Bryan joined the company only recently, but he feels very much at home in the Minskoff Theatre. That's because he's understudied Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard, and played the Pharoah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the same theater. To call him enthusiastic would really be an understatement. As a matter of fact, he just beams when you talk to him. He's so grateful for the opportunity to play Percy and has nothing but wonderful things to say about the experience. Even when he was talking about performing while sick or injured, he was so thrilled to have the opportunity that he didn't seem to mind at all.

NR: I understand you're from New Orleans?

BB: Mm hmm. Born and raised.

NR: Can you tell me a little bit about growing up there?

BB: I go back there as often as I can. I have a lot of my family there and I became an uncle not too long ago - twice. I have two little nieces down there so now there's even double reason to go down.

Hmmm, what's it like growing up there? Unfortunately, there wasn't a great theater community. There is a small theater community but New Orleans has such a great free entertainment thing. They have Mardi Gras, they have jazz. It's just such a very unique, special city. It has its own kind of food, its own kind of music, its own kind of way of life, its own architecture. It's very laissez-faire, very fun. Everything's about a good time. But I remember seeing my first touring show that came to New Orleans and I thought, "This is what I want to do."

NR: When did you come to New York?

BB: I moved up right after college. I wanted to leave right away. The minute I wanted to become an actor seriously was in college and I wanted to drop out of college right then. My father was not well at the time. The reason I went to college in New Orleans is that my father was sick and we made a deal. He said that if I stuck it out he would help me my first year, which was very nice. He died right when I graduated so I was glad that I stayed and we had that time. He was ill for a long time. The last four or five years of his life, they found an experimental drug that kept him alive. He was practically bedridden and my mother never gave up. After this drug he was going out to dinner with my mom and we were going places. He was having a life.

NR: When you came to New York, were you looking for musicals, or just acting in general?

BB: I wanted to be in SHOW BUSINESS!

NR: (laughing) Oh, OK. New York show business, not California show business?

BB: You know, it's funny. All my college professors were saying, "Bryan, go to L.A. Go to L.A." I always had it in my head you do stage, you learn your craft on stage, and then... I guess because you would hear all the stories of all the biggies that were in theater in New York and then went out to California.

I had gone to New York with my mother when I was in high school, and the first time I came here I thought, "This is where I want to live." I HAD to be here. One of my first shows that I saw was Gilda Radner Live from New York at the Winter Garden Theater. I'll just never forget sitting there with my mother and my grandmother at the time. I was in high school. I think I was a freshman or a sophomore, and she came out. My grandmother was a very old Southern lady and she had gloves on when she went to the theater. This was the late `70s. I remember the first thing Gilda Radner sang was this song called "Let's Talk Dirty to the Animals" in which she sang every four-letter word. We were in one of the boxes at the Winter Garden Theater. I thought my grandmother and my mother would stand up and walk out. I looked over at them and they were clutching each other laughing so hard. Tears were running down their faces. It was great. They were very supportive, very supportive.

When I first moved up it was very hard because I had to relearn. What you do in college, especially when you train so far away from the real theater community, where you're really auditioning for jobs... you audition for shows in college, but how many parts in the plays are you doing that you're right for, that you really are going to be cast in? So, you move up, fresh out of college, and the things you're going to be seen for are the young kids on the soaps, the teens and the troubled young people. Right then was when all of the "Brat Pack" thing was going on. That's what I was seen for. I don't know how it happened, but I started doing musicals. I could sing and I could dance a little so I started auditioning for musicals.

NR: You created the part of Darius (in Jeffrey) on stage and then in the film...

BB: Yes. It was really funny because I was doing Cats at the time. My agent, Bill Timms, who's the greatest - it was because of him that I got this part. The other agents were out. The script came across his desk and he said, "I don't know why Bryan, but I think you ought to read this." So, I did and I went in. In fact I said, "I'm not right for this. It's this flighty chorus boy. They're going to want a pretty little blond boy and I'm a big burly brunet guy. I don't fit." But, there's some sensibility in me. Paul Rudnick said there was this innocent thing in me. It was in me somewhere and it's still there. I'm trusting of people. I want to believe the best, and I think that's part of Darius. I read the script. I went in and it went great. At my call back, Paul Rudnick said, "Are you really in Cats?" And I said, "Yeah, now and forever." Originally, the part was a dancer in Grand Hotel but when I said that and he saw that I was in Cats, he started rewriting. That's what he told me. He knew that it was going to be me and he started rewriting so then the character was in Cats. The play was wonderful. There was a great cast - Harriet Harris and Edward Hibbert. They moved us out to L.A. and we did the play out there. Everyone was telling me, "You're going to get a sitcom just like that" which I would love. But then, everyone else stayed and I came back to New York for something. I got another Broadway show so I just stayed here. I did Joseph at this very theater.

NR: What was the difference between doing the same character on stage vs. on film?

BB: It was very bizarre. I had done the play for almost a year, and there becomes a rhythm with the laughs and you know how to set it up for the audience. Especially Paul's writing, it's very clear. You know when they're laughing, how to get to that point. It's very clever, and brilliant - he's brilliant. With the movie, it was the first film I had ever done, and the director Chris Ashley, who also directed the play, said, "Bryan, just remember that there's no audience. Don't look at the camera. Just be the character. AND, match Patrick Stewart's level."

