LISTEN: Will Swenson Talks Life Lessons on WHY I'LL NEVER MAKE IT Podcast
In the two-part interview Swenson discusses Broadway, his Tony nomination, & leaving the Mormon Church.
Patrick Oliver Jones recently sat down with actor and singer Will Swenson for a two-part in-depth interview on Feedspot's Top 25 Theatrical podcast Why I'll Never Make It. Part 1 aired Monday, September 6th with Part 2 airing Wednesday, September 8th on all streaming platforms. Swenson's interview kicks off a three-week series highlighting two Broadway actors and one music director about their careers in New York and their thoughts on the Tony Awards which take place later this month.
Listen below!
Patrick Oliver Jones and Will Swenson have known each other for more than 20 years when they first met in the late 90's where they shared the role of Gaston in Walt Disney World's production of Beauty and the Beast. Their friendship is evident in the first episode of the podcast, which is an intimate conversation between two old friends celebrating big moments and successes such as Swenson's Broadway debut, the Mormon films he made, and of course his Tony nomination in 2009 for his work in the revival of the musical HAIR.
"I have this mental block with the awards stuff. I hate it, I hate it so much. The minute that a show is successful, it just gets in your head. And it's like this other entity in the room, that for my money I just do not like."
Part two of the interview Will and Patrick discuss the happiness they feel at the reopening of Broadway theater, but also the changes they would like to see and the direction they hope for the theater as it moves forward. Both actors will dive deeper into questions of who they are as artists and individuals.
Will Swenson was born in Provo, Utah and attended Brigham Young University. He is known for Broadway performances ranging from 110 in the Shade and LES MISERABLES to Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Hair, for which he received a 2009 Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. Off-Broadway he has appeared in such shows as Rock of Ages, Murder Ballad, and Jerry Springer: The Opera. Swenson is also known among members of the LDS Church for his role as Jonathan Jordan in the LDS Cinema movie The Singles Ward and its sequel The Singles 2nd Ward. He went on to co-write, direct and perform in the LDS Cinema feature film Sons of Provo. Swenson and actress Audra McDonald have been married since 2012.
|
A Tom Lehrer Cabaret The Green Room 42 (7/29-7/29) |
|
Broadway Magic Hour Broadway Magic Hour: Magic Show (7/25-1/02) |
|
Broadway Takes On The 80s The Cutting Room (9/14-9/14) |
|
Fool for Love Vino Theater (8/06-8/08) |
|
Oil & Whiskey The Bitter End, Laurie Beechman, Prohibition, The Rat NYC (7/15-8/12) |
|
Rock Never Dies Hard Rock Cafe (5/29-8/30) |
|
SAY MY NAME AMT Theatre (7/23-7/26) |
|
Shangri-La-La, a comedy musical about Siegfried & Roy American Theatre of Actors (ATA) (7/25-7/26) |
|
That Math Show Theater555 (6/11-8/16) |
|
On The Watchlist with Jay Servedio Caveat (7/26-7/26) |