BROADWAY.COM'S ASK A STAR: MARIN MAZZIE
Broadway darling Marin Mazzie has
been performing on the New York
stage since 1983. Her first decade
as a member of the theater
community included appearances in
Merrily We Roll Along and Big River.
Then, in 1994, Mazzie truly
established herself as a Broadway
star when she earned a Tony
nomination for her role in
Sondheim's Passion. Mazzie earned
her next Tony nomination for
Ragtime. Most recently, she
received yet another Best Actress in
a Musical Tony nomination, this
time for Kiss Me, Kate. Mazzie was
also honored with a caricature at
Sardi's earlier this year. While she
is currently brassy and hard as nails
on stage in Kiss Me, Kate, we
promise she'll be calm when she
stops banging those pots 'n' pans and answers Broadway.com user
questions.
Deadline for submission:
Thursday, July 13
Marin's answers posted:
Tuesday, July 18
July 7, 2000 (10:29AM)
Marin Replies:
From songburd:
Hi Marin! You’re a fabulous performer! How did you start in the performing arts?
Marin responds:
I grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and I grew up basically singing in the church choir. I then joined a theater group at the local YMCA when I was about ten, I think. But I always loved performing from when I was young, so I was always performing in my bedroom or in the backyard--making up dances and singing and stuff. Then I did shows in high school and college. My first professional job was at the Barn Theater in Augusta, Michigan, which is where I apprenticed and got my Equity card. So, that was my first professional gig, I guess.
From: Dollypop:
How do you feel about your husband revealing the family jewels in The Full Monty? Joe Panarello E. Patchogue, NY
Marin responds:
I think it’s fantastic! I had to show it all in Passion, so why not? It runs in the family, right?
From footlooser84:
Hey Marin! I live in your hometown, Rockford, IL. I'm 15 and went to NYC over X-mas vacation and saw you in Kiss Me Kate...I was amazed--that was truly the most awesome performance I had ever seen! Ok...the question: When you were growing up was this your dream? If so, were your parents really supportive or did you have to struggle to make them think you needed voice and dance lessons, because my parents are supportive to a point...they'll let me do theater but they don't understand that I also NEED the constant voice and dance training to get better. Could you explain in a few sentences to some "supportive...to a point parents" why a 15 year old boy should start getting the training now?
Marin responds:
First of all, yes, this was my dream. Yes, my parents were incredibly supportive. Always. I started studying voicein Rockford, Illinois when I was twelve years old. My voice teacher still teaches there. She’s wonderful. Her name is Stella Rankin. Like I said, I got into a theater group at the Y, from a woman you would know, Marge Henning, who is still an actor in Rockford. That’s where I learned all of the basics, like upstage, downstage, stage left, stage right—and we did little shows and built our costumes and sets and learned all of the practical aspects of what it took to put on a show. As far as parents, I would say it is so important to start training young because you need the foundation, especially vocally. You need to start somewhere so that you have a place to build from and an understanding of what you’re doing. I would say to your parents: be supportive. Let him study. It’s incredibly important.
From ctvwillo:
If you could be any one person for a day, whom would you be, and why?
Marin responds:
I never thought about that. Who would I want to be? That’s a very hard question. I think it would be a man. I’d be interested in being a man for a day. But who? Oh, this is such a hard question. You know, I’m fascinated by pioneer women. Maybe Willa Cather. She’s someone I love, and I love her writing. That would be interesting for me
From ErikT:
I loved you in Ragtime. I loved you in Kiss Me, Kate. Who are your inspirations as a singer? How is it working with Brian Stokes Mitchell side by side? When I saw you two up on that stage I felt like I was watching the two most talented stars on Broadway. Thank you for your passion!
Marin responds:
Oh, that’s sweet. My vocal influences are many. People I loved as a kid (and still love): Barbara Cook, Judy Garland, Barbra Steisand, Ella Fitzgerald. People I love today: Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin, Bonnie Raitt. Annie Lennox, Cyndi Lauper—women who can sing. Liza was a big influence too. And as far as working with Brian Stoke Mitchell—it sucks! Just kidding! We have a lot of fun. We really do. We have a great time on stage and a great time off stage. He’s wonderful.
