Interview: Chatting With Broadway Veteran RYAN MCCARTAN

Ryan McCartan is known for playing Jason "J.D. Dean" in the original off-broadway production of Heathers. Brad Majors in the 2016 Fox musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Ryan also played Diggie Smalls in Disney Channel's sitcom Live and Maddie. Fiyero in Wicked, and most recently Hans in Frozen.

Ryan is also a native of Minnesota. Thank you so much, Ryan, it's wonderful to chat with you!

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in theatre?

My sister has always been a performer, and I looked up to her a lot as a kid (Still do!) She started taking dance lessons, so I started taking dance lessons; she started taking voice lessons, so I started taking voice lessons. She started working a lot in the Twin Cities, so I wanted to work too! Eventually an opportunity came my way to play in a show at the History Theater in St. Paul, my first professional gig at 8 years old. Doing professional theater at such an impressionable age was the hook, line, and sinker. Theater reeled me in and I've never been able to pull myself away.

How does it feel to have live theatre coming back and performing in front of a live audience again?

Bad interview answer, but it's indescribable. It is difficult to put into words the pit you feel in your soul when you lose something of ultimate value to you. I know a lot of people experienced those feelings of extreme loss as a consequence of the pandemic; so, coming to terms with that epic absence of theater left a deep and hungry void in me that could be filled by only one thing. To have theater come back, to be performing for people again, and to have the magic of live theater rush in and finally fill that void by surprise and all at once? I'm not sure words could ever describe how healing that is or how overwhelming that feels. Very lovely, very emotional. I'm so happy to be back.

What is your favorite musical?

Spring Awakening. It was my "Finally someone understands me. I listen to this to get through high school" album.

What is your favorite musical song to sing?

Maria - West Side Story

What is another dream role you want to play?

I always say that I don't think my dream role has been written yet. I love new work, collaborating in the room and creating characters from scratch. I especially enjoy playing characters who have a 180 degree change in alignment: Characters who start the show as the villain but by the end have joined the good guys; or of course, vice versa.

Who were your musical influences?

Jamie Cullum, Michael Bublé, Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby McFerrin and of course the one and only Miss Patti LuPone

What is your favorite role you've played?

Brad Majors in the FOX remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The talent of that cast and creative team was incomparable, having Lou Adler and Tim Curry lending themselves to the project after being so instrumental in creating the original, being directed by Kenny Ortega... a confluence of miracles brought me to that project and it remains both the work I'm proudest of and the gig I had the most fun doing.

What was the first show you saw on Broadway?

Mary Poppins!

What is your favorite place in Minnesota?

Downtown Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka. I came of age there, got kissed there, threw rocks there, did homework there, watched fireworks there, made friends there. So many of my most treasured childhood memories happened in or around the Excelsior Commons and the lake.

Thank you so much Ryan for your time! We greatly appreciate it and look forward to seeing theatrical journey continue!

Photo courtesy of Ryan McCartan

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