BWW Special Interview: Kelli O'Hara and Christian Borle Talk PETER PAN LIVE! on NBC
By: BWW Special Coverage Dec. 01, 2014
Q: As we get started, did he give you any advice as to what this whole process is like? What have you two talked about?
CB: I just keep telling her bigger, bigger, bigger [laughter].
KO: That's the thing, I try not to watch him because Mrs. Darling can't afford to be Smee [laughter] But, he did it last year so I'm totally leaning on him to kind of walk me through and tell me exactly how it's going to be. I had no idea. I've never really done anything without an audience except for like setup shots, for television but never on television, like theater with no audience.
Q: It's a new thing.
CB: It takes an adjustment. It's very hard to finish a number, the cliché gesture is [indicates waiting for applause, presumably] and nobody reacts so you just move on.
KO: Yeah.
CB: Really, in playing the comedy of it last year-there was some comedy in "The Sound of Music" for us-and not having people laugh actually just makes you play the scene in a way that's more straightforward and truthful as opposed to theater where maybe sometimes you feel compelled to get a little Rococo in the scene. You're still gonna try.
KO: Of course you are. You know what I think is interesting about this is that in theater you are playing to your audience but in television you are definitely playing to that close-up shot. This is a different beast where you're not playing to any kind of close-up, a particular shot out of 15 that you get to take, you're not trying to perfect it. But you're not playing to the audience. What you do is, you play the story. You play the scene, you play the moment, there's some sort of magic made out of it like you're really discovering new things.
Q: Have either of you done PETER PAN before?
KO: No.
CB: I've done versions of PETER PAN . Weirdly, I grew up without PETER PAN at all. My mother didn't like PETER PAN, she didn't like PETER PAN or "Mary Poppins" [laughter]. But I've never done this version and I'm reminded of how nuts Barrie was. There are certain parts of the story that we're trying to navigate. Some of it was his bizarre brain-he was emotionally, I think, suffering from a little bit of arrested development so there are elements of that all throughout the story. And making sense of it is a great challenge, and I think actually having the songs makes it a little bit easier.
KO: Actually the last time we worked together we did-speaking of you knowing JM Barrie-we did a reading of "Finding Neverland" together. But that was at the same time you were doing "Peter and the Starcatcher". PETER PAN, for someone who didn't grow up with it, it's following you!
CB: I can't escape it!
Q: What about the story do you feel keeps inspiring you? "Peter and the Starcatcher", "Finding Neverland"-it's in our culture, why do people keep responding to it? And why do you respond to it?
KO: Do you want to grow up? None of us want to. I have a five year old boy right now who's going to be a pirate tomorrow for Halloween. He's obsessed with PETER PAN, Hook and the Neverland pirates. That idea of building a fort in your bedroom and you want to escape to this fantasy world, the idea of flying out your window and going to Neverland, two stars from the right and on 'til morning or whatever-I want to go there! I'm Mrs. Darling and I'm so mad that I'm not flying. Can't she fly to try to go get the≠m?
CB: Pitch it! A whole new take...
KO: It's live, what can they do to stop me? In my dressing gown or whatever... I just think that it's so timeless that we want to believe in those dreams and believe in those fantasies. It makes me have goosebumps just to watch.
CB: And we don't want to die. That's it, I think. It's about mortality.
Q: Is that why your mom didn't like it?
KO: I will say, there's some political-I watched it all as a kid and going back, watching it with my son, I go [gasps]. It's got some...incorrectness. And misogynistic, you got the mermaids and they're fawning over Peter...Everything has been rethought, everything is very...correct, and lovely to watch so you can make it timeless as long as you're, you know, fair.
Q: You are rehearsing this as though it's a regular musical-you come from musical theater world, it plays in real time and everything else. Does all the technical stuff go behind you and you just sort of think "we're doing a musical"?
CB: The first bizarre difference is that it's divided into ten acts, so it doesn't have the "we're building towards an intermission and here's your big Act One finale." We're building it to have commercials so there are all these little mini-acts. We're hyperconscious of the fact that we're going to be on different sets. And so it has a different rhythm to it, and it has to be a little more contained, which is a wonderful challenge for some of the broader actors of the troupe.