NR: (laughing) Gee, no pressure there.

BB: (laughing) That's right. I was thinking, "That's not going to be so easy." But Patrick was so gracious, and so giving, and so wonderful, because he had seen the play in L.A. and he was hoping they were going to cast me. But, that's basically what happened. I had the luxury of doing the part for a year so it was in my body. It's just like when you watch Douglas (Sills) on the stage. He's so brilliant but he's done Percy for over a year, so whatever he does, it's Percy. I'm still thinking, "Oh, gosh, the last time I was on, I didn't have this foot in the right place, and I was too far over this way." Just last week, after I went on a couple of more times I was able to relax more through it.

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.

NR: So, now that you stepped in for Douglas, people who are "die-hard Douglas fans" think you're doing a terrific job.

BB: Really? That's so nice.

NR: How does that feel?

BB: Well, it really makes me feel good. It really does, because everybody's interpretation is different, but there are certain things...I've seen actors that take over for someone's role or standby and they will change things that the actors do just to change them. "Because he does it that way, I'm going to do it this way."

NR: What did Bobby tell you? Did he tell you to imitate Douglas?

BB: Never. No. He told me to come up with my own. But there are certain things that Doug does and I would sit at home and try to come up with different ideas, but you know what? That's how that works. That is how that clearly works and I'm sure he has tried every other way to do it and this is what everyone came to. There are certain line readings that I do differently, and certain pronunciations. I play with some of the words differently than Doug does. Basically, the show is the show. He did not say copy Doug at all. I wouldn't. I think it would be insulting to me and insulting to Doug. I don't think any director who's as good as Bobby would say something like that.

NR: When you came in, you were sick, and you had to fill in for him. And then I think you hurt your wrist?

BB: Oh, the wrist was hurt awhile ago. It was just a freak thing doing the sword fight.

NR: Isn't that difficult to do when you're hurt or not feeling well?

BB: I'm all cut up. The ring cuts me. The sword cut me here. I cut myself with my fingernail taking off my nose last night. The blood was going and Rex said, "Did I get you?" I said, "No, you didn't get me." He's a great guy too. Everyone's been so nice. I have to say this company is one of the nicest, most giving, warm companies that I've ever had the pleasure to be a part of, very supportive.

NR: Did you know anything about the League before you got here?

BB: I had no idea. I heard about the Pimpys.

NR: Well, the cast calls us the Pimpys but we prefer The League. "Pimpys" sounds so awful.

BB: Well, first I heard about the Jekkies.

NR: That's a different group.

BB: Then I heard about the Pimpys, and I said, "What's next, the Civvies?" They should start off at the Gypsy competition with (singing to the tune of "The Farmer and the Cowman") "Oh, the Pimpys and the Jekkies should be friends. Pimpys go to Jekkies's show..."

NR: (laughing) That would be terrific! They should do that.

BB: That would be fun.

NR: Anyway, what has your experience been?

BB: Everyone's been so lovely. It is so nice. How great that this show has these people that support it and support the people that are in the show. It's great. That's never really happened before. We had crazy people with Sunset. There were people waiting for Glenn (Close) and Betty (Buckley) when I was on and some of it wasn't as positive. This is such a good show and it has such a great message. I think it speaks to people on so many different levels. I think that's what makes people... it's impassioning. That's one thing I've tried to bring to the part too like Douglas does. It's nothing but passion. That's what sends him - his love for her, the disgust of what's going on in France, when you stand up to the plate and you're shivering in your boots.

NR: What do you wish you had more time for in your life?

BB: (laughing) Oh, God, I should say something really glib, like shopping. (seriously) Right now, the first thing that came into my head? I wish that I had more time to be with my nieces. I wish I had more time to be with my family. Being so far away from them, I miss it. When my brother says, "She said whatever today." They call me and she says it over the phone. It's on the machine and my heart breaks. She calls me B. Her name's Bailey so I call her B and she calls me B.

NR: What's ahead for the future?

BB: Oh, God, I don't know. I had an audition for another show today, but who knows? I've read in different places that the tour is coming up. I've read that it's not coming up. I've read that we're moving, and I've read that we're not moving. So, who knows what's coming?

NR: As far as I understand, they are moving.

BB: It is moving? Great.

NR: They're supposed to reopen in September. Would you be interested if they offered it to you?

BB: I would LOVE to move with the show. That would be my dream, because I don't think Doug is going to want to do it.

NR: No, he's not. He's leaving May 30th.

BB: If they can't find a STAR, because I know they've wanted a star, but I would LOVE to move with the show.

NR: That's great. Good luck. Thank you.

BB: Thank YOU.

Bryan has been such a delightful addition to the company. He's so warm and friendly, and the cast speaks very highly of him. He is a wonderful Percy and I hope he is considered for the role in the future. He certainly has my vote!

Questions suggested by:

Cat Biddle, Cuccrob, Georgina, Renee Girard, Jenny Lyon, Ems, Susan Luchey, Chelle, Andrew Reith, Kelly Honig, Lois Colpo