BWW Interviews: MICHAEL ADCOCK and The Friday Five

With the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening making its Tennessee premiere tonight in Tullahoma in a sparkling new production directed by Robert Allen, we present dueling "Friday Fives," featuring the show's two leads. The focus of this interview? None other than Michael Adcock, winner in January of a BroadwayWorld.com Tennessee Theatre Award for his performance in Anything Goes at Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts.

Tonight he stars opposite Blair Allison in Spring Awakening-and we're delighted to focus our Friday Five spotlight on him, so that you can get to know this talented young actor…

What was your first "live onstage" taste of theater? The first show for myself was my freshman year in high school when we put on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in which I played Ollie. Pretty sure I was typecast due to being in trouble in school, but that small part (there are no small parts, only small actors) is all it took for me to become hooked. The first onstage show I ever witnessed live was 1918: A House Divided at TPAC when I was about 13. To this day I wait for someone else to do that show. 

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? I'm not sure if it counts, but about the only thing I do consistently pre-show is avoid eating, and pretend I'm not nervous. I'll usually find a place to close my eyes and relax for a few minutes if possible-then have time to shadow-box and dance. I need a cooler ritual. 

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment? Luckily, I have very few to date. The first would have to be in our production of Oliver when we learned that our Ms. Bumble couldn't make the trip due to bad storms and flooding. Our director had to fill in last minute and did a great job pulling it off, luckily. Runner-up would have to be Angela Gimlin's skirt accidentally coming off during a semi-dramatic moment on stage. 

What's your dream role? Percy Blakeney, The Scarlet Pimpernel, or Lumiere, from Beauty and the Beast.

Who's your theatrical crush? I've had a man-crush on Raul Esparza for quite some time. His versatility wins me over, and how raw he seems to be vocally, which allows more room for emotion to flow through. I don't suppose I have any real "crushes," just those I admire. Others in the discussion:  Aaron Tveit, Jennifer Damiano, and Josh Gad.

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