KO: And in theater, everything you do can be seen. Every angle. If you're talking to me, you're still in the shot from my point of view, I'm still here. There's this thing where I say something and you realize, oh the camera has now gone there. I could actually pick my nose if I wanted to. So there's a difference of "Where do I stand?" What's that camera doing? Is my back turned? There's no fourth wall. You could be here and then another camera picks you up. Because I was trying to do it all out and then they were like, no, no there's a camera going to be here...It's a new thing to learn.
Q: Last year was such a ratings hit, whether you were "hate-watching" it or not. Christian, did you advise anyone who's new about people's reactions and did you have any hesitations about going into this weird new way of watching things like this?
CB: What's special about this is that it's going to be what it's going to be on December 4. And we all want it to be awesome. Like, last year we all wanted "The Sound of Music" to be the best thing ever. And it was good! There were a lot of reactions and we were all hyperconscious of what those reactions were and Twittergate 2013. You know, it's just gonna be what it's gonna be and then it's gonna be over. So actually there's no room for investing any kind of fear or worry about what people are going to think. I was actually mesmerized-I don't mind going on record saying this-I was mesmerized by the actors in our community who were so snarky about "The Sound of Music" on Twitter. And I thought don't you ever want to work for NBC? [laughter] They're all reading this s***. It's unbelievable to me, and also just be nice. I don't understand the impulse to tear down. Everyone has an opinion, I have an opinion about everything. I could turn to someone in my living room and say something snarky and then it's over. But this idea that we have to share this kind of meanness...I actually find it fascinating and I welcome it. I think when people really show their true colors that it's helpful to me. Like oh, there you are!
KO: There you are, I was looking for you. Yeah, you didn't see me tweeting any of that last year. At all.
CB: You changed your handle. [laughter]
KO: There I am! [laughter] No, gosh, I'm not that smart. No, I didn't see much of it because I think I was working that night, I saw a few little things when I got home. It was an interesting thing for me to watch and I remember thinking, that's a whole different way and I don't know how I feel about it. And then when it came up this year, I was so excited because I wanted to be a part of it. And the thing is, when you do theater you give yourself so much to it. Anything. You believe in it, you have to, to do it. And the hard part about theater is that if you get that reaction, you have to keep believing in it and it's really hard.
The thing about this is, it's a different genre, it's a new experience, it's a new way to work on your craft and then it's over and you want to be a part of it. And some of those people that might've been snarky about it, probably wanted to be a part of it. And I've known this since I was in second grade with the mean girls, you know that usually? It's because you want to be a part of it and you're not. And when you're on the outside of something, it's really easy to put it down. And I can't tell you how excited I was for them to offer this. I wanted to be a part of it. And yes, I want it to be good. So the hope is that this is a new thing and everybody loves it.
Q: Can you tell us about growing up with musical theater people where everyone's in their own little world, kind of a nerd club, and there's nothing more mainstream than what you're about to do in December. Plus the ratings this show gets-musical theater is going so mainstream with this. That's got to be incredibly satisfying.
KO: I've never been mainstream [laughter] Christian's all about it these days, "Smash" and everything. For me, I love what I do but it's never been mainstream. I think some of that is something I do to myself but I'm real excited for it. And I'm excited for the people who can't come see me do my theater. That's the best part for me. Any live television that I do, like "Kennedy Center Honors", that's the only time they get to see me, like my aunts. It's going to be fun for me.
CB: As a comic book nerd, I'm living in a land where all of a sudden it's a great time to be a geek, and it's a great time to be a musical theater lover. And Bob Greenblatt, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron keep coming back to musical theater. It's amazing for everyone in the community, it's amazing for jobs in the city, they keep bringing it here, it's like a dream. And it's fantastic, and I think making everyone realize how much they all love musicals! [laughter]
Live on Thursday night, December 4th at 8/7c will be PETER PAN LIVE!. Preparing to sprinkle fairy dust across America, NBC presents a bold new LIVE television production of the classic Broadway musical that will gather friends, families and anyone who refuses to ever grow up. Following in the footsteps of the phenomenally successful The Sound of Music LIVE! - which drew over 44 million viewers - comes this musical masterpiece that tells the beloved story of Peter Pan, the mischievous little boy who ran away to Neverland. Get ready for show-stopping stars, stunning costumes, extravagant sets and delightful music that will have everyone in your home singing along.
