Mark is certainly a man who does his homework. He had studied my League bio before we met and began by quizzing me. He remembered what I do for a living, the name of my community theater group and even asked me my favorite role to play. My response was Lady Thiang in The King and I which is something that Mark mentioned later on in our interview. We met in between performances on a day when he was filling in for Rex Smith as Chauvelin.

NR: Where did you grow up?

MM: I grew up in Ohio. I was born in Cincinnati, raised in a little town called Mason, Ohio. Do you know where Kings Island is?

NR: Yes, I've been there. (Kings Island is a theme park outside of Cincinnati, Ohio.)

MM: OK. One of my first performing jobs was at Kings Island.

NR: When did you decide you wanted to become a performer, and why?

MM: I always knew I wanted to be a performer ever since I was a child. I was a ham as a kid. I used to sing television commercials. So I think I always had the propensity towards that. I think it's a typical story. At the local church the choir director heard me singing and said, "Would you like to join the choir?" so I was a boy soprano in the choir. I started doing community theater a little bit. My first community theater job was when I was 21, almost 22. I had not done any theater. That's what I mean by being a late bloomer.

I was a club singer. I sang in a lot of rock and roll bands. I sang top 40 music, all kinds of stuff. And then one of the guys who was directing a production of 1776 at our community theater in 1976, because it was the bicentennial, said, "You've got a nice voice. Would you like to audition for us?" So, I auditioned for the role of Rutledge and he really liked my voice and that's where I got "bit by the bug." So from then on I just started doing it.

NR: Is it what you hoped it would be?

MM: That's a good question. Is it what I hoped it would be?

NR: Well, you probably imagined a career like this. Is it what you expected?

MM: I think it's more in some ways. Much more than I could possibly have imagined. And, that's the only way I can put it. It's more than I could possibly have imagined. You have to live it to really get a chance to see what it's like. And, God, it's fun! I'm like a kid. When I get a chance to do this role (Chauvelin), the little kid inside of me goes "YAY!" Isn't that how you felt when you did Lady Thiang? Didn't you think, "Oh, I love this role." Like you couldn't wait to go back on and do it again?

NR: Absolutely.

MM: That's the way I am. If it's a role I love to do and if it's with great people (this talented cast) and it's with Doug and Rachel who look you right in the eye and play the scenes back and forth with you, you say in your mind, "I love this, I love it."

NR: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be a performer?

MM: Get a degree. I think that's important, especially if you go to a good school that gives you the professional training, that lets you know what to expect when you come to do professional theater so you don't have "pie in the sky" ideas. I think you have to be grounded in reality when you come here. And you've got to love what you do. You've got to love it, because you have to put up with a lot of stuff, and a lot of rejection, and a lot of not working before you finally get those jobs. I think a bona fide passion for your work has to be there. You have to love it, I think. And have fun doing it.

If I would give any advice it's to get a background job. Get a survival job. My wife and I word process. Before I got this job I was working at a help desk. You know, "Help desk, Mark speaking." Trouble shooting software. That's what I was doing but it pays the bills. Especially if you do something like computer work or something that pays well, you can maintain a decent lifestyle while you're still trying to pursue your craft.

NR: Peter Williams (aka Juggler), who runs the web-site, has a question for you. What is it like to stick your head in the guillotine and have the blade fall?

MM: It is a little creepy. But, again, it's fun. For me, it's fun because after having done it a couple times - you know that first - "OK, is this going to work?" - "OK, it works. Now let's have some fun." So, you know how I scream at the end? That's because I want someone to wet their pants out there (not literally). But, I want you to feel that chill -- I want you to jump!

NR:: I DID jump the first time.

MM: Yeah, I want you to. That's all part of the fun of the acting, you know? I want you to go, (screaming) "Oh, God!" as I actually stop my voice as if the blade has suddenly cut-off my scream.

