It was day one of a week-long, seemingly endless marathon of torrential rainstorms that Southern California hasn't seen in quite some time. A few miles away in Beverly Hills, stars of film and television are getting inconveniently, unnecessarily damp while walking the red carpet press line for the 2010 Golden Globe Awards.
Me? I was bundled up, excitedly driving north on the 405 from behind the Orange County line to visit with actor Andrew Keenan-Bolger, who has spent the last year touring the country as Robertson Ay in the hit Disney/Cameron Mackintosh stage musical extravaganza MARY POPPINS. February 7 will mark the show's last performance in Los Angeles, after spending three magical months at the Ahmanson Theatre to record-capacity audiences. On the very same day, Bolger will also bid the show itself farewell.
While he'll certainly be missed after putting his stamp this year on a role that had audiences howling with laughter eight shows a week, he's admittedly excited about what the future holds. This includes, naturally, more personal musings through his very popular video blog, which has, for several years now, given his long-time followers (myself included) glimpses into an actor's life behind-the-scenes (which, before MARY POPPINS included roles in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Beauty and the Beast, Seussical and the Nickoledeon series Naked Brothers Band). He's calling L.A. home for now, as he readies himself for what the city's TV industry calls "pilot season."
After a surprisingly easy commute up to the Music Center (rain is normally not a friend to Southern California drivers), I made my way down to the Ahmanson's stage door. Up until this point, I've only ever been an appreciative audience member at this theater. So, as a self-professed musical theater fanatic-turned-correspondent, I was doing everything I can to not, you know, geek out as I stood there by security. Bolger showed up, though, a mere 30 seconds after I got there, and he escorted me down to his dressing room for a chat during his free time between that day's earlier matinee and the evening performance that will happen hours later. Our interview was giddily interrupted by a few pop-ins from fellow castmates (who clearly treat each other like a loving family). All-in-all, our informal indoor Q&A made for a lovely afternoon, despite the nasty weather outside.
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So, how has the tour been for you?
It's been going wonderfully! [Los Angeles] has been one of our other big "sit-downs," and so it's something we've all been enjoying... I mean, you know, because... it's L.A.! It's a really cool place! And also, it's the West Coast debut of MARY POPPINS, and so there's just been a lot of Disney people out here who are getting to be really involved with the show. It's all been so wonderful. The Ahmanson Theatre has just gone above and beyond to make us all feel comfortable and make us feel special, and the audiences have been so great out here!
What have you noticed in terms of L.A. audiences versus audiences in other cities?
It's funny...you know, I think every area in the country sort of reacts to the show a little bit differently. I feel that the one [common] thing about MARY POPPINS is that almost every age group has some connection to it. The older members of the audience may have read the books growing up, and then there are our parents and grandparents who have seen the movie and have raised their kids with [that movie]. It's really a show for everyone, and they can all bring their own little piece of history to it. But doing the show out here in L.A.—just because there are so many "industry" people out here—there is such a great appreciation for actors. They seem so much more valued out here. L.A. is just a very good theater-going audience...people who see a lot of things. We've performed at some places where they see one or two shows a year; and then contrast that with L.A. where there are constantly things happening. So, I think you get a very educated theater group out here.
Have you gotten star-struck, then, when you see celebrities out in the audience watching you?
I have! There have been a lot of famous people, actually, who have come and seen us. Last week we had Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes! [They] came with [their daughter] Suri. They went backstage and brought us cupcakes! [Laughs] They went above and beyond, and were some of the sweetest celebrities to ever come see us. And then I was personally excited when Lauren Conrad from The Hills on MTV came. I was truly excited about that!
Yeah, she's originally from the O.C., where I live!
That's right! I think some people in our cast weren't as excited about her because they didn't really know who she was... but I was holding down for the reality show demographic! [Laughs]
That's awesome! Okay, so tell me a little bit more about your character, Robertson Ay on MARY POPPINS. For people who've only seen the movie, he's someone new.
Yeah, he's actually not a character [that was featured] in the movie. He's taken from the original P.L. Travers books. He's kind of this bumbling, boyish servant who works in the Banks household. He sort of gets everything wrong and is constantly breaking things. He's a bit of comic relief...along with Mrs. Brill [played by Jane Carr], who's the maid. Together, we're both sort of these vaudevillian characters that come in.
