We talk to Ryan Davis and Jeffery Self, the conceivers of the benefit Mr. Broadway.

Mr. Broadway is a "beauty pageant" where one male cast member from each Broadway show competes in the areas of talent, interview, and, of course, swim suit. The contestants are evaluated by a panel of celebrity judges, but the final vote is up to the audience. Also on our show, Contestants Kenway Hon Wai K Kua from "Wicked", Paul McGill from "A Chorus Line" and Franlere Grande from "Mama Mia" answer questions to help you judge the winner!

The money raised from the Mr. Broadway goes to the Ali Forney Center, which is a homeless shelter for LGBT youth.

Mr. Broadway will be held April 30th at 8pm. For tickets and more info click here.

 You can listen to the Theme for Mr. Broadway in Broadway Bullet Vol. 111

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 You can listen to this interview and many other great features for free on Broadway Bullet vol. 111. Subscribe for free so you don't miss an episode.

 or MP3 Feed with XML

Broadway Bullet Interview: Mr. Broadway

Broadway Bullet: Ryan J Davis, why are you back here? We're getting sick of you.

 Ryan Davis: (laughing) You keep having me Michael. I keep coming back.

BB: So you've got a very special event going on here.

RD: I am directing Mr. Broadway which is an event created by Jeffery Self who's with me as well. And it is a beauty pageant for Broadway actors, kind of like Miss USA or Miss America but it's Mr. Broadway.

Jeffery Self: Ryan and I were sitting around one day, during the Miss USA scandal and all of that ordeal with Mr. Trump and Miss Conner . And we're loving the idea of doing a beauty pageant with guys from different Broadway shows because there's so many beautiful people in all theses shows.

RD: And we thought like, "How come someone hasn't done this before?"

JS: And it's such a great format to play with. It's different than just a concert of these 10 guys singing songs. Cause you are getting something like that. But you're getting sort of a structure in some way.

RD: And there's definitely a competitive aspect to it. I know some of the guys have really gone out of their way to win Mr. Broadway. Some of the guys they pretend to be friends but deep down they're thinking, "Who's gonna take my crown?" They're ready to fight for it.

BB: Now how's the voting going to go?

JS: We have a panel of 3 judges who will select a final 5 out of 10 contestants. Then the audience votes on the final 5. So it's up to the audience, a la American Idol.

RD: You got to have democracy somewhere in America.

JS: You use that quote in every interview we have about Mr. Broadway.

RD: I've never used that quote before.

BB: Now this is on April 30^th?

JS: April 30^th at New World Stages.

BB: So along with this, I assume this is for some sort of benefit.

JS:  Yes.

BB: You can't have a special one night show without benefiting something.

JS: You better believe it. It is for the wonderful Ali Forney Center, which is this organization based here in New York that provides housing and support for homeless LGBT  youth in the New York City area.

BB: For some of our listeners, most of our listeners may be kind of hip to this, but maybe for some of our listeners, what does that stand for?

JS: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual.

RD: There's a lot of things you can be.

JS: And it's a wonderful organization. And It's oddly a very large problem in the city of New York. And Ali Forney is really stepping up to the plate to do something about it. And it's really a great thing.

RD: Yeah. And you're listeners all over the country can visit our website at MrBroadway.org and there's a link to the Ali Forney Center there and they can read all about the organization and how they can help out. It's a global problem. But it's a big problem in cities like New York, and LA, and San Francisco. Because people come here because they don't haven anywhere else to go, and they figure," I'll just go to New York".

JS: It's easier to be homeless in New York than in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is. That's what it would seem.  So It's where they come.

BB: I always encourage our listeners; they can donate online as well?

RD: Absolutely. There's a link on the website there and they can donate online, and they can read about the programs that are offered.

JS: Totally. It's a great organization.

BB: Now you've also brought 3 of your contestants in to plead to our audience, and then after that they're going to sing a number for us?

RD: Precisely. There's a new song by Eric Svejcar which is sort of a jingle to MR. Broadway that we're going to debut today.

