Q&A with Jack Mulcahy

Standing a little over six feet tall, born and raised in New York City, Jack Mulcahy's career in the entertainment business began as a musician. From there, he tried other things. His first film, "Porky's," proved successful, leading to the sequel, "Porky's II: The Next Day." Mulcahy played the lead role of Jack McMullen in the critically acclaimed comedy classic, "The Brothers McMullen." Other television and film credits include "Sex and the City," "Law & Order," "NYPD Blue," and "CadillacMan." Mulcahy now leads a cast of 11 in Alex De Witt's comedy, PRIME TIME, which he is starring in, as well as producing.

According to press notes, "PRIME TIME tells the story of John Ball [Jack Mulcahy], who has it all in his white suburban paradise.  He views the rest of the world through a big-screen TV. But the real world is nothing like Prime Time. Class, race and pop culture collide in a satirical view of the 2-dimensional stereotypical world fed to America through mass media."

Last week, Mulcahy and I met before the show to speak about this project, his acting, music and what's to come.

Nick Orlando: First, you just had a birthday! Happy Birthday. Did you do anything special?

Jack Mulcahy: Thank you very much, Nick. No, because it rained all weekend. It rained about 4 inches! I was going to go up to the Yankees game, but that was a bust! They actually got the game in, but I saw people sitting in the stadium with raincoats on, it was just wild!

Nick Orlando: What interested you in this project?

Jack Mulcahy: I absolutely love the idea of living your life first hand. John Ball, my character, does anything but. John is a television addict. He thinks that by knowing everything he sees on television keeps him in touch when it really, really doesn't. I think the reason I was attracted to this role is because it is so the opposite of me. I am a doer, I get out and I do things. I don't have one softball team, I have three. I don't have one project going right now, I've got six.

Nick Orlando: What do you like best about this character?

Jack Mulcahy: He's redeemed. He finally sees the light and he is redeemed. He doesn't really want to hurt anybody, but he knows it's best for him to make the changes necessary to fulfill his own life and only by fulfilling his own life can he truly and honestly give back to somebody he cares about.

Nick Orlando: Jack, how was it preparing for this role?

Jack Mulcahy: At times, a little difficult. Well, I have to come all the way from the Upper West Side all the way down here to Broadway & White Street! It hasn't been difficult at all. Putting the pieces together, putting the casting together has all been easier then I had expected it to be. The hardest part about this role is that we haven't gotten to the theatre we are doing the play in yet.

Nick Orlando: What do you like best about performing on stage?

Jack Mulcahy: The immediacy. You will know within five minutes whether you're terrible or not. You will know in a nanosecond if whatever it is you are doing has any affect on the audience because of the live audience. I was trained as a singer and I had a band so I know the live experience and have known the live experience all of my life. I have done a lot of film and television, where you shoot it, you really have no clue because it's in the editors' hands and then you have no clue what kind of response it is going to get when it releases. It usually releases a year after you have done it, film wise. So, you pretty much lost all perspective of what was going on at the time. While you are working a project in a play, unless you have been hired to come in and replace somebody in a long running play, you get to see it from the ground up and work it until opening night. It is really exciting stuff.

Nick Orlando: Talk to me about the difference between acting on stage and acting on screen.

Jack Mulcahy: Working in television has so many subdivisions because you'll have a sitcom, a soap opera, a commercial, an episodic. I've done close to 15 episodes of "Law & Order" (all of them - Intent, SVU, etc). They have it down to a science. With stage, once a director says "break a leg and have a good show," he can't direct you any longer. He can't say cut and that's both frightening and exhilarating at the same time – and liberating!

Nick Orlando: Jack, you worked with Kim Cattrall on "Porky's," and then almost twenty years later, worked with her for a second time on "Sex and the City" (in which you portrayed Wesley, Charlotte's brother). Compare that experience with the initial.

Jack Mulcahy: Both of us had no clue that "Porky's" was going to become the hit that it did and we are both thankful that it did. Stepping on the set of "Sex and the City" after I knew I was going to get the role of Wesley (which was a much sought after, a much coveted role from all of NY actors perspectives), I said hello to Kim and she looked at me and said "welcome to the set, I'll see you in a few hours." She walked right past me, as if she hadn't recognized me. So, I thought maybe not everybody wants to remember their earlier work. About an hour later, I get a knock on my dressing room door and it's Kim. She wanted to speak with me. Kim's wardrobe girl told her that I did "Porky's" with her. I said "Kim, I was Frank Bell. I was the kid with the crooked penis, screwing around corners." She looked at me and the biggest smile came over her face. We had a good laugh about it and she remembered.

