Interview: SO NOW YOU KNOW with Adam Pascal

"How we gonna pay last year's rent?" sang the two lead characters, Mark Cohen and Roger Davis on the opening night in the first song on April 29,1996 on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre. The show that went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical that year and change musical theater history forever was, of course, Jonathan Larson's RENT and the original Broadway lead who brought life to Roger Davis was the Tony Award nominated performer, Adam Pascal.

Shamefully, I must admit that I have never seen a stage production of RENT, only the movie. I was introduced to Adam Pascal's rock theater voice in the hit Disney Theatrical's show AIDA. Adam's sound in AIDA was the epitome of a rock tenor. To hit those notes for that length of time is quite an impressive fete.

It turns out that Adam has been performing with rock bands for many years; his first at age12 in New York City. Adam humbly admits below that he never aspired to have a life in the theater. I find that fascinating. This from the successful guy who has starred in eight Broadway shows

including, most recently, as Edward Lewis in "Pretty Woman".

Like many Broadway performers, Adam has been filling this time doing online shows, cameo appearances and benefit shows like Seth Rudetsky's Stars In The House which has raised a great deal of funds for The Actors Fund. Here's hoping that the theaters will be open again soon and that Adam will be singing a rock ballad center stage when they do!

NA: Who is your mentor and what would you like to say to your mentor?

AP: I have never had a mentor. I have had people in my life that have helped and advised me but there has never been one person to whom I would consistently return to for guidance.

NA: What has this business given you and what has it taken away?

AP: It has given me the gift of doing something that I love for a career. It has taken away any sense of security. It has taken any consistency of standard of living. It has taken me away from my family for extended periods of time.

NA: What is the hour like before you go on stage?

AP: I am generally in my dressing room. Warming up my voice. If it's a music gig, warming up my hands on the guitar. Drinking a lot of water. Maybe listening or watching something mindless like Family Guy or the Howard Stern Show.

NA: If you could experience one performance over again, which one would it be and why?

AP: I got to perform We are the Champions with Brian May at The Royal Albert Hall in London. That was truly a dream come true. Would love to relive that experience.

NA: What are you most proud of?

AP: My sons.

NA: Who are three theatre performers you idolized growing up?

AP: I didn't idolize theater performers growing up because it was never a career aspiration of mine.

NA: I would say that there are going to be some people reading this article that will find your last answer hard to believe. How did you end up on Broadway and eventually becoming a Tony Award nominee?

AP: I was very lucky in that I auditioned for Rent on a whim having been alerted to it by my childhood friend Idina Menzel. Right place, right time.

NA: What was the first rehearsal for RENT like?

AP: We learned the song Seasons of Love and we sang it and it was magical to hear all 15 of us together.

NA: You've been on Broadway in several productions. What was one of the craziest things that happened during a show that the audience had no idea was happening?

AP: During a performance Aida, Taylor Dane who is playing Amneris, got stuck in the elevator and they had to call the fire department to pry her out with the jaws of life.

NA: You have also crossed over into cabaret performing. What is it you enjoy most about performing in an intimate cabaret club?

AP: I enjoy having that intimate connection with the audience getting getting to see their faces and sometimes even engaging with them individually during a performance.

NA: What is a "bucket list" role for you?

AP: Jean Valjean.

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