Musicals are as much a part of American culture as baseball or apple pie, but just like every little leaguer doesn't grow up to play in the major leagues and every one's mother is not equipped with the culinary skill to bake an edible apple pastry, every musical doesn't end up on The Great White Way, better known as Broadway. Such is the premise of the rip-roaringly funny new musical The Grave White Way.

A deftly directed comic satire about five dead Broadway actors vying for their places in musical theatre heaven, The Grave White Way, spoofs the musical genre as it has never been spoofed before. You don't have to be a fan of musicals to appreciate this show, in fact it would probably be more fun if you weren't. Filled to the brim with musical "gems" and generously peppered with witty barbs, The Grave White Way, may very well make an appearance on the very boulevard it pokes fun at.

One of the stars of the show is Dan O'Brien, a talented young actor who has been making a name for himself in regional theatre and as one of the guest entertainers on Princess Cruise Lines. With a European tour of Hair, playing the role of Claude, and stage credits ranging from Titanic to South Pacific, O'Brien is on a proverbial roll.

O'Brien is doing double duty when we sit down for a chat over a cup of coffee a couple of weeks before the opening of The Grave White Way. In addition to his role in The Grave White Way, O'Brien is also preparing to begin rehearsals for Reprise's production of Hair, where in an interesting bit of casting he'll be starring as Margaret Meade alongside, Steven Weber, Sam Harris and Billy Porter. Busy boy that he is, Dan had a lot to say about everything from the new musical to his travels to exotic ports of call with Princess Cruise Lines. Here goes:


DW: Tell me a little bit about The Grave White Way and what attracted you to the production?

DO: Actually the first time I was introduced to the show was at the audition...it was just like a breakdown of what the premise of the show was. I just read some of the character breakdowns ... and I was guffawing at the [character] breakdowns alone. Then I started reading the script and I got a tape from one of the producers and started listening to it and it was like a combination of Waiting for Guffman and Forbidden Broadway. It was so dead on about everything and, of course, it spoofs musicals and so...you know we all are sometimes going 'What are we watching on that stage...This is so cheesy!' [Laughs]. Sometimes you go see musicals and you just can't believe what you're seeing...sometimes they're just really horrible unfortunately. The premises are bizarre and you wonder why this is a musical and a lot of this show comments on that kind of stuff.

DW: In your words, why should people come to see The Grave White Way?

DO: To laugh. Plain and simple. But, in the same breath, the music is very, very good. It's definitely comedic, but it's also smartly written from a musician's point of view. If you're a fan of musicals, you'll see how it comments on most of the mainstream musicals that we know of. Sort of in the way that Forbidden Broadway does, but it doesn't use any of the melodies of famous songs from musicals.

DW: What do you enjoy most about this particular production?

DO: The fact that I come to rehearsal every day and still laugh at the material and we've been working on it for a month. With a lot of shows you get tired of the material after a week. We've been working on this a month and we're all still laughing at this material, which says to me it's pretty darn funny.

DW: Most of your work has been in theatre. What do you enjoy most about the medium?

DO: The immediacy. I feel like it's [theatre] more challenging than TV and film work, but my experience in TV and film is limited so I can't say that with complete knowledge. But I feel like it's more challenging to have to get through a show in one night...from beginning to end...and you can't say cut or take two. It's like you gotta do it and you gotta do it great the first time.

DW: Any dream roles out there that you're dying to play?

DO: No not really. To be honest I like new projects, because I feel like shows like Hello Dolly or Carousel and stuff like that...we've seen a million times... and we know what those roles are. I'd rather create something out of thin air.

DW: Is there a show or an actor or a playwright who's been particularly inspiring to you?

DO: Most of Stephen Sondheim's stuff. He seems to be able to strike a chord with me and strike a chord with my spirit that makes me want to keep doing this. A lot of his lyrics randomly enough have motivated me through life. I'm not a fanatic about him, but I've always appreciated his work.

DW: So tell me about your work with Princess Cruise Lines.