Nick Orlando: That is so funny! You also worked with the other ladies, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon (who just finished a run on Broadway), and Kristin Davis.

Jack Mulcahy: Yes, I had worked on a film with Cynthia about three years prior to that called "The Cottonwood," which unfortunately did not get the release it needed. It was a really, really good film. Cyril O'Reilly was in it, who was also in "Porky's" with me. Pruitt Taylor Vince was in it and was absolutely terrific. It's just one of those things where you are riding this indie wave, you're on a roll, pretty much everything you do is like gold. It was one of the first big films I have gotten after "The Brothers McMullen" and it didn't do anything. I was really surprised. The writing was tight. The cast was perfect. It was a New York film. It had a really good feel to it and it just didn't do anything. It happens!

Nick Orlando: Who do you ultimately want to work with (whether it is a director, actor, etc)?

Jack Mulcahy: If I had a wish list. I'd love to work with Morgan Freeman, Andre Brouwer, Tim Robbins again (I worked with him on "Cadillac Man"), Clint Eastwood. I had a film I just did back in December where I was close to Clint Eastwood. I got Clint Eastwood's cinematographer, Tom Stern, who shot "MysticRiver," "Unforgiven," and "Million Dollar Baby." Clint will be high up there on the wish list.

Nick Orlando: You are getting close to Clint! Which has been your favorite project to work on?

Jack Mulcahy: My favorite project to work on has been this one because I look back on stuff and I am very proud of what I have accomplished and the career I have had. I am still relatively a young man and look forward to a lot of things, but I am more from the immediate school of thought. This project is very exciting because I have the lead in it, but I also have a hand in putting it together. I am producing it.

Nick Orlando: Jack, you are a musician. What do you think about "American Idol" today?

Jack Mulcahy: I think it has given a lot of people the opportunity that they wouldn't otherwise have. There are some very talented people, but you will notice that the people who are making it the furthest have had some training, or music in their background or have bands on the side. They are working hard. I love these kids on there because of their work ethic and once they have the machine behind them, they really understand what it is all about. You see a transformation in some of these kids over a twelve, fourteen, sixteen week period. It's like boot camp for them and all of a sudden they are getting the best makeup, the best stylist, the best musicians, the best arrangers and they are absolutely allowed to let their real talent come through.

Nick Orlando: Who is your favorite on the show?

Jack Mulcahy: I have to say it's between Taylor and Katherine McPhee.

Nick Orlando: Even though she's gone, I'm a Kellie Pickler fan!

Jack Mulcahy: I'm a Kellie Pickler fan too!

Nick Orlando: Ok Jack, I am going to ask you three more questions, tell me the first thing that comes to mind!

Worst Date: College, going over to a very, very wealthy young lady's house. Her father gave me the "hairy eye," not liking me very much at all. We were having steak at a long table, but I was sitting next to him. I get handed a bottle of A1 sauce, I am about to take the cap off and the mother asks me a question. So, I turn my head, he is out of sight. I'm shaking the A1 bottle and a look of horror comes upon her face. I realize the cap had flown off and the A1 sauce is all over her father's white shirt. That was probably the worst date ever!

Favorite Musical: Westside Story. It was the musical that I saw when I was five or six years old that made me want to become an actor/entertainer. The songs, the dancing all appealed to me. I had no clue, at six years old, that it was the story of Romeo & Juliet, but it was also Westside Story and I was a Westside kid!

Favorite Food: Probably steak.

Nick Orlando: What's to come?

Jack Mulcahy: I am in a partnership with Jason Grant. We have a production company called JMG Television. We have several projects in the works right now. I've written and acted in a radio piece called The TBC, which is a spoof on regular television news. I have also written a sitcom, "The McGillicuddys," which I'm pitching to HBO through Adrian Grenier who is starring in "Entourage." Adrian directed me in a short film. It was at the Tribeca Film Festival. I am just going to barter; doing free work for Adrian, for him to be my show runner and take it over to HBO!

Nick Orlando: Thank you very much, Jack! Good luck to you.

Jack Mulcahy: Thank you, Nick. Good to see you.

PRIME TIME is playing at The Lion Theatre on W 42^nd Street. It opened on May 5th and will run through Saturday, May 27th. Performances will be Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm with 2pm matinees on Saturday, May 13th and Saturday, May 20th. Tickets can be purchased by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or by visiting www.ticketcentral.com.  For more information, visit www.primetimetheplay.org.

Photos by Fern R. Lopez