INTERVIEW: John Boswell in CASHINO! at The Bent Of Palm Springs
John Boswell Answers 10 Questions with BWLA's writer, Gavin Glynn
Broadway World Los Angeles and her hot gay brother, Palm Springs, are extremely excited to announce the LA and NYC cult hit, CASHINO!, returns to THE BENT within the Palm Springs Cultural Center this May for two limited performances only!
As the son of two professional musicians, John Boswell grew up in a richly musical and artistic environment. This developed into an interest in musical theater which began in high school and blossomed during his years at U.C.L.A., where he wrote a musical with actor Tim Robbins. John continued on this track after graduation, working on Broadway productions of A of THE SECRET GARDEN and LIZA! and the L.A. productions of BERLIN TO BROADWAY WITH Kurt Weill AND THE BEAUTIFUL LADY. He also served as music director for such notables as Judy Collins and Bob Newhart, and composed music for TV shows like GENERAL HOSPITAL and SANTA BARBARA. All six of John's evocative music recordings are available on most relevant sound platforms including Spotify and Amazon.
John took 10 minutes with Broadway World LA/PS to answer 10 questions about his successfully consistent career in live entertainment:
What constellation oversaw your arrival to our big blue marble?
Pisces delivered me to Seattle, WA with a Sagittarius moon.
Please share your earliest childhood memory of attending your first live performance and who was in this performance?
My earliest memory of a live performance is my Dad who was a gifted pianist who loved playing for guests at my parents’ get-togethers. The earliest performance outside of the house was a community theater production of The King And I. The production was done in a church with just a piano but four-year-old me was so impressed.
When did you show an interest in live performance and did your parents or caretakers support it or discourage it?
I started playing in the pit for local community theaters at age 13. My parents were very supportive
Where did you study or do you learn by ear?
I started piano lessons when I was 5. My infant banging on the piano started before this but apparently it was starting to sound good, which was the beginning of my playing by ear.
What was your first professional gig where you earned a salary not just chops and drinks?
The first professional gig where I was paid a salary was a production of GEORGE M!, starring Ken Berry. It was at San Jose Civic Light Opera and I was only 15, so I needed rides to and from the theater daily. I remember making enough money to buy a very modest stereo system, I thought I had made it!
When did you first realize you could sustain yourself as a live performer?
I believe when I finished UCLA and started having some kind of regular employment, I knew if I applied myself that I could support myself. When I lived in New York, I also was a waiter at a small French restaurant.
How did the mega hit CASHINO! evolve and how did the mulit-talented Susie Mosher’s star crash into your universe?
The idea for CASHINO! happened when Susie Mosher’s wife, Hope (Co-director) was playing an online slot machine for fun and Susie and I were in the room watching. We started serenading her and singing things like “Come on, bonus!”. Then we thought how hilarious it would be to (as a singing duo) go into people’s homes and entertain them Las Vegas style while they play slots at home. This evolved into short films being made of the characters we created: Pepper Cole and Johnny Niagra. We began doing shows in L.A. and gained quite a following that we created four movies in total. At each live show we would show one of the movies then come out as Johnny and Pepper and sing a set of insanely crazy mash-ups.
As a professional Music Director, what is your take on performing to augmented tracks or do you insist on only live music?
Personally, I always prefer playing a real piano. For CASHINO!, though, a keyboard is the perfect instrument, it matches the characters. I prefer live musicians as opposed to pre-recorded instruments some people play or sing to in a venue.
Any insights on pop singers invading Broadway and popping off ending notes to make it their own alignment?
I don’t have a good take for this one!
You have played from palaces to parks but are there any favorite venues Los Angeles or otherwise on your wish list?
I’ve had the great pleasure of playing at a few bucket list places: Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, Davies Hall (in SF…I’m from the Bay Area). I’d love to play Disney Hall.
Critically acclaimed CASHINO! is a multimedia performance starring musical theater powerhouse Susie Mosher (“Hairspray”) and renowned recording artist John Boswell as Pepper Cole & Johnny Niagra.
CASHINO! uniquely combines film and live performance. Each evening begins with a different short film documenting the duo's quest to become internet entrepreneurs in the early 2000s, followed by an emotionally charged live set. Every performance offers a completely different show while maintaining the signature CASHINO! magic Co-directed by Rebecca Asher and Hope Royaltey. show starts with a different short film about the lives of the two legendary singers as they embark on a quest to become internet entrepreneurs in the early 2000’s, followed by a high energy & emotionally charged live set.
May 28 – 29, 2026 7pm
Pepper and Johnny look forward to seeing you there.
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