifts on the floor that are elevating the playing spaces and in the middle of the audience who are on the floor as well. Those of us who chose to stand for two hours and 50 minutes, you know, it sounds like a long time, but let me tell you something. It flies by because you're constantly moving around. Listen, you don't like the view? Move. No one's going to stop you. Don't worry. There are plenty of ushers and saying that they're like team members.

They're team members who are, you know, actually taking part in the show as well. They're there to keep you safe. So I just have to say this, a special shout out to Luke, who I spoke to in the interval about how much fun it was for that team to be doing what they're doing during the show. They love it. Luke's great and has a fantastic American accent. It was crazy. I thought he was American and I'm telling you, he has a better American accent than a lot of people I've seen on stage, but not in this production. Everybody's American accent in this production was spot on. Now, it is truly hard to describe how wonderful it was to witness the show on the floor of the Bridge Theater. You just have to, you have to go there.

You have to watch Jonathan sing. Sit down. You're rocking the boat is nicely, nicely Johnson. Man, that was a big bucket list item ticked off. Jonathan is so good in this role and I'm going to go back and watch him again and maybe again and then maybe again. I sat down with Jonathan in the foyer of the bridge just before a show to talk about his journey from Come From Away to The Bright Lights of New York City and Mindy's, the Hotbox Cafe and Sarah Brown's local mission. It's quite a journey, but it was so much fun catching up with Jonathan. So have a listen.

[3:23] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Hi. It's been a minute. I know. It has been a minute. Same podcast, different show. Same podcast, different show and returning guests. I mean, I love returning guests. So can you, can you let me know? It's like I said, it's been a minute. What's your journey been like to, to, to Guys and Dolls? So I had left Come From Away and I did a lovely little musical down at the Chocolate Factory called The Third Man, which was directed by Trevor Nunn, which was absolutely amazing. A great experience to do it. It's one of those things where I've ticked off something on the bucket list to work with Trevor. So that was really, really great. And then towards the end of that run, the auditions came for Guys and Dolls.

Now, funnily enough, it was the third time I had been asked to audition for Guys and Dolls. So I was originally asked to audition for the original cast for a different role to what I'm playing now. Didn't get that. Absolutely fine. Don't get everything. Tell me about it. Exactly. And then as the show was in rehearsals, one of the cast members had a health issue and had to back out. So they were looking for somebody to replace that. Didn't get that one. It was a different role again. Absolutely fine. Don't get everything. It allowed me to go and do the thing. The Third Man. And then it came up again and Charlotte, who's the casting director, was like, we want to see you and we're just trying to fit you in this mould.

So I kind of went in kind of going, okay, so what are we doing today? Who are we playing today? And then they called me in for the third time for Nicely Nicely Johnson. And I just, I think there was something about that character which kind of sat a little bit more comfortable in myself. He's a nice guy. And he's fun. He's full of energy and funny and laughs. I mean, because in Come From Away, you had those wonderful funny moments as you cast. I mean, they were great. So when I saw he's nice and nice, I saw that fit just for me. And only knowing you as little as I do, but going, oh, that's a great shout. Yeah. I was really, really grateful that I was actually considered for the show in itself and they were trying to find something for me.

And that's really, really great to know. And as we were working through the material, I hadn't seen the production of The Bridge. I'd seen the movie. I'd seen other productions and the iconic song, Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat. So I have my idea of what that is. So I went into the audition and I started singing the song. People all said, sit down. As I put the hands up, I was like, sorry, sorry, sorry. Can we stop? We just need it a little bit slower. I was like, slower? That's very strange. So started singing it a bit slower. I was like, okay, now just put a little bit of like a gospel kind of, put yourself into this song. So I did a little bit more. Still a little bit musical theatre in it.

And then Tom, musical supervisor, said, you know what? Just have fun with it. Which is something that I'm never, ever, ever used to. I don't know, you know, in the musical. Especially as an audition. Like, don't, you know, put all that stuff to bed. Exactly. So I put in a couple of things. I said, more. Okay. So it was really, really great to actually explore that character and to also find the joy of him come out of myself and really put my stamp on it. And then I got the gig, thankfully. And I went to see the show and I saw the lovely Cedric Neill in it. And my mouth was on the floor. And I'm not going to lie, there was a little part of me that said, did they really want me to play this role?

