The Wedding Singer runs August 9 – 24th at the Secret Theatre (44-02 23rd St, Long Island City). Visit www.secrettheatre.com for tickets and more information. AUGUST 2013 | BOROMAG.COM | 33 But for every performance disaster story, there is a triumph story. In my last performance of "West Side Story", my Maria had pretty much lost her voice. I played Tony, and when we sang ‘Tonight’ together, she would sing what she could and then tap my arm and I'd sing the rest of the lyric. We worked through the entire song together like that, and she was such an incredible actress, hardly anybody noticed the change. It remains one of my absolute favorite theater memories, because we were truly living in the moment in a symbiotic performance. Moments like that are why I absolutely love being involved in live theatre. In what ways do you identify with Robbie? At the beginning of the story, Robbie is an absolute romantic, and I’d like to think that I have a healthy romantic streak as well. He’s soon devastated by his love and goes to a pretty dark place before finding joy in performing, and finally a new love. I’ve certainly been through all of that, too. Do you have a favorite moment in the show? Performing "Grow Old With You", with Allison Wilkes (who plays Julia) is probably my favorite musical moment. Who knew that Adam Sandler would write one of the most beautiful and memorable love songs in movie history? But I also love all the comedic moments that this cast brings. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a cast that makes me laugh so hard so often. What should fans of the movie know about the musical? All of the important elements and characters from the film are there, with a ton of new jokes and some hilarious new characters. The original Adam Sandler songs that you love from the movie are in it as well. The 80’s references are also lovingly shoe-horned to the brim, as they are in the film. What is your favorite thing about The Secret Theatre? Collaboration. It’s so important, especially in comedy, to feel like you are in a safe place to take chances and try different things. My experience with the Director (Taryn Turney) and Musical Director (Eugenio Vargas) has been incredible. A clear vision is set like a playpen for the actors to experiment within, and the result has been characters that are far more multi-dimensional than you’d expect from a musical comedy. How long have you lived in Astoria? I’ve lived in Astoria as long as I’ve lived in New York, three and a half years. Where did you live before that? I spent Act I of my life in Canton, Ohio. I went to school for Mechanical Engineering Design, and did well in that industry for six years while singing and acting at night. Eventually I had to face the fact that I’m a performer and a New Yorker at heart, so I packed up my life and moved here. I’ve never regretted it. Mechanical Engineering? Have you ever invented anything? I actually have a patent in China and a pending patent in the U.S. for a Contoured Flat Stud Casting used in power plant boilers. But it’s nothing that a normal human would be the least bit interested in. Tell us about some of your Astoria/Long Island City favorites… Date spot? Picnicking on that big open hill in Astoria Park. It’s like Sheep Meadow, but with a waterfront and an ice cream truck. Restaurant for a casual meal? Monika’s Cafe Bar on 34th Ave and 36th St. The food is great, and they’ve got awesome fresh fruit juices and smoothies. Place to relax after a performance? I don’t know if I’m supposed to give away our watering hole or not, but after most rehearsals and performances you can find our cast down the road at The Shannon Pot. The Irish bartender Eimear is fantastic. She remembers all of our names and even keeps a close eye on refilling my water (at the end of a particularly long night). Place to grab a drink? The Strand Smokehouse is great for a brew, some fun live music, a big table for a lot of friends, a hunk of meat, and their macaroni and cheese is out of control. Place to walk/bike? I’ve actually recently become a bicycling junky. I love biking down the waterfront to the 59th Street Bridge, and all the way to The Secret Theatre! Place to enjoy the arts? I’ve seen some incredible shows at the Astoria Performing Arts Center. I’ve also seen some really cool small bands at Dominies on 30th Ave. Brunch spot? Mmmmmm. MexiQ. Subway station? It’s a tie between 30th Ave and all that it has to offer (Athens Square, Brewhouse, Sweet Afton) and Ditmars (because let’s be honest, if you fall asleep on the train, you wake up at home).
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