Interview: Jason Graae: IT'S A GRAAE NIGHT FOR SINGING! at The Gardenia Supper Club

Jason Graae (pronounced "grah"or "graw", but never "gray" on anyday)  is an established American musical theater actor, although better known for his stellar musical theater performances but with a varied career spanning Broadway, opera, television and film.  He has won four Bistro Awards, two Ovation Awards, two New York Nightlife Awards, the Theatre Bay Area Award for Best Actor in a Musical and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Joel Hirschhorn Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre.

Can you remember your earliest recollection of what a performer does to entertain others?

I was four when I got to see my first show- it was a dress rehearsal for Wonderful Town at a community theater in Elgin, outside Chicago. My Mom was the only lady dancer in the Conga and she was everywhere - she was dazzling!  Everybody talked about her afterwards. I remember our neighbor Becky was in the singing chorus and she stood around smiling and I thought at four, Lord she was such a bore!  And of course, the song “Ohio” leapt out at me!  I realized right out of the gate this theater thing could thrill.

Who is your performance muse whom inspires you with fresh ideas or a high quality benchmark to meet?

Interesting question there, GG.  My inspirations are Victor Borge, performers who are unpredictable loose cannons like Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, love them! Also, I have many crazy- talented friends and peers who inspire me daily to continue doing whatever the hell it is I’m doing.

Did your family members support your musical theater dreams and ambitions? 

Yes, very much, though my Mom, who was a professional dancer in NYC, really wanted me to have a backup plan, and she encouraged me to continue with my oboe so I could play in an orchestra and teach.

Did you train on the road or attend college  or a conservatory?  Famous alumnus or classmate? 

 I went to SMU in Dallas as an oboe major, and hated my teacher and “hated” making my own reeds, so I quit and transferred to Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music to study Musical Theatre and oboe, and that same year the aforementioned oboe teacher from SMU ALSO transferred to CCM, so I took that as a sign from the oboe gods to drop the oboe. Which reminds me of a joke/ what’s worse than dropping an oboe?  …not dropping an oboe!  (Rim shot)

Yes, while I was at CCM it was a who’s who of future musical theatre pros. STEVE FLAHERTY, Faith Prince, Vicki Lewis, Liz Callaway- on and on and on and on!

Landing a national touring company of a Broadway musical (WICKED!) is like winning the lottery for a working actor but how do you cope with the grueling travel schedule? 

Well, being on the road for a year and a half was intense but geez- the Wizard is onstage for about 23 minutes so I made do.  It was a thrill to be a small part of that huge hit show, he added reverently.

Frank Sinatra and Cher both shared they tremble until they sing out the first note of their concert? Do you have stage fright or a routine to prepare for your performance each night? 

I usually work myself into a mild frenzy before my concerts- I enjoy the high and it’s free. I always jog or workout before a show, which is like meditation for me, and of course I warm up also. 

 "YOU'RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED" album and its nearly nude album cover was your breakout album and caught the eye of Broadway producers. How did you respond to the critical praise but  baring your soul? (https://jasongraae.com/store/)

(Baring my butt or for baring my soul?)  It wasn’t my idea actually.  I was always fully dressed when I worked in NYC, but my first show in LA was Forbidden Hollywood at The Coronet, and I had to take my shirt off to play Patrick Swayze. I mean- We look so much alike, right? I guess I made an impression because it led the producer Bruce Kimmel to suggest to me if I wanted to sell more CDs, I should drop trou for the album cover.  I got a lot of fascinating fan mail!

Dare you have a morality to the Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald departures but mending their fences?

Oh my God!  This was just nuts and exhausting! Honestly, I was happy to have a diversion from politics. I’m in the camp that Ms. LuPone is an equal opportunity offender, but hopefully she learned her lesson from all this. It’s surprising that such a fine singer can be so tone deaf as to what’s going on in the world these days. Oh and Audra is a phenom and will be just fine!

Does your Cabaret state of mind set adjust to the Manhattan scene differently to the Los Angeles scene?   You have crisscrossed the U.S. but what LA Cabaret venue would you like to check off your list?

I’ve sung at them all here! NYC has a “helluva” lot more venues and cabaret goers.  Sadly, the LA Cabaret World has seen better days, but I’m hopeful it will come back. I miss the days you could do a week’s run at The Cinegrill -I did that 3Xs and sold the place out. What a great room. I also love the enduring Gardenia, and Catalina’s, miss Vitello’s, miss Rockwell’s- Vibrato’s is nice, but too ginormous and loud for my type of cabaret shows.

You are often compared with your contemporary Mandy Patinkin but have you two ever crossed paths, interpreted Sondheim together or seen each other's one person shows? '

Wow really??  Mandy came to see me in  a Rodgers and Hart revue at Rainbow and Stars- oh - well Elaine Stritch, Margaret Whiting and Judy Kuhn were in it too, but I’m SURE he came to see me- he was sitting front and center and while I sang There's a Small Hotel, he was conducting it with his eyes closed and his head leaning back. It was “whatcha” call distracting. I met him afterwards and he was “nice-ish”.

Jason made his off-Broadway debut in Godspell with Liz Callaway in 1980, forming a friendship which had them performing together in cabarets nearly 30 years later.[ He made his Broadway debut in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?Jason created the role of Sparky in the musical Forever Plaid and was an original cast member alongside Stan Chandler, David Engel, and Guy Stroman, when it opened off-Broadway in 1989. It ran at Steve McGraw's for over four years with more than 1800 performances and, as his first hit show, helped him to become increasingly well known.  The original four cast members shared a Bistro Award for Forever Plaid. Around the same time, he was nominated for the 1993 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh. In 1997, Graae starred in the US premiere of Ragtime in the role of Houdini.  Most recently, Jason traveled the U.S. for a year and half as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the National Tour of WICKED!  

Jason completely SOLD OUT! for his headlining in IT'S A GRAAE NIGHT FOR SINGING! with music direction by the fabulous Gerald Sternbach at the iconic Gardenia Supper Club in West Hollywood for two hot August summer nights 29th & 30th, 2025.  Reservations (323) 467-7444 Tix $30 Supper Doors open 7:00pm with Curtain up 9pm sharp! 

Jason Graae is the maestro show director for the new original SONGS FROM THE MAESTRO: an Evening of Leonard Bernsteins hit Broadway songs strung together  by the talented Michael Kostroff with deft music direction by Darryl Archibald.  The one night only exclusive evening spotlights 34 dynamic singers along with Bernstein's muse,  Carol Lawrence,  from the Musical Theater Group at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica on Sunday, September 21 @ 7pm  METRO Stop #17  Orchestra, Mezzanine and Box Seats. available.