NR: I know you've done all these Broadway shows, but Forbidden Broadway is the one I received the most questions about. Everybody is so interested.

BB: Really? That's so wild.

NR: To me, Forbidden Broadway seems harder than a Broadway role, because there are so many characters and it's so frantic.

BB: That is so true. I had a great time working with Gerard Alessandrini and Phil George and the cast. Gerard's brilliant. Gerard comes in with what he's written, all his lyrics, and then we all kind of cut and paste and help. He has what he wants. He writes it. It is the most bizarre process I've ever been a part of.

NR: It has to be. What do you do, 30 characters in a night?

BB: At least. I have at least 17 wigs...so many costume changes. It's a bizarre process. Then you get all these previews where your things are cut, rearranged and every night is a different order until it's set. The dresser has to come in and put your costumes in order on a chair and your wigs are in order, because you just have time to run off. You have to look at the order to know what's next. It's a great training ground. I never thought I could do it. I remember seeing it and thinking I could never do it. I did a show for John Zndarsick who does a lot of these great fund-raising...a lot of readings. I did a play for him out of town. He's friends with Gerard and he said, "You have GOT to see Bryan." Gerard said, "Well, I know he's a good actor but I didn't think he was funny." So, I went in and they cast me, and the reviews for ...Strikes Back were great. Then we did this recent one, Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up its Act, which is really funny. You should get the CD. I haven't heard it yet but everybody said it came out great. The reviews were fantastic. Unfortunately, I did have to leave because when they offered me this position here I just had to. It was going on a year and a half I had done Forbidden Broadway during a two year period. People were starting to identify me with just doing that and I've been an actor doing other things before that. Not that there's anything wrong with it. It's great and it's great training. Talk about flying by the seat of your pants, and thinking on your feet, and coming up with clever stuff. I learned that when Forbidden Broadway's great, it's great. I think the main thing with it is the actors approaching everything from an acting standpoint, not just parody or making fun of it. You have to think about the character and then put that layer of humor on it. You can't parody a parody. If the lyrics are funny...like in "The Creation of Man" in the show, it is funny enough that we are wearing those ridiculous costumes. If we start making silly faces on top of that, it would take away from it.

Bobby (Longbottom) is wonderful. We just had a great rehearsal today. It was the put-in for David Masenheimer. Bobby's wonderful. He comes to all the put-ins. He was there for almost every one of my rehearsals. He's so intelligent, and unlike a lot of directors, he gives you specific, specific, specific ideas and what he's thinking and what he thinks Percy would be thinking, and what's going on. If you have any questions he gives you a clear precise answer and that is so...as an actor, it is just manna from heaven.

NR: Let's talk about that. I saw you, and I think it was your fifth time. I know this show and you were letter perfect. Maybe there were a few trivial problems, but they were very minor. I was so impressed.

BB: Well, thank you. Thank you very much.

NR: Was Forbidden Broadway that good of a training ground? Did you just have so much rehearsal? How were you able to do that? This is a huge part and it's very demanding.

BB: It is a huge part and it's all on his back. A lot of the show is on his back. Not taking anything away from Rachel (York) and Rex (Smith) because they are brilliant, they are fantastic. But, if Percy is lacking, in my opinion, the audience suffers. I was doing Forbidden Broadway at night and rehearsing eight hours a day for almost two and a half weeks and I was about to drop. It was ten o'clock to one o'clock sword fighting, then I had to come in and do staging. I remember that one scene had not been blocked until the day before my put-in. I knew the lines but I'm one of these actors that has to physicalize. If there is specific blocking with lines I like to have that from the get-go when I start to memorize.

NR: Had you seen the show before?

BB: Yes. I had not seen the new version until the day before I auditioned.

NR: It's very different.

BB: Very different.

NR: Were you surprised at how different it was?

BB: Quite. I hate to be catty and take things away from the original, but I think the new version has more focus and tells the story clearer. As an audience member, I think you appreciate that.

NR: Now, you were stepping into a role that is so closely linked with Douglas Sills, and he's gotten unbelievable reviews. How intimidating was that?

BB: You know what? It wasn't intimidating because I love the part. First of all, besides being brilliantly talented, Doug is a great guy. He is a nice, nice person. Had I walked into the dressing room and had he been aloof, it would have made me a little... personally, I would have been set back and a little bit nervous. But he was so nice. He sent me flowers and that is just "class." He was just so welcoming. You know, I've done Joe Gillis here (in Sunset Boulevard). I understudied and went on for him a lot. I know what it's like to have a big part in a big show. There's no time for fear in this business. Only maybe for a fleeting second, but then you have to get over that. There's really no time for it. I love theater so much and the last show I was in on Broadway was here - Sunset Boulevard. I hadn't been in a Broadway show in three years and I missed it desperately.

Interview conducted and photographs by Nancy Rosati.