NR: (laughing) I remember looking at my 9 year old son and thinking, "Should I have brought him to this?"

MM: And he probably loved it. He probably said, "Do it again."

NR: He did. (Note: As the story unfolded, all of my fears were put to rest. The Scarlet Pimpernel is certainly suitable for a 9 year old.)

Now, when you're Chauvelin and you see someone go through that, do you think differently? Does that seem strange watching that?

MM: You mean when I'm putting Doug up there? To me, again it's fun, it's powerful, because I'm playing this madman. At that moment I'm Chauvelin getting rid of someone that's been a thorn in my butt for such a long time and I've also saved my own life. The stakes are very high so when I go, "It is done. It is done." it's like, "God, thank you. I have saved my life. I have gotten rid of this thorn in my butt." To my own dismay, I still think I'm going to get her back. too. I even go over to her and go, "Are you ready to come home now?" In my sick way I think I'm going to get her back but of course I'm not going to get her back. But that's all the fun stuff to play.

NR: As an understudy, how much rehearsal time do you get?

MM: For me, especially early on, when I was understudying Terry, it was once a week, or every other week. They had 2 or 3 at the time I came in (Mark joined the cast in March, 1998). Then one guy left and it was just myself and Eric Bennyhoff so they would trade off so it was every other week really. If you were chosen to go on they might juggle that so you'd get a rehearsal if there's time to do that. But it's usually every other week.

NR: How much are you allowed to make that character your own and how much are you told to imitate the other person who's playing it?

MM: That's one of the great things that I've had. First of all, working with Steve Beckler, who's the production supervisor, and was the stage manager before Bonnie took over. When I first came in and they hired me to do this, I can't tell you the relief I felt when Steve said, "You don't have to be a Terry Mann clone. I want you to come with your ideas and bring what you can. Of course you have to work within the framework of the staging and you can't be so off that the other characters can't portray their characters in a bona fide way." So, with those parameters, knowing that I had the freedom to create moments for myself that didn't have to be like Terry's, I was...again, like a kid, "Yay, OK." And Steve was great to work with and he was almost as enthusiastic as I was about working on the scene work. He let me come up with some nice things. So I felt very grateful for that. I got a lot of freedom.

When I started working with Bobby Longbottom, he pretty much let me continue doing what I've been doing, what I established. He pointed out some things that he wanted me to do so I made adjustments for that.

NR: I was going to ask you about that. Now you have a different script, a different director and a different actor to understudy...

MM: Yeah, again my concern was "OK, now this is a different thing. How much is Bobby going to want me to change?" Because a lot of the things can still remain the same. A lot of the basic motivations are still the same. There are some slight differences in dialogue but not that much, some changes in scene. But Bobby let me...our first rehearsal he hardly said anything to me when I got finished with the scene. He went "OK, let's go on to the next one." Of course if he wanted to talk about something he'd stop and he'd say, "I want you to try this. I don't want you to do this. This doesn't read for me." So, I would say, "How about if I do this?" and he would say, "OK."

NR: Really? He was working with you separately? He wasn't saying, "Look what Rex is doing?"

MM: No. He has never said, "This is what Rex is doing."

NR: Does Eric do the same thing? He does this on his own?

MM: I believe so, yes. And there's also Tom Zemon who's going to be doing the second half of Rex's vacation. I've talked to him and apparently that's the way Bobby's been with him. He's been allowed to bring some of the things that he wants to bring to it. There are certain parameters that you've got to stay within. But, overall, there's freedom, but it's a stricter kind of freedom. Bobby Longbottom has a specific vision for this show and it's a lot stricter. I don't mean that in a negative sense either -- I mean it is a precise and clear vision. I'm sure Doug's told you. And I was telling Doug that, because he established so much of his own freedom within his portrayal of Percy Blakeney before Bobby came in with his more specific parameters, Doug (as Sir Percy) still looks free. If I was an audience member not knowing what I was seeing when I walked in, I wouldn't notice anything different with Doug's portrayal.

