Interview: FNAM Honoree Marc Shaiman Even Busier Than Ever

The Foundation for New American Musicals (FNAM) will honor Marc Shaiman with their inaugural Inspire Award at their FNAM ALL-STAR BENEFIT AND FUNDRAISER October 24th at a private Pacific Palisades residence. Scheduled to appear that night: Megan Hilty, Matthew Morrison, Bruce Vilanch, Marisha Wallace and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Marc took a brief moment from his many obligations to answer my queries with his snappy quips.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Marc!

Where were you when you were notified that you would be honored by the Foundation for New American Musicals with their first Inspire Award?

I dunno, eating breakfast?

When did you start serving on FNAM's Advisory Board?

The second Michael Donovan (FNAM Board President) asked me to!

You've been known to compose witty lyrics for any given topic at a drop of a hat. What would your quick ditty on what FNAM does?

I'm too tired, sorry.

You write, compose and arrange for theatre, film, television, recordings and cabaret acts. If you had your druthers (and compensation wasn't a factor), which medium would you concentrate your writing talents in?

My dream is to be a short-order cook at a hole in the wall diner, far away from people in show business who give "notes." The next and only person I care to judge me from this point on is St. Peter.

Do you have a rulebook of sorts delineating how you write, compose and arrange for theatre, film, television, recordings or cabaret performer?

I guess I do, but I just get to work and follow my ever-expanding gut.

I saw and loved your TV series Smash, as well as the subsequent Actors' Fund concert of it. What's the latest on the Smash musical BOMBSHELL?

Stay tuned...!

You're an 'O' short of an EGOT. What do you have lined up in film?

Thanks for mentioning my shortcomings. That's always a good thing to do in an interview.

What the QT on your current projects - musical SOME LIKE IT HOT and the upcoming Broadway production PLAZA SUITE?

SOME LIKE IT HOT is coming next season and had better be fabulous. And it is a joy to watch SJP & Matthew Broderick playing with each other in PLAZA SUITE. I love them both dearly.

Whose idea was it for you, Matt Stone and Trey Parker to dress up for the 72nd Oscars as respectively powder blue pimp, Gwenyth and JLo?

It was Matt and Trey's idea, who were on acid that night I might add. Well, I couldn't just stand between them in a boring old tux, so the fashion coordinator of the Oscars that year (a fabulous woman named L'Wren Scott) threw together my outfit in hopes that it would complement them. We had a blast. Until we lost to Phil Collins.

Robin Williams performed your song "Blame Canada," a nominee for Best Song on the Oscars telecast. Did you have any reservations on how the networks censor might view your song?

No, we knew there was only one word that we couldn't use, and we worked that out in the performance. Robin was the best. His illness and death were a great tragedy.

Out of all the many awards you've won so far, does any particular one stand out above all the rest, and why?

The Tonys for HAIRSPRAY that Scott and I won will always be the perfect cherry on the cake of the dream come true that HAIRSPRAY was to us. What a night it was!

Your resume includes so many projects, we could go on for weeks discussing them all. So, how about I name a few and you give a witty ditty (or word) on each?

Mary Poppins Returns, HAIRSPRAY, Oscar host Billy Crystal, Sleepless in Seattle, Tonight Show's final guest Bette Midler, Peter Allen - UP IN ONE, PROP 8 - THE MUSICAL, Patti LuPone ON BROADWAY, Bette Midler's DIVINE MADNESS, Barbra Streisand, Audra McDonald, Kristen Chenoweth.

I loved them all. For more details, you'll have to read the book.

You're worked steadily in show biz since you were 16 in 1976. What other projects (besides the aforementioned SOME LIKE IT HOT and PLAZA SUITE) are you juggling this September of 2021?

Just too much to mention, which is why I'm exhausted.

Do you still have the ultimate, uniquely Marc Shaiman project that you want to wow the world with?

See the short-order cook answer up above.

Thank you again, Marc! And congratulations on receiving FNMA's first Inspire Award.

Thank you, Gil!

For tickets to the live FNAM ALL-STAR BENEFIT AND FUNDRAISER October 24, 2021; log onto www.FNAM.us

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