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MickeyJoTheatre
Jamie Muscato (The Great Gatsby, Great Comet, Heathers, Moulin Rouge) - INTERVIEW
00:24:34
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- [00:00]
James Gunn
Peacemaker is back on Peacemaker the Official Podcast with James Gunn. Hear exclusive insights and break down every episode starting with season one Gun along with his co hosts and cast members share outrageous behind the scenes stories, talk about what's canon in the new DC universe and so much more. Season two premieres August 21st. Listen or watch Peacemaker the official podcast with James Gunn on HBO Max, the HBO Max YouTube channel, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:30]
Jamie Moscato
There's a time and a place for a filet of fish, but breakfast is for sausage biscuits. McDonald's breakfast comes first.
- [00:45]
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- [01:46]
Micky Jo Theater
Oh my God. Hey Jamie Moscato.
- [01:49]
Jamie Moscato
Hey.
- [01:50]
Micky Jo Theater
It's very nice to see you. My first question because we have arrived in 30 plus degree heat and you're doing a show where you're wearing like velvet blazers and three piece suits. How are we coping in the Great Gatsby in the heat wave of 20?
- [02:05]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah, it's warm. Yeah. And I'm not putting my aircon in my dressing room because it's like drying and stuff. So I am, I'm sweaty. I'm a sweaty Gatsby at the moment, but otherwise it's fine.
- [02:19]
Micky Jo Theater
A huge extravaganza of a show. It's a party happening on stage. Is it as much fun to be amongst all of that as it is to watch it?
- [02:28]
Jamie Moscato
It really is. This cast are amazing. We're all really good pals. Like we all have a laugh both on and off sometimes. There's a really nice camaraderie between everyone. Like there's no sort of egos or hierarchy and stuff. It just, it's just amazing for a cast of this like caliber and talent and, you know, backgrounds and everything. Yeah, everyone's just kind of living their best lives for a few months doing Gatsby stuff. That's great.
- [02:59]
Micky Jo Theater
You have a lot of great ballad moments where you get the stillness of just standing there and staring out into what I'm sure is maybe the best view you've ever had in an extended run out into the enormous London Coliseum. Is that the coolest thing to get to perform to?
- [03:14]
Jamie Moscato
It's amazing. Obviously, when you're on stage, you don't really see too much, but towards. In the beginning of the run, at the end of the bows, the lights come up in the house towards the end, and most people are off stage already. And then one day I tell Frank he'd like just wait. Wait on stage for a little bit longer and look at the lights come up and you see the thousands and thousands of people that are. That have come in every single day. And it's. It's. Yeah, it's like goosebumpy. It's cool.
- [03:40]
Micky Jo Theater
What was it? Because this is the London transfer of the show, originated on Broadway. What was it about the show and this role and this score that made you want to. Want to play it, want to sing it?
- [03:51]
Jamie Moscato
Well, I really like doing original things. I know it's, like, not entirely original because it's a transfer, but it is when you get to put your strongest stamp on a character, which I really love doing, so that having the rest of the cast. I knew a few people that had been cast or were being spoken about the actual venue, the. I mean, to be honest, the creative team, everyone, everything involved, really. The short run. I love short runs. Yeah, it was all. It was all kind of positive for me.
- [04:30]
Micky Jo Theater
Throughout your career, a handful of shows in cool, smaller spaces not that long ago with like, Natasha Pierre and the great Comet of 1812 at the Donmar, and then a couple of really big machines of productions with huge companies, lots of moving pieces. This is a big green show. Moulin Rouge in the West End was a big red show. And I'm intrigued about comparatively between the two, which felt from your perspective, like a more complex organism to be amongst backstage.
- [04:59]
Jamie Moscato
They're almost incomparable. With Natasha Pierre, it was like it was a traumatic birth experience. I mean, I'm guessing it was something that everyone kind of dragged out of their souls and just laid down and we had no idea if it was good. Dreadful, brilliant. Like it could have been anything. It was one of the most kind of painful and rewarding experiences of creating something I've ever done. I Love it so much. Gatsby was not painful at all. The creative team knew exactly what they were doing, were open to suggestions and new ideas, knew where they would fit within the. The structure that they already had. For something that is so huge, I guess you have to have the oil ready to go in those cogs and, like, just get it on, get it on, get it on. So, yeah. Completely different experiences almost immediately after each other, and both incredibly valuable.
- [06:13]
Micky Jo Theater
I spoke to Jordan Fisher last month, who was playing Christian right now on Broadway, and he said it's a deceptively relentless track for the first portion of the show that you just keep going. Is that. Or was that at the time, I guess some of the hardest stuff you'd had to do on stage?
- [06:31]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah. I mean, Christian's got a silly track, really, for his songs, and the way I wanted to do it was when he sings, it should be an exact extension of his speaking. Like, there shouldn't be any difference between when he's singing and when he's. And when he's speaking, because that is just the language that he uses. Yeah. So the hard bit for me was making it just seem just completely, like, effortless. I'm doing this with my hands because that's what I feel like it. And, you know, until it gets rocky and stuff and it's bringing. Dragged out of him. But when it's just flowing out of him, I just wanted it to be, like, the most effortless thing you've ever seen. Yeah. And that's very hard to make it look effortless. Yeah. But I say it's another great track, and you get to. There's an amazing arc that he gets to go on. From, like, naive to learning to loving to losing, to, like, lost and then sort of possibly finding himself again at the end. Yeah. So I really enjoyed that. Yeah.
- [07:36]
Micky Jo Theater
And, I mean, you say this about the vocal challenges of that role, and he is singing relentlessly and pouring it all out there. And it's both emotionally challenging and physically challenging. Cause you're getting at one point literally thrown across the stage, and it's also rangy, and it's big. And so you make the decision. What if I take one of these most challenging songs in the second act? What if I take this a little bit here and let's make that higher. Let's put a little bit in there. And you've got a little option moment in Gatsby as well. And it's like just one little moment in the show in already a really vocally challenging and sensational part. Is this something. Do you have a mindset when you're entering rehearsals? Like, I'm gonna do one thing and I'm gonna figure out where that one thing is gonna be, or does it just come to you naturally at some point completely?
- [08:25]
Jamie Moscato
Not like, I don't. I don't. Okay, a few things. The difference in notes in past is catching up to me. In Gatsby came from Jason, the composer. We were working it out, and I wanted to sing the song as it is, as well as I could do. And then he would, like, be throwing things at me, be like, go and do this, do this, do this. And then at the near the end of the run, he was like, what if you just go fly away with the bees? And I did it. And it made sense sort of like emotionally for him. I also don't see it as an option up. That's just what I do every day. Like, from when he proposed it to now, through rehearsals, through the matinees, through the show. That is just what my show is.
- [09:20]
Micky Jo Theater
So tell me. Okay, so what was the etymology of the Roxanne choice in Moulin Rouge? Is that something that Aaron had done at some point previously?
- [09:29]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was an Arryn thing. And when it's there, you know it's there. It's like, you might as well.
- [09:38]
Micky Jo Theater
And it's like a sprint finish in a marathon. Like, you've made it this far. It all seems to be going well. There's that little bit left in the.
- [09:45]
Jamie Moscato
Tank, and I don't even think it's that high. I don't. I don't know what it is. But, like, I think you have a.
- [09:52]
Micky Jo Theater
Very skewed perspective of what that high is.
- [09:54]
Jamie Moscato
No, I definitely do. I definitely do. And I think Natasha Pierre was the highest I've ever sung. Oh, yeah, that was stupid.
- [09:59]
Micky Jo Theater
Yeah, that's the highest a lot of people have ever done.
- [10:02]
Jamie Moscato
Sure. And then this again, like this just. There's a couple of Cs. I don't think Mutin Rouge got that high. I don't know. I'm not very good with actual notes. I don't read music or anything. But, yeah, I just. I can do it, so I might as well do it.
- [10:16]
Micky Jo Theater
Can we talk about what your day to day has to look like for you to be able to sing a score like this one or like Natasha Pierre as regularly as you needed to? Because I feel like the Elphabas get asked about it and talk about it a lot, and I don't hear a lot of like high tenors having the conversation about, like, vocal health and like you were saying about the air conditioning in the dressing room and having to think about stuff like that.
- [10:44]
Jamie Moscato
I'm not the most disciplined when it comes comes to vocal health. I don't think about it until I have to, which is like, when I'm ill or when I'm extremely tired or something, because I didn't, like, officially train my. I don't really have any discipline. But also I am very well attuned to what my voice is doing because it's the way I've learned. If I feel a bit tired, I just won't speak for a few days or not. Just be it. But day to day, I don't really do too much. I try and drink as much water as I can, try not to shout too much. But also I think I'm quite a relaxed person and I think that helps in vocal stamina because there isn't. I'm not holding much tension in my ear. I don't walk around life sort of tight, which I think I think it helps because you just sort of release and it happens. Yeah. Or at least I hope it does. If it doesn't, I also don't really mind. Like, I've cracked a few times and I. I find it more funny than embarrassing because, you know, I'm sure Usain Bolt's fallen over. You know, I'm not comparing myself to Usain Bolt, but, like, people at the top of their game make mistakes. I'm happy to do that now and again.
- [12:06]
Micky Jo Theater
So the Jamie Moscato vocal health advice is we all just need to chill out a little bit more.
- [12:11]
Jamie Moscato
I genuinely think so. I genuinely think so. If it's something that's on your mind, it will be held in your body. And then if it's held in your body, you're gonna be thinking about it, you're gonna be tensing about it. Whereas it's an impossible thing to do, like to try and relax, it's just impossible. But, like, if you can do.
- [12:30]
Micky Jo Theater
You mentioned enjoying originating shows and you were in the first UK production, first West End production of Spring Awakening, way back in the day. Was that first professional job? Yes.
- [12:41]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I did a few, like, minutes on tv. But, yeah, first proper professional jump. Yeah.
- [12:49]
Micky Jo Theater
And you got to revisit it with the majority of the company in a reunion concert at the Victoria Palace. I'm wondering if there are any of the other shows from sort of the early years of your career. I'm thinking Dogfight. I'm thinking Big Fish that you would like to see, like, that you would love to have a reunion moment with that cast or, like, a role that you'd like to play again. Yeah.
- [13:12]
Jamie Moscato
I mean, you hit two of them. Dogfight was my first lead role. It sort of shaped how I approached things as, like, Matt Ryan was the director and, like, he taught me so much. And then Big Fish was an amazing experience. Nigel Harmon directed. Kelsey Grammer, Tanisha Spring was in was just amazing. And both of those companies, I've been very lucky with, like, nice companies. They were just. They're just such lovely people to work with every day. And Big Fish, we were just in tears at the end of every rehearsal day because Kelsey was crying and, like, everyone, like, it was just such an emotional experience. And then Dogfight, we bonded so hard so quickly, I think, because we were so young and, like, telling a story that I think requires, like, a level of bond. Yeah. Between the company to be able to say those things to each other. And, you know, I got spat every day and I hate it. Spit. Like, it makes me so. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I just. It's. It's the. It's being around those people that just really does it for me.
- [14:33]
Micky Jo Theater
So what I'm hearing is the ideal is, like, concert reunion of Dogfight where the spit is, like, forwards over microphone and it's not to happen to you. That would be the ideal.
- [14:43]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah, yeah.
- [14:44]
Micky Jo Theater
You talk about great companies, you've been in a few productions where it's like, almost everyone would go on to have really exciting careers. I mean, looking back at that Spring Awakening original cast, now everyone's doing the most exciting stuff. It was full of so many people who would go on to be huge talents, like Charlotte Wakefield and Evie Hoskins and Natasha Barnes. Just loads of fantastic people. And then Heather's as well. The other Palace Haymarket West End cast everyone has gone on to do to, like, down to, like, everyone in the ensemble doing really exciting stuff. And now cut to Great Gatsby, which feels like the other side of it, where it's almost this, like, Avengers Assemble moment of the West End, where the casting details were big enough so we were like, what do you mean? And John Owen Jones and Rachel Tucker and John Robbins and Amber and Corbin and, like, what do you mean the embarrassment of riches that is this company led by yourself? I don't know if this is building to any kind of a question, just to acknowledge the lovely company, including yourself.
- [15:48]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah. We've got such an incredible pool of talent. In the UK to pull from. It doesn't surprise me that people go on to do whatever, whatever. Like I was a swing in Spring Awakening and now, you know, I'm leaving Gatsby. But I've done, you know, I've been a swing. I've been a first cover, second cover, ensemble, no cover. I've kind of pulled myself up the ranks. So I love it when I see other people do that in shows that I've done and they've been in the ensemble and now they're saying playing Leeds or whatever. I kind of think it does a disservice sometimes to the actor if they go straight in as a lead because there's opportunity to learn that you're not, you're not getting. I learned so much watching people when I covered them, like what to do and what not to do, which are both equally valuable. So yeah, I mean, I don't know where I'm rambling now that with the no question. I'm giving you no answer. So there you go.
- [16:58]
Micky Jo Theater
In the company now alongside the two Johns, is there any part of you that thinks because you have primarily open shows and been in transfers and originated stuff, is there any part of you that thinks like Phantom in the West End at some point down the line? Is that in the future somewhere? Or even going back to Les Mis? So many like Barricade Boys go back as a Javert, go back as a Jean Valjean. Is that something? Do you have dream roles like that or just dream scores to sing?
- [17:35]
Jamie Moscato
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- [17:44]
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- [17:46]
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- [18:54]
Jamie Moscato
I don't. I have never really had a dream role, which is. Which is weird, obviously. Like back in the day I did, but now it doesn't really interest me. They actually called me in to audition for the Phantom a while, like a while back. I think I'm too young, but I didn't. I didn't want to go in quite yet. So I'm not saying never is, you know, but definitely not, not yet. Who knows? I. I mean, there. I think there's been such a slew of amazing people play those roles that I don't know if I'll be able to find anything else. And that's what's interesting to me, you know, I. Finding the new. The Extra Juice. Yeah, I think it's been juiced by enough brilliant actors.
- [19:41]
Micky Jo Theater
Now going back to Heather's at the other Palace. Haymarket, became a huge phenomenon here in the uk, has just made the triumphant return to New York, has just opened Off Broadway. It's become this enormous thing. But you were part of the company that kind of relaunched it with the start here in London. Did you just feel like a rock star in those audiences? Because it was such an extraordinary reaction from primarily a demographic of, like, very young people, many of whom would be coming to the theatre for the first time.
- [20:14]
Jamie Moscato
Yeah, a little bit. A little bit. And I mean, I did the workshop of Heather's at the other palace before it was a thing, and on our open read through, people came dressed in the costumes. Wow. I had no idea what Heathers was at all. But when that happened, I was like, oh, this is. This is already a thing that is just going to explode. It's amazing seeing the journey that Heathers has been on. Like, again, what a cast. Chris Chung's off, you know, bloody Hollywood now. Yeah, that was another slightly painful birth experience, which is not a bad thing. I think you create some of the best work like that. But we put in so much effort and thought and time and actual blood and sweat and tears and everything into that show that it is gratifying that it is, however, many years later, reopening in New York, and it's the version that we created and, you know, I see some of the pictures that they're putting out and that's just things that I did, which then is now in the DNA of the show. So it is very. It is very gratifying and I guess it's the only way that Your work lives on in theatre, like in film, it's just there forever. In theater, it dies every night. But it has sort of got an extra life, which is nice, but also it's a completely different thing because I'm sure that Casey, who's playing JD Right now, is. Isn't having the same thoughts as me. He's having his own thoughts and ideas which will make him say the lines differently. And so there is a. There's like a trace DNA attached. Yeah. Which is still nice.
- [22:10]
Micky Jo Theater
And you're very different performers. When you think of the various people who have played JD and yourself and Casey, you're very different performers. And so it's interesting that there's been so many that have gone on to do Gatsby with yourself and Ryan and Mr. Jeremy Jordan, who did the workshop beforehand. And I suppose if you really want to look for it, obviously there's the vocal stuff, but there's the slightest, like, Act 2, Gatsby, some of the frustration that he gets into, it's not toxic in the same way, but there's like the slightest strain of just how determined he is. There's the slightest similarity there.
- [22:49]
Jamie Moscato
100% like they are.
- [22:55]
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- [23:53]
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- [24:28]
Jamie Moscato
They're on the same fader, but JD's. Yeah, you know, 20 decibels. Like, Gatsby is hiding things. He is. I think there's probably something going on in there that we would class as neurodiversion these days, which obviously JD is, so. Yeah, they are. They are. There are very similar personality threads that they share. And also they're just fun roles. And, I mean, I love playing a fun role that I can get into every night. And Gatsby's one of them and JD's one of them.
- [25:13]
Micky Jo Theater
There's been a lot of sort of frustrated, romantic young men in your career. Was it fun to do Anatol in Great Comet? Because it was sort of a further step apart from the rest of them.
- [25:25]
Jamie Moscato
I didn't know who he was for such a long time. I had conversations with Tim and, like, he wanted this. He wanted one thing, and I thought something else. And, like, through the rehearsal process, we kind of came together and we found this amateur who is just a horrible, horrible person who I don't think has any redeeming features apart from his charm.
- [25:49]
Micky Jo Theater
Snappy dresser.
- [25:50]
Jamie Moscato
Snappy dresser, absolutely. He's just annoyingly reminiscent of people with privilege today who can ruin people's lives and then move to another city and then ruin people's lives and then move to another city. Because he has the money and the power and the, you know, protection. And. I don't know, I. I'm relatively politically minded, so I quite enjoy getting to be the opposite of what I. Yeah. Like in the world, you know, just.
- [26:25]
Micky Jo Theater
Fun for all of the time then spent carving him out in rehearsals. Your first Olivier Award nomination for that show, was that. Were you thinking about it? Was it on the radar at all? Is it something that you're ambivalent about?
- [26:42]
Jamie Moscato
Well, obviously, I'm working at the Donmar, and with a name like that comes, you know, it's like working at the national, you. The other eyes are on those. Those productions. Obviously, I thought about it. I would like one. I don't need one. One of those things, you know what I mean? It is a cherry. I've got. I've got a great career. I'm doing fine. It would be nice to like show my kids one day.
- [27:12]
Micky Jo Theater
Are there venues? You read along. Are there directors who you're sort of like keen to do stuff with? What are the goals existing in the very chill mind of Jamie Moscato, who is just happy to be doing the shows.
- [27:27]
Jamie Moscato
I've known people that have had. This is my plan. I'm gonna do this and then this and then this and it doesn't work out. And I've known people that have just got the best job they've ever got out of the blue. It's like telling the future. It's almost impossible. Impossible to do. And I find that the best way for me is to make the next decision. Yeah, and then make the next decision. And then make the next decision. And then look down and see where you. Where you've come from. But yes, okay, venues. I'd like to do all the cool ones. You know, I've done the Donmar and the National. I'd like to do the Almeida. I'd like to do. I've done the Fimbra Theater. I like doing small places, but also, you know, now I've got the Coliseum ticked off. I'd like to do a few things out of London. I'd love to do Broadway. That's kind of a big goal of mine. And other acty things too, like TV and film and. And sort of whatever I can get to build a. The strongest foundation I can. Yeah, yeah.
- [28:36]
Micky Jo Theater
I look forward to seeing it all. In the meantime, you are belting up a storm and driving cars and wearing very nice suits on the stage of the Colosseum in the Great Gatsby. Running through to the beginning of September. September. It closes on my birthday. There you go. Thank you. Thank you. Enjoy the closing night party. But yeah, have a great time in the roaring rest of the run.
- [29:00]
Jamie Moscato
Thank you.
- [29:01]
Micky Jo Theater
And enjoy. Continuing to delight audiences. Pleasure chatting for 10 more seconds. I'm Micky Jo Theater. Oh, my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day.
- [29:15]
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