NR: To me, your Chauvelin seems to be halfway between Rex and Terry. Rex seems a little fiercer and Terry had that comedic aspect which you've kept a little of.

MM: Yes, I've tried because I want to bring those three dimensions. I want you to look at me and love to hate me. I want you to look at me when I sing "Where's the Girl" and I pick up the scarf...it's my trophy. I want you to know "This is mine, I'll be back." You know, I want to play that stuff, but then explode. I think Chauvelin is a manic character. He has been corrupted by the power that he's achieved. He has become one of the things that he hated but he doesn't know that. He's self-deluded. He is like a "Hitler figure." And he thinks that everything he's doing is for the right. That's the whole opening number. "Madame Guillotine" is "I am doing the right thing. I am cleansing. I am getting rid of the scum of the earth that oppressed me." And he takes a certain joy in that, but there's also a sadistic side of him. He loves to toy with people. He loves to toy with Marguerite. He loves to manipulate. It's all a power struggle. "You take power, I take it away from you."

NR: Someone asked if you're called upon to play Chauvelin on short notice, how do you mentally prepare if you've just played a character sentenced to death by him a few hours earlier? Especially if Rex gets sick and you have little warning. How do you mentally switch characters?

MM: Well, I've rehearsed the role a lot. And, there's so much more to doing a Chauvelin than doing a St. Cyr. Not to say that St. Cyr's nothing to do, but it is a lot easier to do than a Chauvelin. You know what I do? I go back to my homework. I go back to the homework that I did. If someone says, "OK, Mark, you're doing Chauvelin tonight" immediately my mind goes to "First scene - What was the homework that I did? What was the motivation?" I hate to sound "method" but " How does the first scene begin?" One of the best acting instructors told me, and I love what Doug said to you about "being" the character. You don't get on stage and try to show me anything. Get on stage and be the character. So, if you do your homework as an actor, and you've learned how to be the character, then by the time you step into that first scene, and you know why you've walked into it, and who you are as the character, the rest of the play happens to you. You should allow the rest of the play to happen to you, and trust the homework that you've done. For the most part it does. You have to concentrate, sure. I had an acting instructor say to me, "You learn everything. You do all your homework and then when you get on stage, let it go. Forget it. Let it happen to you now and trust that the homework will come out of you."

NR: Have you heard any talk of a tour and would that interest you?

MM: Well, there are always rumors. And, yes, it would interest me.

NR: In your kind words to me on the Scarlet Pimpernel message board, you talked about Douglas being generous to cast members. Do you want to elaborate on that?

MM: Doug is so much that I admire. I've learned from him, and I've told him this. He has carried his stardom with such aplomb and grace and dignity. He cares so much about the people he's performing for and the people he's performing with. You can tell that he knows that you don't do it by yourself, no matter how good of an actor you are. You can tell that he knows he's not going to get on stage and pull off near the stuff he does unless he has everybody there with him. Because he is looking right at you. He's right there and he touches you and he brings you into his world and cares about the quality of his performing and what he's going to give that audience. Because he knows, and I agree with him, he knows they're paying $75, $80 a ticket. Do you want to see somebody that's going to halfway walk through something? There's a responsibility to it and he carries it with ... He's so totally aware of it. That's what he does in rehearsals. And besides the fact, he has fun. He has fun doing his work. And if you can't have fun doing your work, especially this kind of work, why do it? And he does. And he's busted his butt. I know he's been exhausted. God knows the interviews he's done, all in this period of time. I think he was aware of it when he started into it and took on the mantle and said, "OK, if this is what it's going to be for me to do this, I will take this on and I will see to it that I will spend time with people and I will appreciate them." And he does, he really does.

NR: I know you recently found the League. Were you surprised by the level of fan support?

