BWW EXCLUSIVE Interview: Harry Connick, Jr. On Doing it All

Today we are talking to Emmy and multi-Grammy-winning actor, musician and performer Harry Connick, Jr. about his new concert CD/DVD/Blu-Ray HARRY CONNICK, JR.: ON BROADWAY, in stores this week and premiering on PBS GREAT PERFORMANCES nationwide on Sunday. In this revealing two-part discussion encapsulating many of Harry's stage, film and concert memories - as well as anecdotes about working with friends and co-stars like Sandra Bullock, Hilary Swank and Renee Zellweger - we analyze the sights and sounds of his new concert album and DVD (which was filmed at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway last year) with central focus of the conversation being his passion for musical theatre music - as a musician, composer, performer and actor - and what the future holds for him on stages and screens large and small around the world. Of course, all of this is coming on the heels of the first news of Harry himself starring in the highly-awaited revival of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER on Broadway next year! All that and much, much more awaits in this extensive weekend triptych feature, so don't miss the special Harry-centric edition of FLASH FRIDAY for the full experience!

In Part II we have Harry's thoughts on mentoring AMERICAN IDOL contestants, GLEE, details about his new movies DOLPHIN TALE and WHEN ANGELS SING, working on BUG, HOPE FLOATS and more, in addition to his earliest musical theatre memories and what his stage work has meant to him, both as an actor and performer. But, first, enjoy this largely music-focused discussion - just as it should be when dealing with the reigning king of New Orleans jazz and America's best-loved classic song crooner - with a thorough rundown of writing his first Broadway musical, THOU SHALT NOT, and revisiting the finely-crafted tunes on three albums and, now, on the ON BROADWAY CD/DVD - plus thoughts on Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Frank Loesser and more! It's a whole lotta Harry!

Part II: Doing It All

PC: It's so simply awesome to see you hold the stage, sing, and conduct the orchestra simultaneously like you do on the DVD. It's so smooth.

HCJ: Well, it's tough. You're trying to do it all and you have everyone with their eyes on you; watching you. It's really funny that you noticed that, because you really have to be a musician to notice it. Most people think I am doing a Mariah Carey-type thing. (Laughs.)

PC: No diva hand gestures from Harry!

HCJ: (Laughs.) It's funny, too, because the musicians are so disciplined in the way that they watch. Many times I will say, "Look, I can't give this prompt to you or that to you, but I can do this and I can do that. Is that cool? Can you spot me?" and, they're like, "Oh yeah, man. Whatever you want us to do." They're very committed to keeping a close eye on me and it's all a team effort.

PC: That really comes through on the DVD. Was this your road orchestra for the most part?

HCJ: The strings were all New York people. But, by the time we filmed it we had been playing together for about two weeks, so they knew the music pretty well - even though we changed it and tempos changed and fermatas changed in length; they were all right with me.

PC: Speaking of Mariah, will you be guest-judging on AMERICAN IDOL again this year?

HCJ: I don't think so. They haven't asked me - if they asked me, I'll think about it, I guess. But, they haven't even asked me.

PC: Would you consider doing GLEE?

HCJ: I know my wife and my daughters would love it if I did GLEE!

PC: They're fans then?

HCJ: Oh, yeah. I haven't even thought about it seriously, though. They haven't approached me, anyway.

PC: Do you think it's a good show? Do you approve of them bringing Broadway music and standards to a potentially new audience?

HCJ: I think it's nice that they bring music to the masses, but I don't like how they pitch-correct things!

PC: Does Autotune drive you nuts as a real musician?

HCJ: They don't need to use it. They don't need to do that. It's really unfortunate. Also, it's creating a dependency for people to just assume that's the way it's going to be. I think it's very, very unfortunate and extremely damaging to young singers. They think they are just going to walk into the studio and have all their flaws fixed - it's like using spellcheck on a wordprocesser and never learning how to spell. I think it's sad. And, it's so overused. I think the show is fun, otherwise, though.

PC: Can you imagine having Julie Andrews Autotuned?

HCJ: You can bet they will, though! You know, if I ever did that show I would have it written into my contract.

PC: Really?

HCJ: Absolutely, no question. No Autotune!

PC: What's on your iPod right now?

HCJ: You'll never believe it: nothing.

PC: Really? Why?

HCJ: I don't have one song - oh yeah, I do have one song: "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton-John.

PC: The original or the GLEE version? (Laughs.)

HCJ: Original! Only! (Laughs.)

PC: Why that song out of all songs?

HCJ: I downloaded it in the hair and makeup trailer of the movie I'm doing because we were talking about it. That's the one song on my iPod. So, if I got in a car wreck and somebody looked through my iPod, that's the one song that's on there.

PC: What movie are you working on? The Kris Kristofferson one?

