Interview: At Home With Sean Stephens

Sean Stephens is a man whose journey in cabaret is just beginning. With some nice theatrical roles under his belt, Mr. Stephens has been testing the waters of cabaret with group shows at 54 Below and The Green Room 42, and the water feels good. With people behind him like Robbie Rozelle and Blake Allen, Sean has been taking the slow and steady approach, and he is finally ready to jump... but his debut solo show, The Bedroom World Tour, was canceled when all the clubs shut down. It will happen, make no mistake, but for now, it's happening in his bedroom, which is where I reached him to ask if he would do this series for me.

Name: Sean Stephens
First Cabaret Show: The Bedroom World Tour, TBD, Feinstein/54 Below
Most Recent Cabaret Show: An Evening With Dolly Parton
Website or Social Media Handles: Instagram/Twitter @seanrstephens

Sean, you are an actor and a singer - which talent came to you first?
Singing most definitely has been the biggest part of my life. I grew up in a small town so a lot of my time was spent in my room learning as much as I could about music. I grew up listening to country music so storytelling has kind of always been apart of my music. But I was also obsessed with The Wizard of Oz and putting on plays with my cousin, we ran a made-up production company called Plays and Happy Days where we'd put on full shows for our family. So while music is the biggest part of me, I think I've always found a way to merge the two. I'd be lost without music and I'd be equally lost without acting.

How are things at your house during the city lockdown?
It's been mostly me flipping through Netflix and not settling on anything. But Delta Rae's new album has been on repeat and I've watched Titanic 6 times.

How did you end up singing on a cabaret stage for the first time?
I knew Robbie Rozelle through social media for a while, he asked me if I'd like to join his Tuesday's at 54. I knew I wanted to sing "Burn" from Hamilton but I was making every excuse not to. I'm glad I did because it's been incredibly rewarding and I'm very thankful to Robbie.

See Sean sing "Burn" from Hamilton HERE

Tell me about the wonderful puppy I see on your social media page.
His name is Dobby and he's my absolute best friend. I have generalized anxiety disorder so some days are kind of difficult to get through. He provides a stability that is truly life-saving for me, plus he's the most adorable dog in the world.

You were in the play Camp Morning Wood, which had a scandal surrounding it for a while, how was that experience?
I loved my experience at CMW, I met some of the most beautiful human beings and collaborators. My character's song was written by Bobby Cronin and is an absolute joy to sing. The story was so silly but needed for the LGBTQ community.

You recently slayed by singing some Dolly Parton in a concert for the An Evening With... series. Was it fun singing with that full band?
I think that was the biggest band I'd ever performed with so I was a bit nervous, but Blake Allen's arrangement of "Smoky Mountain Memories" was stunning, I only hoped to add to it. During the band rehearsals, the strings came in and my arms lit up with goosebumps. It was an amazing experience.

Sean's performance of Smokey Mountain Memories can be seen HERE

How are you spending your time during the quarantine?
Apple Music has been my best friend. I've been downloading the most amounts of music and trying to find inspiration. Right now I'm in a deep dive of Linda Ronstadt and Quincy Jones. Linda's discography is massive and keeping me busy.

When life goes back to being some version of normal, you have a solo show that you will be doing - tell me a little bit about The Bedroom World Tour.
The Bedroom World Tour was an idea I had about 2 years ago. I thought "where is one most vulnerable?" and the answer to that question was the bedroom. You do your dreaming, crying, and rebuilding in your bedroom. I also grew up putting on concerts in my bedroom so a lot of it will be singing songs I grew up performing in my bedroom. I really hope we get to do it soon. It's a celebration of life.

What is it about the art of cabaret that appeals to you?
Storytelling is so important for connecting to and understanding people. I think cabaret gives artists a chance to tell those stories in a setting that allows you to see their souls. I've been able to see some of my favorite actors 10 feet away from me, baring their souls for an hour and a half. If that isn't addicting I don't know what is.

Sean, what do you think of Britney Spears?
Comrade Britney has given me escapism pop for 20 years and I wish her nothing but happiness and new eyeliner. Everyone should listen to Blackout.

All photos provided by Sean Stephens. Photo of Sean in performance in An Evening With Dolly Parton by Steven Bidwell/Chappetto Squared