Exclusive: MID-CENTURY MODERN Stars Reveal Their Characters' Favorite Broadway Musicals

Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Nathan Lee Graham are all starring in the new sitcom Mid-Century Modern. Billed as the “Gay Golden Girls”, the series follows three best friends who live together in Palm Springs along with the mother of Lane's character, played by the late Linda Lavin.

Though the spirit of the series harkens back to beloved sitcoms of the past, Mid-Century Modern also sheds light on more serious and topical issues, like politics, family trauma, and growing older. The show was created by Max Mutchnick & David Kohan, who are best known for their work on Will & Grace.

"[Because] we’re doing it on Hulu, we have a lot more freedom than they did when they were on network,” Lane told BroadwayWorld in a recent junket interview. “It goes much further and is R-rated in terms of situation and language," he said, adding that Norman Lear, who created numerous sitcoms in the 1970s and 80s, was one of Mutchnick's heroes.

The series features several nods to Broadway musicals, including one cold open that directly parodies Chicago's Cell Block Tango. During the interview, the trio brainstormed what might be their characters' favorite shows. "[Arthur's favorite] would have to vascilate between Dreamgirls and Sweeney Todd because my life is just that traumatic sometimes," admitted Graham. Watch our full interview to find out Nathan Lane and Matt Bomer's answers! All 10 episodes of the series are now streaming on Hulu.

Mid-Century Modern stars Nathan Lane as Bunny Schneiderman, Matt Bomer as Jerry Frank, Nathan Lee Graham as Arthur Broussard and Linda Lavin as Sybil Schneiderman, Bunny’s mother. Broadway alums Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Richard Kind, and Judd Hirsch are also confirmed to appear in the show as well as Pamela Adlon, Vanessa Bayer, Kimberly Coles, Stephanie Koenig, Billie Lourd, Esther Moon Wu, Jaime Moyer, Cheri Oteri, Rhea Perlman, and Zane Phillips. 

Mid-Century Modern is from executive producers Max Mutchnick & David Kohan and executive producer Ryan Murphy. Lane and Bomer also executive produce the series, along with James Burrows, who also serves as director. 20th Television is the studio.