Nobody Else Will Do

the interview

"...I come from upstate New York, near Buffalo. I can't remember the name of the town, I blocked it out.  Born March 15th, 1950." 

((((Greetings)))))

Friends,

Lovers

 &

Others...  

Baayork asked me to create my own column while she's away being fabulous all over the globe.

So...

I thought it would be a good idea to start each

"intunstallment"

with a "ONE on ONE" (pun intended) interview. ONE that features an A Chorus Line family member and all they Wish2Dish. 

I'll start with the original Broadway company and then head on down the    

__L_i_n_e__.

Well...

Who better to start things off

than Two-time Tony Award Winner,

Broadway's  Original "Bobby" in  A Chorus Line. 

My hero in life and constant source of inspiration...

  Mr. Thommie Walsh!!

   > Applause >*< Applause >*< Applause >*<

Which,

by the way, was the musical (Applause)

Thommie was doing on the road when he got the calling to be an apostle... on film anyway. Upon returning to New York City…director / choreographer Ron Field asked if he wanted to do the Ed Sullivan Show…(Renee Baughman ended up being his dance partner in rehearsals!) 

One

day, he received a mysterious phone call from someone claiming to be Michael Bennett.  (Thommie's response: "You're not Michael Bennett....Who is this???" 

- But it really was Michael Bennett ....calling to offer Thommie his first Broadway show by the name of....?

Anyone...

Anyone??

"Seesaw!"  - correct!!

((And))

Which famous A Chorus Line director told Michael Bennett to make that particular phone call to Thommie?

I'll give you a clue:

It's the same person who told Thommie "You're too young to be so jaded" - in a desert during the filming of a movie about a certain superstar.

Give up?

Baayork Lee!

I'll have to make these questions a little harder next time, I see...

But before I do that ~

Let's set the scene>*<for an interviewer's ((Dream))

It's a Winter brisk Sunny Saturday - early March.

Thommie (TWIII) and Robert (RT1st)

are meeting to create the first

intunstallment

of

{{Suddenly}}

"Nobody Else Will Do"

(the interviews)

Before the actual meeting took place, Robert (RT1st) has asked Thommie (TWIII) to choose the locale. 

One

that holds a special meaning to him and A Chorus Line.

Shubert Alley- Noon o'Clock.

Robert turns the corner and catches a glimpse of a young man - present day - staring at the Shubert stage door ~ 1975.

RT1st:  (approaching from behind...then hanging off a randomly placed lamppost) "The Star of A Chorus Line."

TWIII: "You scared me....." (deadpan)

RT1st: "I'm sorry...(they smile).This was an excellent choice for meeting, by the way. Where would you like to go?"

TWIII:  "Well, you know this area better than I." 

RT1st:"Yeah right!"

      -"haha, he's joking" turns into "haha, he's not."

"Let's go inside."  (indicating the stagedoor with a >grin<)

TWIII:  I remember when this use to be a real alley, lined with posters on both sides. "Where do you want to go"?

RT1st: There's a decadent diner around the block.  The Starstruck...or Stage struck.

TWIII:  Oh Jesus....Jesus!!...(overlapping above sentence)

RT1st:  Yes,  I 'm serious....that's the name I think.

TWIII:  Jesus!  did you see that yet?  (pointing to the Golden Theatre marquee.)

RT1st:  Ave. Q.? Yes...you gotta go see it! 

I think you'd really enjoy it.

-It's hilarious!

TWIII:  Full frontal puppet nudity....hmmm, I dunnOhhoh.

<*> Inside the Ever Glamorous Euro Diner <*>

RT1st:  So what do you think about the upcoming Broadway revival?

TWIII: I'm so glad it's going to happen...I really am....It's going to be great!  They're a year off the mark, which I think is a little strange...(31 years have past since the Original Broadway opening)... but I'm very glad it's going to be back on the boards!

It's high time that Michael Bennett is celebrated as others have been in the past…such as Fosse and Robbins…Michael did so much for the "Broadway Gypsy"…glorifying us in a sense, telling us that we could achieve just about everything…of course there were tricky days as well, you might have heard…

RT1s: Do you think it has to play the Shubert theatre?

TWIII:  No, not at all...It would be great if it did, but I don't think Spamalot is going anywhere anytime soon.

We were originally going to play the Winter Garden theatre. That's what Michael would always say when he was trying to lure us in to sign our lives away for one dollar. He'd say our faces (logo pose) would be plastered above the Winter Garden Theatre!!

I think one of the smaller, more intimate Broadway houses would be great for it...like the Broadhurst, perhaps.

RT1s:Yes, intimate is good... but I can't help thinking how Thrilling it would be to

turnturn

>Out <in>

the corner on

 44th st.

((and))

       >s(ee()<    

   The Shubert Theatre

   A

Chorus  

  Line      << All lit up again at the Shubert.

(Now that says New York to me.)

TWIII:   I remember down at The Public, we'd come out after the finale so quickly because there really was no hair and make-up to speak of - all ready for a drink- and our friends would still be in their seats... unable to move.... Completely stunned at what they had just experienced. I'd be like "Come ON...let's GO! ...I need a Cocktail!!!"  and they'd still be sitting there. This quickly lead us to believe that we were part of something very special.

RT1st:  Are you going to be involved creatively with the 2006 production?

