Exit Interview: John Tartaglia
By: Craig Brockman Mar. 22, 2005
John Tartaglia shares a wealth of memories from Opening Night to his final performance in Avenue Q in this "Exit Interview"
What are your memories of opening night of your Broadway debut?
Wow…That was such a powerful night. After the curtain call, we all ran offstage just crying and hugging and beaming....I mean, every actor dreams of making it to Broadway, but I don't think I ever imagined it would happen the way it did. I mean, here I was making my Broadway debut in a lead role with a Puppet on my hand! Kind of surreal to say the least! But, one thing that stands out quite powerfully is that when I was about 19 and I had only been in New York a year, I used to put on the RENT cast album and "do" the whole show in my apartment as Mark(silly, I know but we all have those moments...right??!!). And, I would get this vision of the feeling of being alone on a broadway stage and having the spotlight hitting you and hearing the applause of an audience and how powerful that would be. Well, at the end of the show that's exactly what happens, and I remember my whole body was numb because that exact vision I had had so many years ago was real and was happening exactly as I had envisioned it...Well, except for the puppet in my hand.
A LOT!! Well, let's see. I've learned that being on Broadway is not a job, it's a privilege...So many millions of people dream of having that chance and I tried to remember that every day-even when I was exhausted and didn't want to do the show. And that does happen....to everyone, no matter how much you love your show and your job. And, I learned that truly your whole life changes...The way you eat, the way you sleep, how often you have to workout, you can't be as social with friends as you'd like...It becomes about discipline. Your whole day revolves around those 2 1/2 hours every night because it's your job to give 100 percent all the time. And, I'm not the kind of actor who's OK with not giving that. Mostly I learned what a joy it is to get to do what you love eight times a week.
One of my favorite memories, something that instantly clicks into my head when I think about the show is Tony night. There are no words to really describe what an amazing feeling being part of that event was. There was this electricity that was rushing through my veins and through the theatre that night. We all knew that this was it...Something that we had all worked so hard for and the world was watching...I remember very little of being up on stage with Hugh… A lot of it was a blur...But, one thing I will never forget...In the beginning of the telecast, after the Rockettes danced with Hugh, all of the different Broadway companies rose up on the lifts in the stage. And, as we were rising up, with the music pumping and our nerves racing, I looked over to Jen Barnhart and we both said.." this is it...here we are, I love you!" and our eyes just filled with tears and the night of our lives began! We met so many amazing celebrities...Barbara Walters, Rue McClanahan, Angela Lansbury, Ben Stiller, Ray Romano, the list goes on and on...I was really lucky to have had as many opportunities that I had with the show and got to do so many appearances and concerts and work with some of the best in the business.Is there anything you regret?
Hmm...Well, I don't really believe in regrets, but....Well, I guess I always wish that you can step back and realize at the time such wonderful things are happening to you and that you could almost watch it happen…Sometimes things happen so fast that you don't always get a chance to appreciate them.What was the last week like for you knowing your time with the original cast was coming to a close?
It was really surreal. That show had become such a part of my life in every way...It didn't really hit me until Jordan Gelber, who plays Brian put up a "countdown" of how many shows I had left and it finally got down to eight. I started getting really sentimental about everything and feeling like I had to do all the things I always wanted to do in the show before I left-Little things I had always wanted to try. And even at the beginning of the week you could feel everyone kind of being in denial! I remember how powerful those lyrics became to me and how much my life had changed form the show. I'll always be thankful for that. Tell us about your final performance.
