April 14th, 2010
I’m writing from my dressing room at the Broadway Theatre during our18th preview. The show is going great. The audiences are reacting like they’re at a rock concert. The crowds at the stage door, waiting for Kristin and Sean to emerge, require police supervision and bodyguards! I kid you not! We are all settling in to the routine of the show. While previews continue we rehearse each day for about 4hours, tweaking and tightening the show. Our first few previews ran quite long. But Rob has been really diligent about trimming the fat. He hasn’t cut any moments; just tightened transitions. We now come down about ten minutes sooner than we initially did. The way the show plays there are a few actors I don’t actually see until the curtain call. Which is an odd feeling. The brilliant Katie Finneran, who plays ‘’Marge’, I only see when we’re holding hands taking a bow. So we always have a little dance around the stage together as the curtain comes down and the stage clears. That’s what we were doing one night last week when Carol Burnett and Megan Mullally came racing onstage from the wings - raving about the show. Megan had tears in her eyes when she was talking to me. She LOVED it. So did Carol. It’s all very exciting. We open April 25th.

February 2010
Rehearsals for the Broadway revival of Promises, Promises are underway. We began the week with a meet and greet. So cool to go to work and see Neil Simon, there! Living legend. His book for Promises is great; makes me wish he’d write more for the musical theater. I’m playing Eichelberger, one of the Executives at Consolidated Life. I did it at City Center, Encores!, back in the mid-90s, and had a blast. As soon as the audience hears that unmistakable sound of Burt Bacharach’s 1960s pop score – the overture is nothing short of spectacular - they go crazy. This is Rob Ashford’s long-overdue Broadway directorial debut. He’s had great success on Broadway as a choreographer, and as both a director and choreographer on the West End. Bravo Rob. The show stars my darling, Kristin (our first Broadway show together after all those concerts!) Chenoweth and the incomparable Sean Hayes. Add Brooks Ashmanskas into the brew and you can imagine that rehearsal is literally a laugh a minute. Then there’s Tony Goldwyn, Dick Latessa (Last time we worked together was on The Encores! production) me old mate, Katie Finneran (Love her!). The rest of the cast are all Broadway vets and the dancing will be a real highlight. It’s going to be a very hot ticket. Here’s a pic of KC and me from Carnegie Hall.

January 2010
Happy New Year! Performing at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C. was intense. Mel Brooks, Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Brubeck and Opera Diva, Grace Bumbry were the honorees. The Mel Brooks tribute, of which I was part, was right before intermission. The audience jumped to their feet at the end of our 12 minute medley. Stroman did a stellar job with the tribute.

We were then asked to line up in the wings to 'receive' the President and First Lady, which was unexpected. I stood between Melissa Etheridge and Jon Stewart (Heroes!). When you're meeting the big Kahuna everyone else is equally star struck, no matter how HUGE they are themselves. The Obama's strolled down the line shaking everyone's hand and saying hello. There’s not much to report, I was too intimidated to say anything except, ‘Honored to meet you. The President’s skin felt soft. Michelle looked goddess-like in a strapless purple/mauve draped gown. With he hair swept up she was at least 6'5". Seriously. I was dancing with 6 foot tall showgirls all week and she towered over them.

But the madness didn’t stop there. When Melissa (and I think you can call a diva by her first name when you’ve chanted in her ear, ”Obama! Obama! Let Mama Marry Mama!” while anticipating the arrival of the leader of the free world) was performing to honor Springsteen, I found a spot alone in the wings to watch. Behind her was a painted he backdrop of the Asbury Park boardwalk, The Boss’ stomping grounds! I have a house in A.P. and was excited to see it represented.. So, I am standing alone watching Etheridge when Sting stands shoulder to shoulder with me. He was so close I could smell him! He went on next to close the show, supported by a massive choir. I met him ten minutes later and told him how much I have loved dancing to his music over the years, "God Bless you", he says to me. No, God bless you STING! At which point Vice President Biden came backstage. The Secret Service are EVERYWHERE and I must have passed through the metal detector in the wings ten times throughout the evening. When I met the V.P. he asked me where I was from: Australia and more recently New York City. When I told him I was naturalized here he then thanked me for choosing the US. Thank -you Mr. Vice President! Star Struck. It was wall-to-wall celebs. THEN. THEN.

