by Matt Smith . . .
Another week, another set of responses! Having last week been unwaveringly open and honest about both their current state of being and their feelings for the future, our panel now returns to the lighter side, declaring the dream Broadway partner they’d like to have in lockdown. Who’s poised for a practically perfect experience with Broadway’s most magical nanny? Who’d make mischief with the Main Stem’s most ghoulish of ghosts? Who’d fall head over feet to quarantine with a certain Broadway matriarch? Scroll through our survey to see the complete cast of eclectic characters and more! And remember, at the end of the day, we’re not going anywhere. All your Broadway buddies — be they real-life all-star celebs or beloved onstage characters — will be back eventually. Because after all, once again, it’s #onlyintermission.
If you could quarantine with only one other Broadway performer, who would it be and why?
Christina Bianco (Funny Girl; Me, Myself and Everyone Else): Andrea Martin. Do I even have to explain myself? She’s ANDREA MARTIN! Maybe if I spend time with her, I’ll become more like her… which has been my life goal for as long as I can remember.
Todd Buonopane (The Play That Goes Wrong, #BathtubTheatre, #FridgeSongs): OK, this choosing just one thing is torture!!! Some of my closest friends are Broadway performers! They are all extraordinary humans and I would be happy to quarantine with any of them. So, here’s a bunch of their names: Jen Cody, Kirsten Wyatt, Julia Murney, Courtney Balan, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Michael Buchanan… I’ll stop the list there, but I could go on and on and on!
Kevin Chamberlin (Seussical, Disaster!, Wicked, Ratatouille): Roger Bart. He’s one of my best and oldest friends. We went to Rutgers together, and we talk almost every day.
LaVon Fisher-Wilson (Chicago, Newsies, SuperYou): Kara Lindsay. I shared a dressing room with her in Newsies for two years, and she was pure joy to be around! And now that we both have babies, it would be a never-ending playdate. Plus, when the kids would go to sleep, we’d have mommy wine time! Win, win!!!!
Kelsey Fowler (Grey Gardens, Mary Poppins, Bonnie & Clyde): Laura Osnes. It would be the sweetest, most fun, most delicious time – she’s an awesome baker!
Jenn Gambatese (Mrs. Doubtfire): If it’s someone I know, Shoshana Bean because #besties and our dogs are siblings. If it’s someone I don’t know, then a legend like Angela Lansbury, so I could soak in all her life stories and wisdom!
Michael James Leslie (The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, Barrow Street Sweeney Todd): Elizabeth Stanley of Jagged Little Pill. Her performance took my breath away.
Bobbi MacKenzie (School of Rock: The Musical): Mara Davi, because I love her! Her voice is truly one-of-a-kind and it’d be great to hear her sing in person. I would also want to listen to her stories about her experiences of being on Broadway. That would be really cool.
Michael J. Moritz, Jr. (Hadestown, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, On the Town): I feel like I’ve been quarantining with so many already! But probably Norbert Leo Butz. He and I would get along well in confined spaces for long amounts of time.
Graham Montgomery (Kinky Boots, The King and I National Tour): My best friend, Amaya Braganza, who was in Annie and The King and I on Broadway. She and I have a very special bond and I feel that we could get through it together.
Donna Vivino (Les Misérables, Wicked, Cats): My friend Tiffany Haas because we are both moms and we both laugh constantly together. She gets me. Yin and Yang.
Cori Wilson (School of Rock: The Musical): It would 100% have to be one of my “not-so-young-anymore” School of Rock castmates. Through working together, we developed a tight-knit family. They’re all so fun to be around that I think getting to quarantine with any one of them would make it all a little more bearable.
If you could quarantine with only one other Broadway character, who would it be and why?
Christina Bianco: I feel like The Baker’s Wife would be perfect. She’s tough, smart, sarcastic, and already knows how to make sourdough from scratch.
Todd Buonopane: Another tough one, but I LOVE this question. First, let me point out that I’m only considering female characters for some reason. Maybe if I was smart I’d choose a straight-up hottie like Chris from Miss Saigon or Flick from Violet, but no, I need some strong feminine energy. I’m gonna go with Auntie Mame! She’d be able to make every day fun, she has extravagant taste… and we can duet with “Bosom Buddies.”
Kevin Chamberlin: Beetlejuice. He’s wild and entertaining. Especially if it’s Alex.
LaVon Fisher-Wilson: I second Beetlejuice! Because he would be constantly causing a mess and [be] hilariously entertaining! All of which I would be here for!
Kelsey Fowler: Mary Poppins – anything can happen, right?!
Jenn Gambatese: Euphegenia Doubtfire, of course!!! She’s warm and funny, she cooks and cleans, and she gives the best hugs!
Michael James Leslie: Effie White of Dreamgirls. I would want to see if I could understand how she made her emotions into a tornado.
Bobbi MacKenzie: I would most definitely quarantine with Velma Kelly, I feel like she could teach me how to be effortlessly cool, you know? She would be an interesting friend, but a good one. Also, I want to learn how to dance like that!
Michael J. Moritz, Jr.: Peter Pan. Perhaps I could learn to fly!
Graham Montgomery: The Witch from Into the Woods. I could send her to put a spell on anyone who didn’t wear a mask!
Donna Vivino: I dunno. I guess an adult character that would give me kisses and hugs, sooooo any lead romantic that isn’t a total stereotype.
Cori Wilson: Michael Mell from Be More Chill. Retro video games and discontinued snacks all day every day sounds like a dream!
