Interview: Theatre Life with Major Attaway

Today’s subject Major Attaway is currently living his theatre life on tour playing King Arthur in Spamalot. The fish slapping musical spectacular comes to Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater beginning December 16th and continuing through January 4th.

Major has been seen on Broadway as The Genie, Babkak, and the Sultan in Aladdin. His Off-Broadway credits include Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors and Fatty Arbuckle in Mack and Mabel at New York City Center.

Regional credits include Jolly Holiday at Paper Mill Playhouse, Feldzieg in The Drowsy Chaperone at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Ronald McCowan in Hands on a Hardbody at Theatre 3, Ken in Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Jubilee Theatre and Horton in Seussical Jr. at Casa Mañana.

You might have seen Major on the small screen as Deshaun McAdams in Orange Is the New Black, or Shift Manager in Carter High, or on the big screen as The Waiter in The Time Traveler’s Wife.

He is also a very busy voice actor as well as being a Twitch Affiliate while also having his own You Tube Channel IPlayedMajor.

Talent wise Major Attaway definitely lives up to his name. With a range of characters that include a big blue genie, a man eating plant, and now King Arthur, he is easily one of the most versatile performers working today.

This holiday season, make it ONLY about the art and grab some tickets to Spamalot at Kennedy Center. It’s one show that is guaranteed to make you forget your woes for a couple of hours and have you singing along with “The Song That Goes Like This”. With Major Attaway heading the cast, what other reason could you possibly need to attend?

Major Attaway is truly living his theatre life to the fullest.

Growing up, was performing all you ever thought about doing?

No, it wasn’t. Until High School I was convinced I'd go to the University of Michigan to be a football playing actor.

Where did you receive your training?

Mostly, in the local Texas theatre. Casa Mañana, Jubilee Theatre, Bass Hall, Theatre Arlington. Being a Casa Kid had a big impact on my work ethic. I also went to schools focused on Applied Learning. This allowed me to learn from working theatre professionals during school hours without being penalized for missing other subjects. I spent a year at Chicago College of Performing Arts Conservatory and a semester at Texas Wesleyan University.

What was your first professional job as a performer?

I’m not sure when I started calling myself a professional. The first time I remember responsibility is in Babe The Sheep Pig. I was a sheep rustler, that pig took my job

For those who are not familiar, can you please give us a brief overview of Spamalot?

It’s a seriously silly story about King Arthur (me) attempting to complete a task of creating a court of noble men to rule or protect Camelot. I’m not sure which exactly. He takes the sword given to him by the Lady of the Lake and travels the countryside with his trusty steed and puts a team of nights together. They are then charged by the big guy upstairs to find the holy grail, again not sure why. Fortunately for the audience and unfortunately for Arthur, he gathers a lot of buffoons, and they have to face a series of clowns to overcome each obstacle.

From first audition to getting the call that you booked the show, how long was the process for you?

A month and a half. 

Do you have a favorite Monty Python movie and or routine?

Monty Python and the Holy Grail for the movie. “The Cheesemonger” for the routine.

You’ve played three different roles in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway and on tour. Was one role more enjoyable for you to play or was the whole experience one big blast regardless of who you were playing?

Playing the Genie was very special. He was my favorite Disney character growing up. It was still very satisfying to play Babkak or the Sultan. Those characters touched the story where Genie didn’t, so I would feel like I knew the show from so many angles.

You voiced Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors off-Broadway for a time. During part of your engagement Sherie Rene Scott went into the show as Audrey. What was it like working with one of the great divas of Broadway?

Oh, it was certainly a transformative experience. I saw her in the original cast of Aida on my first trip to New York to see Broadway shows. It felt like fate.

Why do you think the comedy of Monty Python and Spamalot still has audiences doing their best silly walks and looking on the bright side of life after all these years?

Well written comedy consistently stands the test of time and every generation is big on nostalgia. 

Special thanks to Kennedy Center's Director of Public Relations for Non- Classical Programming PJ Elliott for his assistance in coordinating this interview.