THEN, I met Meryl Streep, and she was delightful, "I heard you had an awful time with your costumes at dress rehearsal but you were terrific tonight, it looked wonderful", She said. I replied that it all came off splendidly. Then, just as a photo was taken, she leans her head toward mine and sings through her smile "That's why they call us professionals!" She was so lovely and down to earth.

A night I will always cherish. Thanks Stro!

Seán

December 2009
Hello Folks,

Heading into the Holidays I want to wish everybody a happy and safe season. Unfortunately for the audiences at the Cincinnati Pops we had to cancel the recent concerts there due to illness.

On Tuesday, December 29 at 9:00 p.m. CBS will broadcast The Kennedy Center Honors Gala, a two-hour primetime special from the Kennedy Center Opera House stage. The President and Mrs. Obama will sit with the Honorees Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert De Niro, and Bruce Springsteen as they enjoy a salute by performers from New York, Hollywood, and the arts capitals of the world.

Susan Stroman is putting together a hilarious tribute to Mel Brooks. I have always wanted to perform at the Kennedy Center Honors and was thrilled when Stro asked me. In recent years she has invited me to work with her as she created DOUBLE FEATURE, for the New York City Ballet, TAKE FIVE…More or Less, for Pacific Northwest Ballet and the musical HAPPINESS, for Lincoln Center Theater. Being in the rehearsal room with her is always a laughter-filled, sweaty, endeavor. I love it!

The big news is that I have been offered a role in the Broadway revival of PROMISES, PROMISES, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes. The show will be directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford and begins previews at the Broadway Theater on March 28th 2010. Opening night is April 25th.

The musical has a book by Neil Simon and a hit-packed score by Bacharach and David ("I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "Promises, Promises," and "Knowing When to Leave"), and is based on the 1960 Academy Award-winning Billy Wilder film, THE APARTMENT ( Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine). PROMISES, PROMISES is returning to Broadway for the first time in over forty years (Although, I was lucky enough to have performed in the City Center, Encores! production in the mid 90’s, directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall).

November 2009
Hello Friends. Moscow was amazing! I had a great time working with a talented group of actors there; very few of whom could speak English. They worked like demons to get all the lyrics and choreography down and we put on a terrific concert at the end of a three week intensive. The experience was thrilling. Working with Judy Blazer again was pure joy.

I had knee surgery upon my return in July, which made for a slow, crutch-laden summer.

But now I’m raring to go again and will start off with a few concerts with Kristin Chenoweth and the Cincinnati Pops on November 13 – 15.

May 2009
On May 11th I will be joining Kristin Chenoweth for her concert at City Center, Encores! We also have concerts planned for Cincinnati, Ohio, the weekend of September 10th. Later in the summer I will be going to Moscow to teach a musical theater intensive with my pal, Judy Blazer. I have no idea what to expect. With Judy, it’s sure to be a hoot.

Thanks for visiting,

Seán.

November 2008
Well folks, the economy hit my world in September and BRIGADOON was shelved. Hopefully it will be back on the schedule for next season. In the meantime I sang on a studio recording of DEAR EDWINA, by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich and did a reading of PROMISES, PROMISES directed by Rob Ashford and starring Sean Hayes and Anne Hathaway. That was pretty cool.

July 2008
I had a blast doing CURTAINS. Such a great company and everyone made me feel so welcome. So sad to see that show close.

I just played The Gypsy King in a reading of EVER AFTER, directed by Doug (Doubt) Hughes. It’s a charming new musical with an outstanding score, based on the 1999 film, Ever After.

Next up YANKEE DOODLE - I’m pulling out the tap shoes to play George M. Cohan in a new version of his Broadway story at The Ordway Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. I love playing this part; he’s the original song and dance man. And it’s the only show I ever did where the audience stood at the end of act one!

I am now set to play 'Lundie' in the Broadway bound revival of BRIGADOON which will be heading to Boston’s Colonial Theatre mid-October. Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Curtains) who’s given me practically every job I ever had, is directing and choreographing. John Guare, (Six Degrees of Separation) is reworking the book. Brigadoon is now “a pacificist town that 'disappeared' in 1939 because its inhabitants didn't want to live in a world torn apart by war." Then on to Broadway early 2009.