From aMAZZinMAZZIE:
How long do you plan on being in Kiss Me, Kate? Any future shows in the works?
I don’t know how long I’m staying in Kiss Me, Kate, and I do…but I can’t talk about them.
From RagtimeLion:
Dear Marin--Do you take the Tony's seriously? Has it been hard being the "Susan Lucci" of the Tony's?
Marin responds:
First of all, I don’t know why people are calling me Susan Lucci! I haven’t been nominated 18 times or however many times she was nominated! But I appreciate that. I take the Tonys seriously to a point. You take them seriously when their going on , and then when it’s over, it’s over. You go one and nothing really changes. It’s lovely to be recognized and respected by your peers. Whether I won the Tony or not, I know that I have that. So, I’m a winner, and it doesn’t really matter that I don’t have a little statue.
From Bernadette04:
How long does it take u to memorize choreography, lines and words to songs?
Marin responds:
I guess it depends on the piece. I’m a quick study. So, it doesn’t take me that long. I work pretty much off-book from the beginning.
From Hammytodd:
Ms. Mazzie, Can we look forward to a solo CD anytime soon? If so, what kind of theme would the record have?
Marin responds
Yes. I don’t know yet what it will be. I’m working with a producer and conducer, and we’re trying to figure out what we want it to be. I love to sing so many different kinds of music. I don’t want to do only one person,and I don’t want to do only musical theater. I know that. There will be some of that on there, but it won’t just be that.
From kah2002:
What is your favorite musical of all time?
Marin responds
You know this is kind of a corny answer, but I’m going to say A Chorus Line because it had a huge influence. Not that other musicals didn’t, but when it came out and the age I was and because of the kind of musical it was, I think it’s a great musical. My other most favorite musical is Sweeney Todd. I think it’s one of the most brilliant things ever written. There’s so many more.
From OlliHaaskivi:
Marin, first of all, let me say you were robbed of a Tony. It makes me want to see the show every night and scream for you and have a sign saying "I Love You Marin!" but that would scare you so I won't. I want to ask you, how do you prepare for a show? Like what time do you get to the theatre, and do you do anything prior to your arriving? Also, do you have any rituals you must do before you get onstage?
Marin responds:
As far as prior to arriving, I work out. I work out basically five days a week. This show is very physical and obviously takes a lot of energy, so I had to figure out how much energy I could expend during the day. That’s the thing about doing a show eight times a week. It really takes your life over. Your whole day is spent around knowing that you have to do a show at night, so I don’t talk on the phone as much as I used to. This show has been the most taxing of any show I’ve ever done. So, it’all about conserving energy. I usually try to take a nap in the afternoon. I start getting a ready an hour before curtain. I have a vocal tape of a voice lesson with my voice teacher that I warm up with as I’m putting on my makeup. My hair person comes in about 7:25, and we start doing that. Then I get dressed. I don’t really like to tell my rituals, but I have rituals that I do in the room: things that I think about, little, sort of, prayers that I say to myself, things that I do that are private. There are things I do backstage with certain actors. I always go visit Brian Stokes, there’s a little thing I do with Amy and Michael Beresse. We have little things.
From heartandmusic:
Dear Marin, KMK must be one of the most physically demanding shows that you've done! Do you have to prepare for a performance as Kate differently then you did for other roles such as Mother? How do you manage to keep up the caliber of your performance and your energy level on days when you are doing two shows? I have had the pleasure of seeing you do a matinee and an evening, and in both shows you put all you heart in it to a spectacular result! Thank you! always, Heidi
Marin responds:
Thank you for noticing. It is demanding. On matinee days, I sleep between show. I have to. It’s hard to get enough sleep. You know, at night it’s hard to go to bed early because you’re wound up from the show. I don’t ever go to bed before 2:00, and on matinee days I get up at nine to go to the gym. I do need to sleep to do this. My work out enhances the show, it keeps me fit and in shape to run around and scream all night.
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