Urbanite
BROADWAY’S MUST WATCH By Kristen Oliveri
PARAMOUR: AN ACTOR’S GROUNDBREAKING ROLE
WAITRESS: EQUAL PARTS TALENT & LOVE
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essie Mueller has become a Broadway darling, in part due to her stunning portrayal as Carole King in Beautiful and also in (equal) part by her fearlessness of taking on complex characters. The transition from Beautiful to Waitress was easy for her as the actress gave herself a break in between to recharge her mind and her body; before eventually jumping into this new dynamic, head first. “I fell in love with Waitress while I was still doing Beautiful. The transition felt natural,” she said. “I was able to close a really wonderful chapter and begin a new one that I really felt passionate about.” Cirque du Soleil - Paramour. Photo by Richard Termine
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he unique role of AJ Golden in Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour represented a part like no other, that the lead Jeremy Kushnier had ever undertaken. This groundbreaking show is the first for Cirque du Soleil in which it marries Broadwaystyle plot lines, love songs and dance numbers with their own bailiwick of stunning acrobatics. “Any time you get to be involved in a brand new Broadway show is amazing,” began Kushnier, “but getting to work on Cirque du Soleil’s first ever Broadway musical has been beyond exciting!” Kushnier has spent about 20 years as a New York actor and through his myriad of experiences, he’s come to a realization: that any career in the arts is non-linear. “I have been fortunate to work with tremendous artists throughout the course of my career and our show is no different in that regard. From our leads Ruby Lewis
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and Ryan Vona, to our dancers, to our amazing acrobats and circus performers---we have a stellar group that I am proud to be a part of.” As for what attracted him to the role of Golden, a film producer in Hollywood’s Golden Age who seeks to control the object of his affection, it was all about those challenges that drew Kushnier to the character. “For the role of AJ, and I think the show as a whole, it is about finding a way to live honestly in this heightened environment. In a musical it’s one thing to try and find your reality when you break into song, but for this show there’s the acrobatic and cirque specific moments that you also have to wrestle with a little as an actor,” he explained. “But I truly believe when we as a company meet on that stage at the Lyric Theater, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re finding our specific reality as a company in this world that we create every night at Paramour.”
love, hope, forgiveness and redemption. “Jenna is such a beautiful embodiment of someone who is hopeless finding hope, and in the most unexpected places. I think that’s what reaches people. She (and all the characters) are so relatable. When people are moved, that feels rewarding to me. A message of love is necessary in this world. And it’s a critical and crucial time for it,” said Mueller.
But not only did the message drive Mueller, but also the opportunity to collaborate with singer/songwriter/ lyricist Sara Bareilles. Mueller said she is drawn to her undeniable talent and her warmth as a human being. She was drawn to this role because “People love her music,” began Muof the show’s underlying message of eller. “It gets into their souls.”
Drew Gehling (Dr. Pomatter) and Jessie Mueller (Jenna) in Waitress. Photo by Joan Marcus 2016
Clockwise from left: Jeremy Morse, Molly Hager, Jessie Mueller (Jenna), Aisha Jackson, and Stephanie Torns in Waitress. Photo by Joan Marcus 2016