Interview: BWW Interviews David Johnson, Who Plays Max Bialystock in THE PRODUCERS, Coming to Riverside's Fox PAC on Valentine's Day (Corrected)

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Valentine's Day as Saturday, February 14th. Valentine's Day is SUNDAY, February 14th. THE PRODUCERS will be playing in Riverside on Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14th.

What could possibly be a better Valentine's Day gift than taking your honey to hear about financial fraud and Hitler? I can think of nothing sweeter, if the gift is attendance at the hilarious Mel Brooks musical, THE PRODUCERS, appearing at the Fox Performing Arts Center (Fox PAC) for two performances on Sunday, February 14, 2016.

THE PRODUCERS started life in 1968 as a zany movie starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, about producing a musical designed to flop. Unfortunately for their characters, Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, who oversold shares to little old ladies with romantic designs on Max, their hoped-for flop about Hitler becomes a hit. In 2001, Mel Brooks brought a musical version of THE PRODUCERS to Broadway, starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, which ran for six uproarious years.

Broadway World conducted an email interview with David Johnson, a veteran performer, nightclub operator, and medical professional (yes, really!), about his larger-than-life role as Max Bialystock in the current North American tour.

Broadway World: What do you do to make Max Bialystock your own when you're following in the steps of icons such as Zero Mostel and Nathan Lane?

David Johnson: When preparing for a role, I try to rely on my own character research and development rather than mimicking the performance of another actor. Both Nathan and Zero are tremendous and iconic, true heroes of mine. I found my own self in Max Bialystock and took it from there. That's the only way to give an honest performance. And, the truth is always funnier than fiction. Truth be told, I'm a pretty eccentric character in real life.

BWW: Mel Brooks has a biting sense of humor, and The Producers" has a great deal of biting satire. How do you translate those elements and still seem lovable as Max?

DJ: I call it service with a smile. It's all in the intention. Max isn't villainous. His actions may say otherwise, but he's a dreamer at the core - he's not out to hurt anyone. He's lovable and slimy all rolled into one. He wants success just as much as the next guy, but he's a bit of a trainwreck.

BWW: Do you go about planning your character and rehearsing differently for a comedic role & a serious role?

DJ: No, I don't. I keep it honest and let the script/dialogue dictate the story. The audience decides whether it's funny or dramatic. Once I'm done preparing for a role, the director will step in and nuance and direct according to what the "story" needs. And I'm blessed to have worked with our team of Nigel West, Lauren Kadel and Peter Leigh-Nilsen. Not to mention Susan Stroman [director and choreographer of the Broadway production] was a doll! Unbelievable woman, she is!

BWW: How does company preparation differ between a long, "sitdown" run and a short stop?

DJ: A performance is a performance. And the show is the same whether it's a long run or one-performance stop. But, we have a giant show with Broadway sets and costumes, so depending on the wing space and venue size some sets may need to be downsized. At each new venue we have a company meeting, a sound check for actors and musicians, and a 20-minute blocking rehearsal with our dance captains, Zach Hawthorne and Anne Marie Snyder. Once a week, usually during a sit-down, we will have a full rehearsal session.

BWW: What is your dream role?

DJ: Nostradamus in "Something Rotten," Pseudolus in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," and of course Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" (Hahaha!). In all seriousness, Max Bialystock is a dream role and I'm honored to be playing him every night.

BWW: Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers of BroadwayWorld?

DJ: After having stepped away from the theater of over 15 years, I am truly grateful to be performing again. I believe it's important for actors to be multi-faceted in their career pathways. I hold a degree in Musical Theatre and have performed around the country in numerous national tours and regionally, but the life experience I've gained over the course of the past 15 years has served me more so than the stage time I've accrued as an actor. I owned a popular dance club in Chelsea, NY, I have worked in nursing in ICU, CCU and Telemetry, among other things, and these experiences (both personal and professional) offer me the sense memory and life experience needed to make the characters I portray real. And, I am honored to be doing so.

THE PRODUCERS will play at the Fox Performing Arts Center for two performances, both on Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14, 2016, at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m.) and 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.). Ticket prices range from $38.50 to $63.50, plus fees and tax. Tickets are available at www.riversidelive.com, through Ticketmaster, at the box office, or at 1-800-745-3000. The Fox PAC is located at 3801 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501, about 120 miles from San Diego, 70 miles from parts of the San Fernando Valley and West LA, 57 miles from Long Beach, 55 miles from Palm Springs, and 45 miles from Anaheim.

More information on the national tour of THE PRODUCERS is available at its web site, http://theproducersontour.com/.

To post a comment, you must register and login.