JS: We have a couple original songs in the show. We have songs by Eric Svejcar. Eric is from Jacques Brel . He was the musical director for that. Lisa Lambert who won they Tony award last year for The Drowsy Chaperone is writing a song with Glen Kelly who is a terrific song writer and arranger. And also Sean McDaniel and Ben Cohn who are 2 wonderful guys writing a song. They're both Broadway pit players and are writing some shows, and are currently writing the Tammy Faye Bakker musical with us. So they're really great. So there's a bunch of fun original songs. And the guys are singing songs for their talents, a few of them. Some of them are doing special talents. Varied things. We've encouraged somebody to breathe fire.

RD: But no one's jumped on that yet.   We encourage if any of the contestants are listening right now if you can learn to breathe fire or swallow swords within the next 2 weeks, you're probably going to win Mr. Broadway.

JD: From what I hear, Judge Seth Rudetsky enjoys a little fire breathing. So it's going to be a lot of fun.

BB: Alright. So should we hear from our contestants?

RD: Absolutely. Let's ask them some questions.

BB: Mr. Broadway, Contestant #1, please introduce yourself.

Paul McGill :Hi. I am Paul McGill   I am from A Chorus Line.

BB: And Paul, if you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

PM: This sounds a little pagenty but I would change world peace. I think that we have the power as humans to change that and I think we're on our way.

BB: And if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

PM: One with Strong Christian roots. (laughs) No, I would be a sassafras tree because, growing up I had a sassafras tree outside of my house. I always had to rake the leaves and it smelled so good. That's why.

BB: And If you are voted Mr. Broadway, what will be your first change?

 PM: I don't know if I really want to change anything. As Mr. Broadway I want to be able to go into the community, the Ali Forney center, Broadway cares, and outside of Broadway, to represent Broadway to other people, to be the best representative of Broadway that I can be.

BB: In reference to a circle, what is pi?

 PM: 3.14, right? Repeating? 3.14 repeating.

 BB: Contestant #2, please introduce yourself.

Frankie James Grande: Hi. I'm Frankie James Grande  and I'm in the cast of Mamma Mia!. I come from South Florida, and here I am.

BB: And if you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

FG: It's a very interesting question. I'd have to say I'd have to put the corporation Disney World in charge of our government. Because they run extremely efficiently. Thank you.

BB: And if you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?

 FG: Does it have to be living? Or could it be extinct? Probably a cheetah. No, I don't want to be a cheetah. I have to think about this. Give me a second. I'd think I'd have to be a monkey/ Because that's kind of my personality. I like to climb things and groom other people. I just, yeah. Definitely a monkey of sorts. Spider monkey? Yeah a spider monkey. It just sort of exudes my personality, just high energy all over the place.

BB: And if you were voted Mr. Broadway, what will be your first change?

FG: To bring my influence as MR. Broadway, to struggling actors throughout the community. By hosting events and parties. That's all I got. Thank you.

BB: E=mc what?

FG: Squared.

BB: Thank you very much. Contestant #3, introduce yourself.

Kenway Hon Wai K. Kua: My name is Kenway Kua. I'm from Wicked  and I'm 26. 

BB: If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

KK: I would wave my magic wand and make world peace.

BB: If you were a fossil, what kind of fossil would you be?

KK: I would be a fossil of a hippopotamus. I would be a fossil of a hippo, because then I would know what it would be like to be humongous.

BB: And if you are Mr. Broadway, what will be your first change?

KK: No more raked stages on Broadway. No more raked stages. It's not necessary. It injures people. And it's got to go.

BB: What is the capitol of North Dakota?

KK: I have no idea.

BB: Can you name a city in North Dakota.

KK: Nope. I'm from Hawaii. You're lucky I know where North Dakota is on the map.

BB: Where is North Dakota on the map?

KK: Somewhere.

BB: Alright, thank you.

KK: Thank you.

BB: Well thank you for bringing down some of the contestants here for our virtual Mr. Broadway on BroadwayBullet. And again that is April 30th?

JS: April 30th. Monday.

BB: New World Stages?

RD: New World Stages. MrBroadway.org.

BB: Thank you very much. 

You can listen to the Theme for Mr. Broadway in Broadway Bullet Vol. 111

###

You can listen to this interview and many other great features for free on Broadway Bullet vol. 111. Subscribe for free so you don't miss an episode.

 or MP3 Feed with XML