HCJ: Yes. Actually, it's weird because both the last two movies I've done have Kris Kristofferson in them!

PC: Who else is in the cast?

HCJ: It's with Willie Nelson and Kris and some other people. We're shooting it in Austin right now and it's called WHEN ANGELS SING.

PC: You're working with Willie Nelson? No way! What's that like?

HCJ: Yeah, he's really cool. It's gonna be awesome!

PC: Willie has been doing some concerts with Jason Mraz recently, who has also done this column. Do you know Jason?

HCJ: I think I've met him once or twice, but I don't really know him.

PC: I have to ask you about one of my favorite films of the last ten years: BUG, directed by William Friedkin, written by Tracy Letts based on his play. What was it like working on that with Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd?

HCJ: It was unbelievable, man. I mean, Michael - I just have so much respect for him. It's such a difficult role to play. I'm sure it was hard to do onstage, but on film it was really, really hard - even just the physicality and having to sleep in that make-up at night. It was just really difficult for him - but you'd never know it.

PC: And William Friedkin?

HCJ: Billy Friedkin is just one of the greatest minds I've ever met. (Pause.) It was incredible.

PC: Were you a fan of his?

HCJ: Oh, my God! Huge!

PC: What's your favorite film that you've done?

HCJ: Hmm. (Long Pause.) I don't know, I have so many different reasons...

PC: THE HAPPY ELF since it was your idea and you did virtually everything on it?

HCJ: Yeah, I don't know if it's that one, though. (Pause.) Favorite? Hmm. You see, for me, it's about the experience and the people you meet.

PC: Such as?

HCJ: Like when I did HOPE FLOATS, I met Sandy Bullock and she has become a great friend. Hilary Swank has become a good friend. Renee Zellweger. It's all about the experiences and the journey. And, I've been able to take these journeys with people I really admire - like doing BUG with Billy Friedkin. There's a lot of different ones I like for different reasons.

PC: Since she's a good friend, can you tell me if the rumor is true that Sandra Bullock can really sing? I've heard that.

HCJ: Oh, yeah! Both of her parents are opera singers!

PC: I can't wait for the duet!

HCJ: (Laughs.) Me either!

PC: What's next? Give me the six-month-plan.

HCJ: CD and DVD come out this week. Then, I am finishing up this movie in Austin, Texas. There's another movie coming out that I'm in called DOLPHIN TALE, in the Fall. Then I go on the road and start playing some dates in a few weeks, too.

PC: Do you have a lot of dates lined up?

HCJ: Yeah, I think we're playing like a month or six weeks. It's not huge, but we're playing quite a few dates.

PC: And you'll be all over TV promoting the album and DVD and performing material from it, I hope?

HCJ: Yeah, I'm doing a bunch of press for it this week.

PC: What was the first musical you remember seeing and how did effect you?

HCJ: The first show I saw was SOPHISTICATED LADIES.

PC: How perfect! Duke Ellington - a jazz king like yourself!

HCJ: So cool, right?

PC: Did you enjoy it and respond to it in any way as a kid?

HCJ: Oh, yeah. I loved it. I just loved it. We knew Maurice Hines and to just be around that whole crew was so amazing - it was magical, actually.

PC: What was the first movie musical you remember seeing?

HCJ: It was probably WIZARD OF OZ, I guess.

PC: What do you think about Andrew Lloyd Webber supplanting the score with four or five new songs for the new stage version? Would you ever do something like that - supplant another composer's work?

HCJ: No.

PC: Gilding the lily?

HCJ: Yeah, I don't know, at this point I just wouldn't do it. But, he's Andrew Lloyd Webber, man - he can do what he wants.

PC: Are you working on writing a new musical?

HCJ: I think at some point I will get back to it. I have just been so busy, right now, that it's just hard to fit it all in. There are some things sort of swirling around, but I just gotta finish this movie I'm doing and then figure it all out.

PC: Make it a funk musical! I love both your funk albums.

HCJ: Oh, thanks man! I love hearing that. I guess you just never know!

PC: Define collaboration.

HCJ: You just have to leave your ego at the door and be able to sacrifice what you think your best stuff is and be willing to go down a different road than you had planned on going down. I think that's hard for a lot of artists because they are egotistical - in a good way - and they are confident. I am certainly one of those people. When you meet somebody that takes you down a different road outside your comfort zone, it's a little startling at first. I actually liked the process, but I don't know if I could do it all the time. Collaboration can be liberating, especially when you find things that you wouldn't have thought of on your own.

PC: Like how you properly introduced New Orleans jazz to Broadway with THOU SHALT NOT. You're the voice of that kind of music for the whole world, really.

HCJ: Aww, thanks, Pat. That means a lot.

PC: This was awesome, Harry. We love you on Broadway so please come back soon!

HCJ: Thanks, man. This was really interesting and fun. Bye now.