DO: I'm a guest entertainer/vocalist for them, so I've seen more than my share of the world through them [Princess Cruise Lines]. It's a very fortunate situation...I appreciate it. But there are places where I'm like 'OK. I don't ever need to go there again.'

DW: For example...

DO: Costa Rica. We pulled into a place called Puntaranus. I called it Puntar-Anus because it was a pit. It was just dirty, grimy and not interesting...architecturally or people wise. Jamaica was another place...I just never want to go to Jamaica again. I've had my fill. There's little oases in Jamaica...resorts or whatever...but going into town in Jamaica...I don't wanna do.

DW: Conversely, what have been some of the destinations that have surprised you?

DO: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. For some reason I really enjoyed Puerto Vallarta because of the art galleries and the architecture...it's not superb, but it's interesting enough. I loved Edinburgh, Scotland. It was to me an enchanted city. The architecture is magical and the people are friendly. I was [also] over in the Eastern Bloc countries of Europe for a while and landed myself in Croatia at one point. It [Croatia] was interesting politically and it had some of the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen. It was just emotional.

DW: How about domestically?

DO: Charleston, South Carolina. Loved it! Ate it up! I'm an architecture freak and this place has it going on when it comes to architecture. I lived and worked in Hilton Head, South Carolina that I also adored. For whatever reason, I love the whole Southern thing, so I was very comfortable there.

DW: What cities have you found to have the greatest appreciation for theatre?

DO: London. Everything just feels like it's more legitimate there...and not as driven by the super-spectacle. And obviously, New York.

DW: So when you travel, what is it that you never leave home without?

DO: Baseball caps. When I'm travelling, I don't want to be anywhere near high maintenance.

DW: What cities have you found to have the best nightlife?

DO: Acapulco. Hands down. They have these clubs that they sink millions into. Huge clubs that are perched up on these cliffs and overlook the Bay of Acapulco. All these clubs have gimmicks that are great...and architecturally speaking, they're just fabulous. [They have] huge-floor-to- ceiling windows overlooking the Bay and the ceiling is 25 -30 feet high! And there are tons of these places. It's the best!

DW: You're a native of Massachusetts, you've lived all over the place and now you live in Los Angeles. If you had to put down roots somewhere, where would it be?

DO: LA. I'm a nature freak, but I also love the city. I love to be busy, busy, busy ...I'm a Type A personality and I'm able to do that here but I also know I need the balance of nature and to be able to get in touch with that side of me. So with the mountains so close and the ocean so close and the ability to enjoy them all year round in comfortable temperatures... it's ideal for me.

DW: What have been some of the gay-friendlyest places you've traveled to?

DO: Well, Texas, of course. [Laughs] Obviously, San Francisco. Brighton, England is a huge gay town, I believe. It's a seaside town and I totally fell in love with it. Very liberal town! The nightlife is also great.

When we port in Fort Lauderdale...there's a group of guys from the ship who keep telling me that Fort Lauderdale is it now, in terms of nightlife and the gay community.

DW: What's been one of your most special memories from a place where you've performed?

DO: In Zagreb, Croatia...I was doing a European tour of Hair and we had booked a gig in Croatia and we went to Zagreb, which is the capital city, and we were greeted by tons and tons of people. They were like, "Oh my God! An American show coming to Croatia!" For the day it was like we were the Beatles. There was a girl who came up to me after the show and she asked me for a hug. As she was hugging me, she whispered in my ear, 'Just don't forget us.' Because you know Hair is all about peace and freedom and fighting freedom and it was just a charged show in Zagreb, Croatia. Waterworks came flying out of me...I had to go to the bus quickly.

Well whether in Zagreb, Croatia or on Hollywood's Theatre Row or in some regional theatre in a town near you, Dan O'Brien is making himself a fixture in the theatre world. So don't be surprised if you're strolling along The Great White Way some day soon and see the name 'Dan O'Brien' in bright lights. Just remember you heard the name here first.