Christian Borle stars as both Mr. Darling and Smee in NBC's PETER PAN LIVE! Borle is an accomplished actor on stage, film and television. Currently, Borle can be seen in recurring roles on Showtime's acclaimed series "Masters of Sex" as Frank Masters, the estranged brother of William Masters (Michael Sheen), and as opposing counsel Carter Schmidt on CBS' "The Good Wife." In January 2015, Borles will appear in Michael Mann's upcoming feature film, "Blackhat," opposite Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis.
Borle received much praise for his portrayal of Tom Levitt on NBC's "Smash," which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg. He was also seen by more than 22 million viewers last year as Max Dettweiler in NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" Borle also appeared as Pirelli in Stephen Sondheim's musical "Sweeney Todd," which was produced by the New York Philharmonic and directed by Lonny Price. The special aired as part of the "Live from Lincoln Center" series on PBS.
On stage, Borle's performance as Black Stache in "Peter and the Starcatcher" earned him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Borle originated the role of Emmett Forrest in "Legally Blonde: The Musical" for which he received Tony, Drama Desk and Drama League Award nominations, and for originating the roles of Prince Herbert and Not Dead Fred in Monty Python's "Spamalot," which earned him a Clarence Derwent Award and a Drama Desk Award nomination. Additionally, Borle played the role of Prior Walter in Signature Theatre Company's 20th anniversary production of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America." Borle also appeared in "The Bounty Hunter," opposite Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. A native of Pittsburgh, Borle attended Carnegie Mellon University.
Kelli O'Hara stars as Mrs. Darling in NBC's PETER PAN LIVE! O'Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway's great leading ladies. This year O'Hara received her fifth Tony Award nomination, along with Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics nominations, for her portrayal of Francesca in the musical adaptation of "The Bridges of Madison County."
A native of Oklahoma, O'Hara received a degree in opera and, after winning the State Metropolitan Opera Competition, moved to New York and enrolled in the Lee Strasberg Institute. She made her Broadway debut in "Jekyll and Hyde" and followed it with Sondheim's "Follies," "Sweet Smell of Success" opposite John Lithgow, and "Dracula."
In 2003, O'Hara committed to a production of "The Light in the Piazza" at Seattle's Intiman Theatre. The show landed on Broadway in 2005 and earned O'Hara her first Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. She moved from one huge critical and commercial success to another when she joined Harry Connick on Broadway in the 2006 Tony-winning production of "The Pajama Game," for which O'Hara received Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Award nominations.
O'Hara starred in the Tony-winning revival of "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center, enrapturing audiences and critics alike with her soulful and complex interpretation of Nellie Forbush, and garnered Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Award nominations. She later teamed up with Matthew Broderick in Broadway's musical comedy "Nice Work If You Can Get It," earning every possible nomination, including the Fred Astaire Nomination for dance.
O'Hara has worked regionally and Off-Broadway in "Far from Heaven" at Williamstown Theater Festival and Playwrights Horizons; "King Lear" at The Public Theater; "Bells Are Ringing" at City Center Encores; "Sunday in the Park with George" at Reprise; "My Life with Albertine at Playwrights Horizons and "Beauty" at the La Jolla Playhouse. O'Hara received critical acclaim for her performances in the New York Philharmonic's productions of "Carousel" and "My Fair Lady," as Julie Jordan and Eliza Doolittle respectively. She has sold out her solo shows at Carnegie Hall and Town Hall, and performed with symphonies and orchestras across the country. She is a frequent guest artist on PBS' Memorial Day and July 4th telecasts, and has performed several times as part of The Kennedy Honors tributes for Barbara Cook, Jerry Herman and Barbra Streisand.
Film and television credits include "Sex and the City 2"; Martin Scorsese's short "The Key to Reserva" opposite Simon Baker; "The Dying Gaul"; "Alexander Hamilton" starring Brían F. O'Byrne; "Numbers"; "All My Children"; the animated series "Car Talk"; and numerous live performances on national television shows.
O'Hara's voice can be heard on many cast album recordings, including "The Bridges of Madison Country," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "South Pacific," "The Light in the Piazza" (Grammy nomination), "The Pajama Game" (Grammy nomination), "The Sweet Smell of Success," "My Life with Albertine," "Dream True" and "Jule Styne in Hollywood." She has released two solo albums, "Always" and "Wonder in the World."
On New Year's Eve, O'Hara will make her Metropolitan Opera debut in a production of "The Merry Widow" with Renee Fleming. This spring, she will return to Broadway in the revival of "The King and I" opposite Ken Watanabe.
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