'Sweeney' Star Donna Lynne Champlin Takes 'Flight'

So what do you do in your spare time while performing in one of Broadway's hottest shows? Well, Donna Lynne Champlin, gets busy by appearing in FLIGHT OF THE LAWNCHAIR MAN as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

FLIGHT OF THE LAWNCHAIR MAN was originally developed under the direction of Harold Prince as the third act of the musical 3HREE, which premiered at the Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia, PA in November of 2000. 3HREE was later presented in April of 2001 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and awarded "Best Play of the Season" by Los Angeles Downtown and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award nomination for Best Score.  The expanded version of FLIGHT OF THE LAWNCHAIR MAN premiered at Goodspeed Musicals in 2005 under the direction of Lynne Taylor-Corbett.  All of these incarnations have had Champlin attached to them.

Champlin, herself, is no stranger to the stage, currently appearing as Pirelli in the production of SWEENEY TODD, alongside Patti Lupone and Michael Cerveris.  Her Broadway credits include HOLLYWOOD ARMS, BY JEEVES and JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD.

So let's chat with Champlin and get the skinny on LAWNCHAIR MAN, SWEENEY TODD and Hal Prince…

TJ: Donna, you are one busy lady, coming off of SWEENEY TODD and moving on to THE FLIGHT OF THE LAWNCHAIR MAN?  You must have a lot of energy?

CHAMPLIN: Whew! I KNOW, right? Well, I'm really fortunate that these two shows– while they couldn't be more opposite in aesthetic- are both extremely rewarding. Some shows 'give back' to you and some just drain you, and both these two shows manage to give as much as they take, thank God.

And the fact that we have –intact- the entire Goodspeed company back for the NYMF festival is making the rehearsal process that much easier on us all. It's so fantastic to have everyone back, and some cast members are literally taking precious vacation time off national tours, too. It's amazing what this piece does to people, on both sides of the footlights, you know? It brings out a very primal sort of love, loyalty and protectiveness I think, because the piece itself is very…innocent and childlike.

TJ: OK, now about LAWNCHAIR MAN, I understand you have been attached to the show for quite awhile. What can you tell me?

CHAMPLIN: Well, the story of LAWNCHAIR is basically about a man who has a dream of flying and how he goes about trying to make that dream a reality.

As far as the show's own personal journey - I can tell you that LAWNCHAIR originally was the third one act in a musical of three one acts called 3HREE. We played 3HREE at the Prince Theatre in Philly and then The Ahmanson in LA. Then LAWNCHAIR was commissioned to be written as a full length musical so we had a few workshops to experiment with that. The original one act was what became our second act, so the writers (Rob Nassif and Peter Ullian) had the interesting challenge of creating a 'PRE- act' as opposed to…the other way around. I remember we were all dying to see what they came up with and it was quite clear from the very first read through that they had succeeded beyond expectation in expanding the show. Now, I believe the newest change for our NYMF run is that there is once again no intermission…so we're BACK to one act - albeit a longer one.

TJ: And you originally worked under Hal Prince? That must have been a real special time for you.

CHAMPLIN: Yes! 3HREE was the first show we ever worked on together, actually.  I remember the process with him as a youthful, fun, and slightly irreverent experience. In rehearsals we pretty much just laughed all the time and would sort of look at each other like kids in a candy store like…'can we actually get away with that?!'.  My favorite parts of rehearsal were when he'd send everyone out of the room and you'd work on your scene with him alone. Then he'd let everyone back in and we'd do it again but he wouldn't watch the scene. He'd watch everyone else's reactions to gauge what went over and what didn't. He was brilliant and very efficient that way. There was a feeling of 'nothing is too nuts to just try at least once', which I found incredibly freeing.

It was also really fun to watch how the 70+ yr old Hal Prince became like a little boy in rehearsals. There's a great buoyancy to this piece that creates a sort of 'fountain of youth' effect on everyone. It's well, ironically, like a big Looney Toon balloon, really. I remember working with Sir Ayckbourn during BY JEEVES and he said 'the thing is, my plays are like hot air balloons. If the audience comes wearing cement shoes, then it's nearly impossible for the play to take off. But if they just leave their shoes at the door for an hour or two, then they just fly, fly, FLY! And this show, I believe is the same, in that respect.

And in some cases, LAWNCHAIR seems to help people take their cement shoes off. At Goodspeed we had a man who came back quite a few times (which was a lot considering we only ran three weeks) and we found out after our run that he was a prison guard. He told us how the show 'saved' him - that watching our show lifted him up out of the dark place he'd been working in, that he wasn't even aware he was in until seeing our show. And the best part is that he was the typical working man who was originally dragged there kicking and screaming, by his wife, right? And he just kept coming back on his own; it was a beautiful thing.

TJ: And then you worked with Hal again in HOLLYWOOD ARMS?

CHAMPLIN: Yes, and it was during rehearsal for 3HREE that Hal first approached me about HOLLYWOOD ARMS so that also, makes my memories of 3HREE even more special. It still seems slightly dream like when I look back on those 3-4 years working with him;  my own personal 'Prince era'…how did I get that lucky? It's insane. He's a legend and rightly so and I adore him.

TJ: Tell me a little bit about the character of Gracie, who you are playing in the show.

CHAMPLIN: Gracie is the girlfriend of Jerry (the Lawnchair Man) and she's just incredibly grounded (which makes her a perfect partner for a man who wants to fly).She knows who she is, what she wants and has a heart the size of Kansas. She's also fiercely loyal to those she loves…so, if you're going after her man she'll give you a couple times to reconsider but then you're in BIG trouble.  I recall quite a few reviews calling her 'the best girlfriend a man ever had', which is true, I think. Gracie's like…'old yeller'. I'd say 'Lassie' but Gracie's not as…refined. Which is another thing I love about her…she's nice but has a temper; she's smart but incredibly naïve. She's contradictory and flawed in the weirdest of ways, making her a very unconventional leading lady.

I remember, when were in Philly and the guy I was dating at the time actually said to me after the show sort of wistfully, 'I wanna date Gracie'. And I was like--- 'Hell man, I wanna date Gracie too but it ain't gonna happen, ya know?' Ohhhhhhh, poor guy. Ah well.

And one of the REALLY fun parts about Gracie now, is that when the boys wrote the new act…they incorporated 'isms' that we actors had sort of added to our characters when we did the 3HREE runs. So it was an honor to know that these new lines and songs were being written (even minutely) with US in mind as actors and as people.  When Peter and Rob told me that they heard my voice in their heads when they wrote for Gracie now, it was one of the highest compliments I've ever gotten, really.

TJ: How has it been for you to return to the show under a new director?

CHAMPLIN: Well, at Goodspeed it was not only a new director but an entirely new company of actors as well, for me.  And I was actually much more worried about ME in this process and not the other way around. Because NOBODY likes the 'well, when we did it before….' actor. Nobody. ESPECIALLY me. So I did my best to set my mind before hand to be really conscious of remaining open to new things and letting old things go. Which scared the be-Jesus out of me going in, quite frankly.

But Lynne (Taylor-Corbett) from the very first day created such a warm, open and creative atmosphere that we all were completely put at ease. And her 'earth mother' energy made the process much more organic than it would have been with any other director in the unique position she was in (taking over from Hal). A lesser director would have not had the confidence to let this show (that already had been processed to some degree) - undergo yet another process and ALLOW it to be as natural as it was. And as a result, everyone in this company completely OWNS what they're doing up there because no one was ever put in the position of trying to fit into another actor's characterizations. Lynne is very smart and very trusting of the piece and her actors. Not to mention, she's an absolutely gorgeous person to boot.

And the thing also to remember about this 'new' company of incredibly talented and insane actors is that they were hired specifically for the roles they play in LAWNCHAIR. When we did 3HREE, the actors were hired to be able to play roles in ALL THREE one-acts. And so this company of course, has the ideal and endless resources to create things that could have never done before with the original cast as they can play more to their types as opposed to against. They're such a fantastic group of people. It's a mutual admiration society up there, for sure.

Ultimately, though? Regardless of who's directing? Regardless of who's even acting in it, really…the show remains as inspiring as it was 6 years ago in that it still says, 'Follow your dreams and don't let anyone ever tell you can't'.

TJ: So obviously the show has very special meaning for you?

CHAMPLIN: Absolutely, or I wouldn't have stayed with it this long. I love what it says, how it affects people who work on it, how it affects people who see it and how I feel when I'm working on it. This piece is like a 'good energy' magnet. I have only fond feelings when I think of LAWNCHAIR and all the fantastic people connected to it over the years.

TJ: Is this your first time performing at the festival?

CHAMPLIN: No actually, two years ago I played Ann Mitchell in Andrew Gerle and Eddie Sugarman's brilliant production of MEET JOHN DOE. Again, a wonderful experience, a fantastic show-- not to mention that MEET JOHN DOE is having it's first commercial run at Goodspeed this fall and at The Fords Theatre following, so…way to go NYMF (and NAMT too) for supporting new theatre! Yay!

TJ: So this character is a far cry from the role of Pirelli in SWEENEY TODD?

CHAMPLIN: Oh LORD---they couldn't be more opposite from each other. I'm telling you!  'Pirelli the BARBER' and Gracie? Nothing in common.  At all, really.

But 'Pirelli the DOCTOR' and Gracie have quite a bit in common, I'd say. Mostly their dependability, their caretaking and their willingness to step back and let other people have the spotlight. As 'Doctor Pirelli' I'm watching out for everyone and if anyone needs anything I am there for them, no matter what it is. I will drop what I'm doing immediately to fix the situation for someone else. And if Gracie tells you she's going to do something, it's done, even if it's a sacrifice to her own heart. But both these ladies put others first consistently, in healthy, non-co-dependant sort of ways. They're solid and dependable. Like Volvos. Except Pirelli's is a pristine white color, and Gracie's looks like it just came off the Partridge Family set. Same car…totally different paint job.

Which is a comparison I never thought I'd ever make in my entire career—so, whew! Thanks for that. Who else needs a cocktail?

TJ:  You play the accordion, keyboard and flute in SWEENEY.  Any other hidden talents you have that we should know about?

CHAMPLIN: Uhm…..well, I think one of the 'best kept secrets in show business' is that I'm a hard-core hoofer. I'd love to have a crack at another decent tap role again soon. The last one was when I played "Ruby Keeler' in the national tour of JOLSON some years back. I actually started out as a dancer, even before the piano and the flute…so, yeah. That, and I am sort of an amateur ghost hunter. I was really bummed when the NYGC  (NY Ghost Chapter) didn't take me because I 'work at nights'. Arrrgh! But I have long had a fascination with things ghostly and I think MOST HAUNTED is one of the most genius TV shows I've ever seen. I can't get enough of it. On Friday nights I will stay up until 2am just to watch it on the Travel Channel. No, I don't have TIVO. And no...I don't know how to work my VCR. Sad, but true. I can't believe I just admitted that.

TJ: What have been some of the memorable moments for you while doing SWEENEY?

CHAMPLIN: It's like the whole thing from start to finish has been a dream come true. From rehearsals, to working with  Steve and John, our producers and this mind numbingly talented and selfless group of actor/musicians, to previews, to opening, to the reviews, to all the wonderful awards we were given, to the screaming standing ovations, to the fabulous fans, birthdays, holidays, everyone's cabarets and personal shows….oh. I can't even think about it because it will make me cry.

However, there was one magical moment of theatre that shook us to our core one night onstage at SWEENEY. It was a really loud and terrible thunder storm just before we started the show and you could hear it coming closer and louder as we got through the opening ballad, 'worst pies' and 'poor thing'. But when Patti says 'SO IT IS YOU, BENJAMIN BARKER!' there was the loudest CCRRAAACCCCCCKKKKK of thunder any of us had ever heard JUST as Michael ran to Patti to grab her face over the coffin. It was so loud that it rattled the entire set and took literally over 5 seconds to finally die out. No one moved a muscle and then Michael said very quietly, 'Not Barker. Todd now. Sweeney. Todd.' And I still get shivers just talking about it. It was indescribable- the timing and the energy of the whole moment. We laughed later that if it had actually been a sound cue it would have been the corniest thing ever, but because it was REAL...it was absolutely terrifying and magnificent. Afterwards, the saying backstage became 'And God said, 'Go!' (as in, 'cue for thunder- go').

TJ: What has it been like for you performing nightly in SWEENEY and also rehearsing for LAWNCHAIR MAN?

CHAMPLIN: It's funny you ask because at first I had to watch that Pirelli didn't become too 'loose' at night and Gracie didn't become too 'stern' during the day for those first couple days. And as much as I love Pirelli…Gracie is MUCH closer in energy and general vibe to my own personality. So in LAWNCHAIR rehearsals…I almost feel like Gracie is helping me 'remember myself' a little bit? Like she's 'waking me up'? Does that even make sense?

I think coming back to Gracie will be the perfect bright counter balance to the dark intensity of this past year as Pirelli. Plus, I get to SMILE again! Oy, that's the hardest part of my Pirelli…I never get to smile or LAUGH onstage and that's so so, so, so HARD for me because both things are pretty much involuntary for me. Some nights I 'm up there thinking 'oh, brilliant DL. You HAD to create a character with a neutral mask, didn't ya? Ya just HAD to make it THAT much harder on yourself. WAY to think ahead'. And A LITTLE PRIEST is the worst too. It's so hard not to crack a smile during that number.

TJ: Looking at Broadway recently, I have seen a lot of revivals and movie-inspired shows.  Do you think this is the future of Broadway or do you see more original shows getting their chance to shine?

CHAMPLIN: Well, I'm hoping it's cyclical, quite honestly. Like reality TV, it will have its time and then perhaps phase out? I am torn about the revivals because clearly, I've enjoying the fruits of being IN one the past year, but, in my mind, our SWEENEY hasn't really been a revival at all, more of a re-imagining… almost a completely new show in some respects. In fact, in rehearsals, John kept asking us 'so does it feel LESS like SWEENEY TODD, yet? So, at risk of sounding incredibly hypocritical- yes, I do have concerns about the number 'by the book' revivals on Broadway. Not because I don't enjoy them- believe me, I had an absolute ball at PAJAMA GAME. But I'm also a huge fan of new composers, writers and actors, and I am so frustrated for them because it's even harder now to find a Broadway theatre not to mention someone to invest in them. Because of the 'why take a risk when you can put your money on the tried and true idea is the corporate motto.

So, for the sake of the FUTURE of musical theatre…I do hope that it's a phase and we will soon open up more Broadway theatres to our own generation of writers. Otherwise in 30 years people will look back and think that we didn't have any-, which would be an absolute travesty because we have SO MANY! They're just not being supported right now as well as they should be in this corporate climate.

And speaking to that, I just find it ironic and slightly cruel to….do a revival that was WRITTEN for a specific personality like Ethel Merman or Mary Martin and then make our current stars (who have fantastic personalities of their own) 'fit into' a cut and paste production. That's why I love what Patti and Michael have been allowed to do in our SWEENEY. They've been allowed to bring their OWN personalities, who THEY are to these roles.

And also…going even further...where the hell are the new musicals written for OUR OWN generation of stars? I mean—where's Brian Stokes Mitchell's musical? Not Stokes starring in MAN OF LAMANCHA, or KISS ME, KATE….where the hell is HIS musical written for HIM? You know? Where's Michele Pawk's? Where's Mary Testa's? Where's Brian D'Arcy James'? We have such amazing, brilliant actors, writers and composers NOW and the opportunity for them to leave any sort of legacy is just not being offered to them right now. I would go see Mary Testa in anything, but really- can you IMAGINE the ferocity of her performance in a role written JUST FOR HER? Around her? In her keys? In her speech cadences, even? Oh my God, I'd freak out with happiness to see that happen not only for her but for THEATRE in general.

So, I'm all for revivals if they are at least somewhat different than the original and there's maybe ONE revival a season. Otherwise, I think they're taking up too much room and money that should be going to new works. This of course, I say—admitting 100% that if someone offered me the part of, whatever- 'Molly' in a traditional Broadway production of THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN tomorrow…I'd say 'You betcha! When and where'. I mean, I have these feelings about it, but I'm not nuts, you know?

Hahahahaha. Gee, aren't you glad you asked? Sorry…it's a topic I've been thinking on quite a bit especially this past year being in a revival and what that means to me, personally. Hence, the long winded reply. Oopsie.

TJ:  OK. So we know how you feel about that, whew!!  I hate to ask it, but are you going to take a break after SWEENEY and LAWNCHAIR MAN or what's up next for you?

CHAMPLIN: Uhm…..well- no. Hahahahaaa. After SWEENEY is LAWNCHAIR and then I'll do a benefit for the WESPORT COUNTY PLAYHOUSE with Sondheim and Patti and the rest of the SWEENEY ladies. Then I'm bringing back my one woman show FINISHING THE HAT at ARS NOVA on October 1^st. Then after that, I'm going to do a regional show this fall but I'm not at liberty to say what it is because they haven't finished casting yet. But it's a new piece that I've been involved with for a couple years, I think it's absolutely marvelous and I'm absolutely thrilled about doing it.

TJ: How do you find time for a social life where you are doing so many shows a week?

CHAMPLIN: It's not easy…I have lunch. A lot of lunches. Sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. I'm not a big 'goer outter after the show' kind of person.  I like to just go home after a show and be pretty mellow….but yeah. Lunch and e-mails. I send a lot of e-mails. And the occasional matinee movie. But that's about as zany as I get socially…I'm a homebody. No after dinner drinks for me.

TJ: What was your first time ever on stage?

CHAMPLIN: I'm pretty sure it was when I was the 'magic stick' girl? When I was 3 or 4 yrs old maybe? My parents worked for KODAK and they were having some big variety show and there was some skit where someone onstage needed a magic stick in a scene? So, I 'flap ball changed' my ass out there with it, handed it off, curtsied, and then 'flap ball changed' my ass back off stage left. And the rest was history, I guess.

TJ: How old were you when the acting bug first bit you?

CHAMPLIN: A year or so after that KODAK thing I played 'Gretl' in THE SOUND OF MUSIC in a community theatre somewhere. I got my first laugh ever and it was pretty much game over from that very second.

TJ: I do a thing called FAVORITE THINGS where we find out more about you offstage.  Feel free to elaborate, please!

CHAMPLIN: Well, I've mentioned the ghost hunting. I love teaching- there's this series called Broadway Classroom that I got involved with through Gordon Greenburg and I just love it, so that's been fun to discover. But my FAVORITE thing of all time though (besides chocolate) is Halloween. I love everything about it, the season, the day, how it's celebrated, its history, so…my favorite thing all year is COMING UP!  And my second most favorite thing is the HEADLESS HORSEMAN HAUNTED HAYRIDE up in Ulster, NY. I go every year come hell or high water. It's the most amazing thing ever. It's better than Christmas. Man, I get on that hayride and I just get all teary because I'm SO EXCITED! I highly recommend it- it's beyond perfection.

TJ: FAVORITE DIRECTOR

CHAMPLIN: Wow. Impossible to answer. I've been extremely lucky in the director department and there are far more 'favorite' directors for me than not, so I wouldn't feel right mentioning just one, you know?

TJ: FAVORITE MOVIE

CHAMPLIN: Oy jeeeezzzz…..I'm horrible at these because my tastes change daily…but nothing really can beat ALL THAT JAZZ. Today, at least.

TJ: FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK

CHAMPLIN: I've always been partial to Thursdays. It's right after the 'hump' of Wednesday but not the end of the week. It's a one show day if you're working. I've always imagined it in my mind as the color red, too- which is a nice color. It also happens to be 'pay day'. Which, ya know- ya can't sneeze at really.

TJ: FAVORITE SUMMERTIME ACTIVITY

CHAMPLIN: Well, I'm a winter baby so…I kinda hate the summer with a fiery passion? Hahahhahaaaa--I hate to be hot and I'm pale as death so the sun has never been my friend, so. I'd have to say in all honesty? My favorite summertime activity is counting down the days to Halloween!!! Autumn kicks summer's ass, dude! Yeah!

TJ: FAVORITE THING TO DO WHEN NOT PERFORMING ON STAGE

CHAMPLIN: Watch prime time TV! Go out for a nice evening stroll with my beau. Have dinner at 8pm or 9pm. Spend weekends walking in the village, or Little Italy. Spend more time with my 'civilian' 9-5pm friends (because when you're on show schedule you never really ever see them anymore). Travel. Go home to visit family. Anything at night and on weekends, really. But mostly- GOING TO THE THEATRE! I have a long list of the great new shows I want to see that have opened during our run. Martin Short…hang on, honey—I'm coming to SEE YA FIRST!!!

I love this lady!!! Wow, what a character she is, huh!  Very open and honest, just like I like them. Catch the show, FLIGHT OF THE LAWNCHAIR MAN, a new musical comedy with music and lyrics by Robert Lindsey-Nassif (Hollywood Arms) and a book by Peter Ullian and directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Swing!) and starring Donna Lynne Champlin lands at the 37 Arts Theatre (450 W 37^th Street) for six performances only beginning Wednesday, September 13, 2006. and run as follows:

Wednesday, September 13^th at 8:00 p.m.

Friday, September 15^th at 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 17^th at 8:00 p.m.

Monday, September 18^th at 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Tickets for FLIGHT OF THE LAWNCHAIR MAN are $20 and will be available online beginning Friday, September 1 by visiting www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.  Take care folks and remember, theatre is my life. Ciao!!