TWIII:  Me? Ohhh no. I'd love to, but  ...

RT1st:   I think the original cast members should pick who plays their parts.

TWIII:  <gasping> Noooo....no they wouldn't do that...

RT1st:  Well, ...With the approval of Bob (Avian), Baayork, Marvin (Hamilish), and Mr. Bregilo, of course. I think that would be incredible! Not to mention the press it would get!!  They could do a whole reality show on it.

TWIII:  I hope they'll have us come in during rehearsals at some point and talk to the cast about our roles. But I don't think we'll be brought in before that.

RT1st:  Do you think they should stay true to the original?

TWIII: "Note for Note."

RT1st: I agree.  How long were you with the original production?

TWIII:  Two years...I was second only to Pricilla (Lopez) for not missing a show. I had been there about a year, before I missed one...And people were calling out all the time!  (Jesus!!) Towards the end of my second year I was "summoned" by Michael to meet him after a matinee at his eastside office. I arrived around 5:00pm...you know, "cocktail hour."  He was surrrounded by his suited "yes" men, who were all drinking and talking about the show and my performance…the drummer Bobby Thomas…critiquing my performance…I remember a huge elaborate painting in the office that had a bunch of monkeys on it, a jungle scene. Michael looked at me and said "We think it's time for you to leave the show, we need to put some new energy in there...it's time for you to go." I was shocked by his remarks, mostly because less than a month prior, he had come to see the Broadway company and afterwards told me how I was the best thing in the show, not a hard thing to be at the time…and they were so lucky to have me still in the production. So I turned to Michael,looked around the room at Bob Avian and Bobby Thomas and said,"I AM NOT ONE OF YOUR MONKEYS"…  "Do what you have to do!!! and left. The funny thing is…Michael never followed thru with firing me…the incident of course devastated me and my heart was never truly in the show after that…I stayed for another five months until my contract ran out and missed a lot of performances during that time.

RT1st:  I think it's awesome that you did the Bobby monologue at the Gala performance.

TWIII: Oh yes, that was incredible...thrilling beyond my imagination… James Kirkwood was so mad at me after the matinee for messing up the line  "To commit suicide in Buffalo is, redundant."   - I didn't put a pause before saying the word redundant. He was so angry with me. But we all had an incredible time. I mean come on...18 Cassie's, 22 Paul's...I was very fortunate to have that monologue to myself."

RT1st:  But you are the Original Bobby! Of course you had it to yourself!! Out of curiosity, how much of the monologue is really you?

TWIII: The story is pretty much true to my life and what I revealed at the tape sessions. My original monologue was at times shocking to audiences talking about setting things on fire and dismembering my sister's dolls…scary things like that…Michael loved those stories, but it had to be a little more audience friendly, paving the way to what was to follow…Neil Simon was also on board as an unofficial writer.

He wrote the "redundant" line I believe and several other gag lines but if Jimmy Kirkwood were here he would say something else.

RT1st: I remember you telling me the logo pose came from you being bored during rehearsals. You  crossed your arms while waiting for Michael to come up with the staging for the number "Sing". 

TWIII:  It's funny, I remember standing there like that....for hours.....DAYS....while they tried to make that number work - oy!  ((And))

While doing Whorehouse with Tune a couple years later I called Michael and said "sorry I was such an asshole during  rehearsals of A Chorus Line, being impatient, judging, giving (at times) so little back, pissed off, bored and plenty of nasty body language!!! All that I was now seeing come back to me in the from the current company of Whorehouse… He laughed and said, "thank you and welcome to the other side of the footlights…"

I have noticed when I'm out choreographing Jazz diamonds, directing or something of the like ...I'll look around the room and sense that bad energy is coming from the company....it really is annoying to me.... and counterproductive

Well, I guess what they say is true....

((karma)) will come back to you..."

RT1st:  I love what you said in the book "Conversations with Choreographers."  How you enjoy working in an environment where everyone is "for the show."  If the costumer has an idea about the sound, or the lighting guy has an idea about the score.  You'd listen to them and possibly put their idea into action. 

TWIII:  That's the way Michael worked.  A Chorus Line was a total collaboration.  There are sections of choreography that came from many of us…Theoni was inspired by what we wore each day…our experiences as young people coming to New York affected the dialogue...and so on...and on and on…Michael was a clever man…a terrific architect…Michael came from the school of "The best idea always won."

RT1st:  ((And))  Any advice for young aspiring performers who may be reading this interview?

TWIII:  Listen, listen, listen to everyone…read, read, read…class, class, class…participate in all fazes of production…be aware of what is around you at all times…surrender!!!  Open up your heart…be active…go for it…and remember..

Everything is possible!!!

RT1st: 

-Thank you Thommie for sharing your time and talents with this wonderful website and me.

You are the best! 

May your birthday be blessed with wonderful surprizes and an OverAbunDance of LOVE.

Thanks again for allowing me

            2interviewU.

      I am truly honored :)

           Love to ALL ,

       Rober>T<unstall

 
".. I'm sorry, but I can't worry about any of that now.  Because I plan to go on kicking these legs, for as long as I can...((And)) when I can't...I'll just do something else." (like be a fabulous, top of the LINE real estate agent!)

http://www.elliman.com/MainSite/Agents/Agent.aspx?BID=TJW