Words From The Wings: Nathan Lucrezio of THE WHO'S TOMMY Talks Favorite Backstage Moments & More!

BroadwayWorld is bringing you Words From the Wings, a new series of interviews that take fans behind the scenes of some of their favorite Broadway stars' backstage routines!

Today we're chatting with Nathan Lucrezio, who is currently appearing in The Who's Tommy. Nathan told us all about his backstage routines, favorite moments, and more!

Check out his answers, along with photos taken by BroadwayWorld's Jennifer Broski, below!

What’s the first thing you do when you arrive to the theatre?

The first thing I do when I arrive to the theater is say hello to our door man Joe, or Joaquin, sign in, and then head up the many stairs to my dressing room on the 5th floor. BUT, I always make sure to stop by John Ambrisino’s dressing room and visit. We always have a good chat, and laugh together.

What’s the last thing you do before you go on stage?

The last thing I do before I go onstage is grab my Tommy helmet which audiences will understand when they come see, and then head to the stage for our Cast huddle. We all put our hands in and give a cheer as a way to bring us together before the curtain goes up!

What’s your must-have backstage snack?

Ooooo I like this question. My favorites snack is anything that involves gummies. Whether it’s Haribo Gummy bears, Albanese gummy bears, Sour patch kids, or Trolls Sour brite crawlers, it gives me that little zap of sugar I need to energize me through the show.

Pre-show ritual that others may think is weird?

I don’t know that I have a pre show ritual others think is weird. BUT, I do have three wigs in the show and I have to get into one of them before we start. I’m bald so adding a full head of hair always gets me in the zone and ready to dive into the world of Tommy. 

What are five must-haves in your dressing room?

Five must haves in my dressing room are a change of dance clothes, deodorant, a water bottle, my script, and a sharpie. All the essentials. 

What’s your favorite moment from the show to watch from the wings?

My favorite moment to watch from the wings is when Alison Luff as Mrs. Walker sings her option up note on the lyric “Rise” in Smash The Mirror. It’s incredible, flawless and blows me away every night. 

What has been your favorite backstage moment in your time with this show so far?

My favorite backstage moment with this show happened on the first Thursday performance when we were in Chicago at The Goodman Theatre. As we began to sing the final number “Listening to You” the audience rose to their feet cheering, clapping, and singing along to the song. We got offstage and all of us were completely overwhelmed. We were crying out of amazement because none of us expected the kind of response we just witnessed. It was an incredible moment I’ll never forget.

About Nathan Lucrezio 

Broadway: Diana, Aladdin, Cinderella. Tour: A Chorus Line. Other: The Who’s Tommy (Goodman Theatre), White Christmas (Bucks County), UnHeard: The Musical (Writer, 29-Hour Equity Reading), The Life of Death (MCC), Guys and Dolls(Kennedy Center), The Life (NYCC), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (NSMT), Diana (La Jolla), “The Equalizer” (NBC), Nathan Lucrezio Covers Vol. 1 (Streaming), BFA (PSU), Agent BWA. nathanlucrezio.com @nathanlucrezio