Jonathan Groff Talks THE NORMAL HEART and HBO's LGBT Comedy Pilot - 'It's the Gay Experience'

The San Francisco Gate recently spoke with actor Jonathan Groff about his work with the Young Actors' Theatre Camp in Boulder Creek, Calif., as well as filming for Ryan Murphy's adaptation of Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART and an upcoming LGBT-themed comedy pilot, both for HBO.

Discussing THE NORMAL HEART, Groff told the SF Gate: "There's a lot of gay men from my generation that only know of AIDS as a thing of the distant past. I was born in 1985 in the thick of it, but didn't live through it. We did a scene last week on the beach on Fire Island where we're at a party, and lots of actors my age are thinking how surreal it is. If we had been there 25 years ago, most of us would be dead. Larry Kramer actually got emotional and left because he was so moved by all the young people celebrating."

Groff plays a video game designer searching for love via OkCupid on the still-to-be titled HBO series.

"The show hopefully will express all facets of gay life. We're all different types of people," Groff told the Gate. "There's lots of people who have anonymous sex. There's also people looking for love. There's people looking for an open relationship. There are also the queens. There are those you wouldn't know were gay. It's the gay experience."

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Ryan Murphy is currently filming for THE NORMAL HEART for HBO in New York City. Jim Parsons will also star in the film, alongside Julia Roberts and Matt Bomer in the cable network's original movie adaptation of the Tony-winning Larry Kramer play.

The film takes place during the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s. Parsons will play gay activist Tommy Boatwright, the role which he portrayed in the 2011 Broadway revival. Kitsch plays Bruce Niles, described as "a closeted investment banker who becomes a prominent AIDS activist." Production is scheduled to begin later this year in New York for a 2014 premiere.

THE NORMAL HEART, whose recent revival closed on Broadway on July 10, 2011, won three 2011 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play (Ellen Barkin) and Best Featured Actor in a Play (John Benjamin Hickey). The play was also honored as the Best Revival of a Play by the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards and received Drama Desk Awards for Best Ensemble and Best Direction of a Play, along with a Special Citation from the New York Drama Critics Circle.

THE NORMAL HEART was first produced by Joseph Papp and directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg at The Public Theater in 1985, where it ran for 294 performances. Joel Grey played in the role of "Ned Weeks" (replacing Brad Davis) in the original production. The play received an Off-Broadway revival in 2004.

HBO's upcoming dramedy from Michael Lannan follows three friends who "explore the fun and sometimes overwhelming options available to a new generation of gay men." Frankie J. Alvarez and Murray Bartlett also star. Andrew Haigh is set to direct the pilot.

Groff's TV credits include Starz's BOSS alongside Kelsey Grammer and appearances on THE GOOD WIFE. His film credits include TAKING WOODSTOCK and THE CONSPIRATOR, as well as the upcoming Disney animated feature FROZEN and David Sedaris' C.O.G.

Groff starred in SPRING AWAKENING, for which he earned a 2007 Tony Award nomination. He has also appeared in Broadway's IN MY LIFE and HAIR, as well as off-Broadway's THE SUBMISSION, THE SINGING FOREST, and PRAYER FOR MY ENEMY.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride