Hello Beautiful People,
Nick Blaemire is a gem. He’s a man of many talents, one who wears many hats, and is one of the most humble people I have come across. He is an accomplished singer, actor, and playwright. Nick Blaemire is the type of person who, while in rehearsal for his next project, was kind enough to take his lunch break and chat with me, and I’m both touched and honored by his support.
Ladies and Gents, meet Nick Blaemire…
MM: Growing up, did you always want to be an actor/singer?
NB: Yeah, my mom got me into it when I was a wee lad. Like…three. It made more sense to me than the actual social interaction that what I was supposed to be doing in my preschool classroom. It was a social thing at first, but then I realized how much I loved it. I loved making people happy.
MM: Of all the roles that you’ve played, which ones are most memorable?
NB: I remember doing Bobby Strong in Urinetown in college, and that was a really huge opportunity because the director Stephen Sposito, who’s in NY now, opened up a forum with us collaborating with him. It immediately sparked something in me, and I appreciated him asking my opinion so much, rather than just being a cog in the machine. It doesn’t always happen that way, but it really is special when that happens. Joe Iconis actually gave me the opportunity to that with him on his show The Black Suits, which we did at The Public for a couple of weeks. We were able to bounce ideas off one another, and I think that says a lot about Stephen and Joe that they are secure enough in their artistry to ask for feedback from people and not be threatened. And I think the shows are better for it. It’s a collaborative art.
MM: What books are permanently on your bookshelf?
NB: You have to have all the Shakespeare. I have a big old book of the complete works that makes me feel smart to have up there, even though I haven’t opened it since college. There’s a book called Playwriting: Brief and Brilliant by Julie Jensen that’s only ninety pages – I am constantly re-reading it. Harold Guskin’s book, How to Stop Acting, it’s fantastic. There’s this book I’ve had since I was a kid, Losing Joe’s Place, by Gordon Korman. That’s the first book I read where I could really see the story, I’ve kept that book forever. Sondheim’s work – Finishing the Hat, Look I Made a Hat, all sorts of books about musical theatre that I’ve received as gifts over the years.
MM: If you were stranded on a desert island, (assuming there is a DVD player), what movies and television shows would you want to have with you?
NB: Good Will Hunting, Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Magnolia, Saving Private Ryan, ET, The Godfather, Laurence of Arabia, (I just watched that with my Dad), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sixteen Candles…I really liked the new Gatsby movie a lot. As far as TV, I’d say The Killing, Friday Night Lights. Breaking Bad and Mad Men, although they sort of depress me a bit. I watch Game of Thrones on and off. The great television shows of life, (for me), would be NYPD Blue, The Sopranos, Saved by the Bell, and The West Wing is the best television show ever.
MM: You were recently in Dogfight at Second Stage Theater, and it was a huge success. What was it like working on the production?
NB: I’ve known Benj and Justin since I was in college, we all went to Michigan together, and Benj is one of my best friends. I’ve known their music and work for what seems like forever, and I’m just so proud of them. It was great working on Dogfight, I originally didn’t think I was going to be able to be a part of it because I was doing Godspell at Circle in the Square, but they stuck their necks out for me and it ended up working out. It was like being on a baseball team, it’s rare to be in a cast of guys all the same age working on a show; normally it’s a much wider range of ages. But it was great.
MM: What’s next for Nick Blaemire?
NB: I got to shoot a small part on the pilot for a new show on NBC called The Blacklist. I’m writing two musicals that are really taking up a lot of my time, the first one is called A Little More Alive, directed by the amazing Sheryl Kaller, and we’re going to Kansas City Rep in March to try it out there – they’re a wonderful place. I’m also writing a show for the Signature Theater in Virginia, where I originally started Glory Days. I’m excited for that one too – we’re gonna do a workshop this fall. And I’m part of a band, called Nick Blaemire and the Hustle, we call our genre nerd soul, and we’re playing quite a bit of gigs. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
MM: What advice would you give to aspiring musical theater performers?
NB: I feel like the thing that I’ve learned, and the thing that I keep hearing other people say in different forms, is that the only thing you have control over is working hard, and being nice. Everything else, the chance, the right project, the right moment coming out of school, the right cultural moment in time – you can’t control that. But, you can control what happens when moments do present themselves. And, you can also have the control to create a reputation for yourself and make sure that you’re the type of person that people want to work with. You should be yourself, always, but hold yourself to a standard that brings back good vibes.
MM: In today’s economy, arts programs are being cut. What reasons would you give a politician for preserving the arts?
NB: Art is the study of and celebration of humanity in a way that cannot be defined. It has infused and enraptured us for our entire existence. The success of our country stands on the foundation of expression and social commentary; the National Anthem is a piece of art – it’s part of our culture. To cut arts programs is essentially saying that being a human being is math. Not everyone who is an elementary school chorus ends up being a professional singer or actor, but they understand that valve, they understand the world better, and they’re all the more compassionate for it.
MM: What sound do you love, and what sound do you hate?
NB: I love the sound of the end of a laugh. I hate the word no, especially when it comes first at the beginning of the sentence.
MM: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
NB: Tim Reagan at Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts. Jane Patrick Townsend, Jon Elco, Ed Crow, Martha Donla, Philip Hurr, Janet Maley, Brent Wagner…there’s so many. Mrs. Allman, my fifth grade teacher, for putting me in the Shakespeare show. Tom Cox and the Westin Playhouse who taught me how to move my face. Every director I’ve worked with ever – Tina Landau, Joe Mantello…I feel like I’m still in school.
Thank you, Nick!
Live, Love, Learn,
Megan &