Interview: Santino Fontana Lets the Audience Pick the Setlist at 54 Below

In his latest show, Santino Fontana will be doing something he’s never done before: a cabaret show composed entirely of audience requests. The masterful star of stage and screen will be debuting his new show, By Request, at New York’s 54 Below from September 11 to 14. Tickets are available on 54 Below’s website. Fontana is known for a panoply of roles including Prince Hans in Frozen, his Tony Award-winning starring role in Broadway’s Tootsie, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Fosse/Verdon,” and more.

Fontana will be choosing the setlist right down to the wire based on what you, the ticket-buying audience, wants to see him do. Every ticket you purchase will allow you to make up to five requests. Each of the four shows will have setlists comprised entirely of what that night’s audience wanted to hear – so every single show will be different. “This direct-to-consumer model is sure to be either epically thrilling and spontaneous... or a disaster... buy a ticket to watch it all go down and have pretty great odds of your song being sung.”

With his rich voice and enough charisma to make you love him even when he’s playing the baddest of the bads, whatever goes down at the show is sure to be a hit. We spoke with Fontana about the show and the challenges of this particular format.

Where did the idea for this all-requests show come from?

Deep self-hatred? Robert Horn, Tony-winning book writer of Tootsie, asked what I was doing for this show, and I told him.  There was a long pause.  And he just said: “Masochist”.  I like staying on my toes and wanted to start doing some new stuff and wondered what I should do, and thought...why don’t I just ask the people who buy tickets...

What do you think about the song requests you've received so far? Have any of them surprised you?

Yes. There’s lots of surprises. And tons to choose from, but it’s still not too late.  If anyone buys tickets from the website, they’ll be sent a link shortly after to submit up to five requests, and I’ll be making choices right up until the dates of the shows.  Someone requested a Pearl Jam song…which I can tell you, was not on my bingo card.

What are you looking forward to about doing this show?

Doing a different set of songs every night sounds fun to me.  My poor pianist, Dan Lipton, may disagree…but I’m going to really embrace the whole “living room” vibe 54 Below wanted to foster for their space.

Are there any songs you're hoping get requested?

There have been many requests I expected and hoped for, but plenty I never thought of.  

What's coming up next for you after this show?

I wrote and directed a short film that’s going to finally get out into the world... and there’s the eventual album, which is the closest it’s ever been to coming out... more on that soon.  And there’s a TV show I’m in that will be out this fall, but can’t mention specifics yet.  I’ve got a few orchestra gigs lined up, and a few audiobooks scheduled... You know... one foot in front of the other and all that.  Always searching for the next great role...

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for your time, and I hope everyone comes out and makes their choices pronto... looking forward to cooking up something special.

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Tickets to By Request are available on 54 Below's website.

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