Because Cedric was amazing. Absolutely brilliant at the role. And what was really great about the rehearsal process is they didn't want a carbon copy. They wanted to, my stamp on the character. Which is what kind of feel like I've done. And it's been really great to have that journey.

[7:31] Jon Schwab: I think that's a great, everyone, as actors, we come in and we want to personalise or bring something of us. But it also, what that does, it gives the opportunity for someone who adores the show to see a new take and a new show. With the same bones, but just with a different physical appearance or physicality or whatever. I think that's great. I love that story. I love that story. It's amazing. Three's a magic number, Jonathan, isn't it? And so you're coming into a show that is, is it completely recast or there's some people staying?

[8:08] Jonathan Andrew Hume: The majority of people have been recast. It's a year on. And people had their journey with the show and they're going off to do other things as it happens in the industry, which is beautiful about this industry is you can just go, I'm done, let's do something different. And it allows other people to come in as you said. You don't have to get killed off as in a soap.

[8:37] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Do you approach it any differently as an actor, or are there any different steps, as it were, to doing something as originating a role as you did with Come From Away?

[13:07] Jonathan Andrew Hume: What would you like audiences who come to this unique experience of a musical?

[13:27] Jonathan Andrew Hume: The Forbidden Broadway version of this is, I'm sure I've seen the show before in some old high school gym on someone's basement floor, because this is a show that's been done many, many, many, many times.

[13:39] Jonathan Andrew Hume: What would you like audiences who are maybe thinking, should I go see this, or in fact they do, what would you like them to get out of this? What would you like them to take away or look forward to?

[13:52] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Firstly, I'd like audiences to throw away all their preconceptions of this show. This is a version of Guys and Dolls which has never been done before. It far surpasses your imagination.

[14:05] Jonathan Andrew Hume: You are transported into the world of 1950s Broadway, and you are in amongst the action. The feeling that you get as you walk away from this theatre is just absolute joy.

[14:27] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Do you want me to pause?

[14:29] Jonathan Andrew Hume: No, no, I love it. We're front of house. This is how it works. This is all good.

[14:35] Jonathan Andrew Hume: As I said, you are immersed in it, so you get to see all of the bright lights of Broadway. You see the set being taken on and taken off. The crew and the hosts are as much part of the company as the cast are. So much so, they get their own bow at the end of the show.

[14:54] Jonathan Andrew Hume: That's one of the things, when I watched it, I just saw the choreography from the stage crew and from the hosts was just beautifully directed as well. They aren't taking away your attention, but at the same time, they're not unseen. It's just another layer of art that most people don't get to see.

[15:18] Jonathan Andrew Hume: That is amazing. I can't wait. I think by the time this goes out, I will have already seen it. I think it's going out nicely. I have to have a little addendum to this, but thank you so much. It's been brilliant catching up and so good to see you again. I just think you are so much fun to watch on stage. I cannot wait to see you nicely.

[15:40] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Thank you.

[15:42] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Thank you, thank you.

[15:44] Jonathan Andrew Hume: All the best with Breaklegs.

[15:47] Jonathan Andrew Hume: And I'll see you on the next episode.

[15:49] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Next show!

[16:16] Jonathan Andrew Hume: I don't think I've smiled so much in an audience for years and years.

[16:47] Jonathan Andrew Hume: They were incredible. Incredible. Go see it.

[16:49] Jonathan Andrew Hume: I'll put ways to get tickets and my social contacts in the show notes.

[16:55] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Once again, thank you to Shure Microphones for being our equipment sponsor.

[16:59] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Recording this on a little Shure microphone today.

[17:01] Jonathan Andrew Hume: And lastly, thank you guys for listening.

[17:03] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Speak soon. Stay safe.

[17:05] Jonathan Andrew Hume: Bye.