Oh Lord....I'll never forget it....Five years of my life were going to be capped off that night. It was good that I left on a Sunday night, because the matinee that day was kind of a rehearsal for all the emotion I'd feel that night. And, I was really trying as hard as I could that final show to keep it together...People had come literally thousands of miles to see my last show and bought tickets on ebay (which was so AMAZING!) and so I felt a responsibility to give one hell of a show, but also keep true to the show. Well, that's easier said than done! When I walked out for "BA in English", people cheered so loud that tears were literally knocked out of me...I hope everyone gets to experience that kind of powerful love from an audience. I remember that the entire night I kept thinking, that's the last time I'll ever sing that note, or dance that dance, or read that line...And I think everyone onstage felt that too. We truly are a family at the show, and it was like I was the 1st kid going off to college or something like that. Jen and I could barely look at each other...Steph and I barely made eye contact we were both kind of in shock…Natalie and I used to have these two moments in Act Two where we'd both be offstage, and right behind Princeton's Apt, we would just kid around or gossip or whatever. That night I went down to talk as I always did, and it was almost like there was nothing to say...I mean, what DO you say right? The hardest part that whole night was in two places. Rick and I had developed such a camaraderie as Rod and Nicky, and I mean this as no insult to anyone who ever plays Rod again, but I know that no one will ever have anything close to the bond I had with Rick that I did…He's the reason I was even IN the show! We just clicked...So, I knew that it would be hard doing all of our scenes together. I'll never forget the therapy scene with Christmas Eve in Act Two. That was the clincher...Nicky says to Rod after Rod's rejected him, "Well.......See you around ole buddy", and Rick's voice cracked with pure emotion. It was deafening silence after that line, it was so real....So, I'm trying to recover from that, and then Ann Harada comes out and we do, as I call it, Rod's coming out scene. And I just lost it...Rod Says "I miss Nicky" and I could barely get it out I was crying so hard. And Ann says "I Know" and she has tears streaming down her face!! It was so beautiful and painfully sad at the same time. Though, and I'm sorry this is so long! The hardest moment was the end of the show. Remember how I had talked about having that vision on opening night? Well, I felt it again, but this time, I knew it would be the last....Singing that last line took every single ounce of anything I had....And that was it…I turned upstage for my final pose, the lights blacked out, and I cried....Harder than I had in years....I will truly never forget emotions like I felt that night... What was the funniest thing that happened to you on stage during your run?
Oh LORD did we have some moments! I still think the funniest was a night I will never forget. There's a Huppa in the show used for Christmas Eve and Brian's wedding, and Natalie as Gary Coleman and Rick as Nicky have to slide each side of it into the floor and then attach the canvas....Well, somehow it got twisted all around itself, and Natalie couldn't untangle it, and the music is coming to an end and Natalie has the first line....She turns around with this tangled huppa, holding it like a Viking warrior princess in one hand and is laughing hysterically. It is no secret to ANYONE that Natalie and I are usually the worst about keeping it together on stage...So, I see her barely being able to breathe she's laughing so hard, And I start, and we all end up in tears...It got so bad, the audience started laughing with us and applauding...I don't know HOW we ever finished it...I always looked forward to a screw-up onstage if Natalie was up there with me, since I knew it would end up with the two of us losing it! Ahh, live theatre! What advice have you given Barrett Foa?
Well, we had a lot of talks in the weeks before I left, and because we're friends there was never really any weirdness about him assuming the role. But, basically, I think I just made sure he knew how much those characters mean to me, and what a responsibility it would be to take them on....and that the puppetry has to be one of the most important things in that show...A lot of people have said to me, "oh, isn't it great that people who aren't puppeteers can do the show?" Well, yes and no...If you don't really bring that puppet to life, than people have absolutely no interest in the characters by the end of the show...They may laugh with them, but that doesn't mean they care...We're asking a lot of an audience to come in and believe that these pieces of cloth and foam that are being operated by people in plain view are real...So, we have to do everything we can to make you, the audience member forget we're there and believe in the puppet. So, I'm a little defensive when people just assume that you can go to "puppet school" for a few weeks and magically be a master of this art form. This show is not like any other and you cannot just plug someone into the show. They may say prior puppetry skills not necessary, but it absolutely IS a plus. We've studied literally years to perfect what we do. So, Barrett was really great in the fact that he takes the art of the puppetry very seriously and gives it all he has, and I really admire that about him...I'm actually looking forward to seeing him in the show in the next few weeks...Silly as it sounds, I'm proud of him! What's next for John Tartaglia?
Well, I've been really overwhelmed with how lucky I've been outside of the show! All of my Joe's Pub shows have sold out and because of that, it looks that I'll be doing a summer run of the show...Jesse Tyler Ferguson's show will play either right before it or after it, so it'll be kind of a Broadway boys night! I don't have exact dates yet, but please check my website. I also have a really exciting television project in negotiations right now that will be on the air by the fall that I can't speak about yet, but, VERY soon! And, there's also talk of some plays and other shows....I'm really just kind of waiting for everything to fall into place. I'm also exploring the idea of teaching a puppetry class here in the city. Would you ever return to Avenue Q on Broadway (or elsewhere)?
Well, I'm still waiting to hear about Las Vegas...Everyone keeps telling me that they've read I'm doing it, but I certainly haven't heard anything yet...So, there's definitely a possibility of that. I would LOVE to do it in London,as I've never been before...And, I may someday return to it on Broadway. But, it would be difficult. That show has such a special place in my heart and to not do it with the same people would be so odd! But, I never say never. I'm just looking towards a, luckily, very bright future!
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