Kendra Kassebaum: From Oz to the Office

After over two years in the role of Glinda in Wicked (1st National Tour, Broadway), Kendra Kassebaum is removing the glittery tiara and… answering office calls!

The Manhattan Theatre Club presents the world premiere of Adam Bock's new play, The Receptionist, to play City Center beginning October 12.  Kassebaum stars as Lorraine, an office professional with personal problems.  Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner, Joe Mantello, the cast includes Josh Charles, Robert Foxworth and Jayne Houdyshell.

Beverly (Houdyshell) takes pride in her work as the receptionist at a busy Northeast office. Whether coaching her co-worker Lorraine (Kassebaum) through romantic troubles, fielding calls for their boss Mr. Raymond (Foxworth) or carefully monitoring the flow of office supplies, Beverly keeps her domain shipshape. But when handsome Mr. Dart (Charles) arrives unexpectedly from the central office, Beverly is charmed, Lorraine is smitten and Mr. Raymond is caught completely off guard.

Between elevator rides and noisy city sirens, BroadwayWorld.com's own News Desk Editor, Eugene Lovendusky, grabbed a quick opportunity to chat with Kendra Kassebaum about her up-coming role, and the process of moving from a blockbuster musical to originating a role in a new straight play…

Eugene Lovendusky: Congratulations! Here you are prepping for Manhattan Theatre Club's world premiere play, The Receptionist, by Adam Bock… How are rehearsals going?

Kendra Kassebaum: They're going good… We're working it all out and it's going well.

Eugene: Your character, Lorraine, is billed as an office worker with romantic troubles. What more can you tell us about your character and how you fit into the scheme of things?

Kendra: Lorraine is just very successful in her professional life, but her personal life… not so much! Her personal life needs a little help. That's what we're exploring; how those two relate to each other. She's a very successful junior executive but her personal life is a little bit on the messier side.

Eugene: What's it like to originate your role?

Kendra: It's great, it's a creative process! It's something that I've been hungry for and I feel like I'm getting fed every day! We've got Adam and Joe in the room, and it's intense but it's a good intensity, you know? It's kind of like an actor's dream.

Eugene: Awesome! This production marks – not the first, not the second, but – the third time you've worked with Joe Mantello as your director. Tell me what it's like working under this man's creative guidance?

Kendra: Each situation is different... Each situation, I'm a different person I guess. He's present; the actors are present; and you just work in that moment, trying to flush it out.  We have history from Assassins and Wicked, but it's always new beginnings between us.  You start off fresh and that's what I like and respect about him.

Eugene: You and Jayne Houdyshell shared some stage-time in Wicked but now you're together again, opposite Josh Charles and Robert Foxworth.  What's it like working with this cast?

Kendra: First of all, it's a blast. Just fun; it's a good environment to play. And Jayne and I have a great time together because we're somewhat familiar with each other; that's a fun and comfortable place to start at when building our relationship.  Everyone's incredible and they're good at what they do.

Eugene: This new season of New York theatre is offering a lot of new and revived straight play material, where musical theatre actors – like yourself – are testing the waters with non-singing roles.  How is approaching a role in a play different from approaching a role in a full-scale musical?

Kendra: I think there's no difference at all – I'm finding none. It's the same thing! It's about rhythms and beats and what connects to what.  It's the same; the song has to connect to the story to get from this point to that point.  So even though there may not be music in the show… there is.  You have to follow this delicate score.  I don't think there's a huge difference.  But, I don't have sore muscles! [laughs] I'm not sore from dancing all day!

Eugene: If I can get a little nerdy here…

Kendra: Oh, go!

Eugene: Off-topic, but you took a small break from Wicked last year where you appeared opposite Hugh Panaro in Company at the 5th Street Theatre in Seattle. Was that fun?

Kendra: Oh my gosh! I'll be geeky right now too, because I love Sondheim.  Anything he does… I had a blast, because every time I do a show of his, I learn something about myself because he's philosophical. During that show, the cast was incredible… Hugh and Dan Levine (who I played opposite of), all of us clicked and I love the show.  And I loved doing the show and then coming back to New York to sit in the audience and watch what I was in, but a totally different take on it.  I do 5th Avenue Theatre productions often because they're these really great, short bursts of creativity and then you're done.

Eugene: In the same vein of conversation, I was listening to the Assassins last night and you have the distinction of premiering the song "Something Just Broke" on the revival cast recording. A lot of audiences hadn't heard that song before. Did you know you were going to have this one-of-a-kind opportunity ahead of time? What's the history of that song – was it written for your voice or beforehand?

Kendra: If I'm not mistaken, I believe it was written beforehand. And it just happened in rehearsals… Basically giving each person their vocal-line and I ended up getting that line! I'm so grateful I did because it was really special to sing that and you feel something when you sing it… it's a very distinct piece that fits perfectly in the production.

Eugene: Very soon you will be saying goodbye to almost two years in the role of Glinda. What will you miss the most?

Kendra: Oh… the familiarity.  It was just a great run. Whenever you have a role that is bigger-than-life and you're playing to sold-out crowds; that's pretty incredible.  I'm going to miss those little kids writing letters, telling how Wicked has changed them. I'll keep every single one of them; I've got huge boxes full of their letters that I'll never throw-away. Those are the kind of things I'll miss.

Eugene: How has playing a lead role in a hit like Wicked prepared you for the rest of your future performing career?

Kendra: To be in a beast of a musical (I mean it's huge!) gave me a sense of… I don't want to say "a sense of confidence" because you already have a sense of that to get out on stage.  But I think I just have a better sense of myself.  It was a learning process, I really had to conquer a lot of fears and my own little struggles.  I feel a little self-empowered, like "bring it on!" Bring on the next thing because if I can conquer this, I can conquer that.

Eugene: What lies ahead for you in the next two or three weeks? What are you looking forward to and what challenges are there?

Kendra: There's some challenges! I'm in the middle of closing on an apartment, meeting with the board…  And then, the next week is the final week of being with my co-workers at Wicked that I've been with for quite some time. I'm splitting my brain, trying to focus on new beginnings and on this new project.  There's a lot of splitting of Kendra going on! [laughs]

Eugene: Break a leg in previews of The Receptionist, and in creating the role of Lorraine.  I'm sure people will be very interested to see you in this new material.

Kendra: Thank you so much, and really, I appreciate you taking the time and being interested in talking with me.

Eugene: It's no problem at all. I know there are a lot of people on BroadwayWorld who've loved your performances in the past; and to see you in something new will get a lot of people excited, I'm sure.

Kendra: Good! They should! [laughs] It'll be a good thing.

Eugene: [laughs] Take care and thanks again!

Kendra: Thank you! Bye-bye.

The Receptionist begins previews October 12 for an October 30 Opening at New York City Center – Stage I (131 West 55th Street). For more information visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com

Photos: Kendra Kassebaum (headshot); Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda in Wicked (by Joan Marcus); Kendra Kassebaum and Hugh Panaro in Company at 5th Street Theatre (by Chris Bennion)