MM: I was ecstatically surprised, wonderfully surprised about it. Because I had heard some talk about it before I came into the show. Then I saw Sal and Gayle Musselman and Amy and Kelly and some of the other people and I heard them talking about how they would go out ... and I was talking to Amy and Kelly about this too, and some of the other people, and I was talking to Doug about this too. We don't really know, and will never be able to measure, the influence all the Pimpys have had on our show continuing its life. I don't think you'll ever be able to measure it. When one person talks to another, and that person talks to two others and how that extrapolates, we'll never know. But look at the people that we're bringing in the house. Look at the standing ovations. Look at how much that has all turned around. You can't help but attribute some of that influence to the Pimpys who stood out at TKTS saying, "You're not sure about what show to go see? Go see Pimpernel. It's a great show."

NR: Well, we can't take credit for everyone that's out there. The commercial had a lot to do with it. And the standing ovation is all of YOU. That's not us. We're not forcing anybody to stand.

MM: Again, that's part of the producers "going to town," stage management and everybody doing their jobs, everybody working as a team, and you've got Doug, who's the star, who, like I said, carries it with such energy and aplomb and it just bleeds down into all of us. Because he is who he is, I can't help but say he brings the best out in us. Because he expects the best out of himself, he brings the best out of us. And then the audience reaps the rewards and gives it right back to us with their appreciation. Hey, it's also helped me keep working. You guys have helped me keep a job. Thank you, I appreciate that.

NR: You're welcome. Thank YOU. Do you have a dream role that you haven't played yet?

MM: Sweeney Todd. I have not played Sweeney Todd and I would love to play Sweeney Todd before I'm 50. I'm 45.

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

MM: Spending time with family. More time to visit with family and be with my family. For example, my wife's on the west coast and I'm here. We're doing a bi-coastal thing. I've got family that's spread out. For example if you get Christmas off, I may spend it with her family, so I can't spend it with mine. And this business can spread you out and demand so much of you sometimes, that suffers. So that's what I would say. I wish I could have more time to take off and be with all my family members and stay in touch with them more than I have.

NR: What do you want to do in the future?

MM: I would like to do what Doug has done. I dream of having the opportunity to create a role for the first time myself. And to bring it all the way to fruition in a Broadway house would be great fun. To be able to create that role for the first time and have others say, "That was the role that Mark McGrath created." I would like to do that.

NR: Thank you.

MM: You're welcome.

I'd like to thank Nancy Rosati for 
taking the time to do this 
interview with me.

"No one reaches any level of 
success without the support of 
Loving & Helping hands along the 
way".  I've had many in my life. 
To them I am forever grateful.

My deepest, heartfelt Thanks to:
My wife Lynne, 
My mother Ruby,
The entire McGrath family,
The entire Wintersteller family,
Douglas, Rachel & Rex,
The wonderfully talented Creative 
Staff, Production Staff, Cast & 
Crew of The Scarlet Pimpernel 
(I'm so proud to work with you all)
The Producers, Director & Musical 
Director, Ms. Julie Hughes,
My agents - past, present & future,
The wonderful Pimpernel fans one & 
all.
Members of the R&W Law Firm,
Members of the FCH&S Law Firm,
Members of the O'M&M Law Firm,

Also:
Pat Diangelo & Family, Donna 
Ryan & Family, Mary Jo Beresford, 
Michael Schulteis, Elston Hurst & 
Family, Ronny Dale, Oscar Kosarin, 
Worth Gardner, Mr. Lorenzo 
Malfatti (my Italian papa), Ted 
Dugas, Beverly Rinaldi, W.H. 
Laster and many, many others.

Mark impressed me as someone who most definitely has found the proper career path for himself. His excitement is infectious and he is so grateful for the opportunities he has been given. I certainly hope he gets his dream of originating a Broadway role.

Questions suggested by: Gayle Musselman, Peter Williams, Aimee Cherry, Mary Helfrick, Jessica Parson, Susan Cassidy