http://www.playbill.com/news/article/115693.html
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Mara Davi with Scott Bakula in rehearsal.
photo by Sandy Huffaker
STAGE TO SCREENS: Chats with Scott Bakula
By Michael Buckley
09 Mar 2008
Two decades after his most recent Broadway appearance (in Romance/Romance, for which he received a 1988 Tony nomination), Scott Bakula is taking a not-quite-"Quantum Leap" back to musical theatre.
Considered by many to be one of the nicest people in show business, Bakula stars in the world-premiere engagement (March 4-April 13) of Dancing in the Dark at San Diego's Old Globe. Might the show transfer to New York? Says Bakula, "That's what they've talked about since day one."
Douglas Carter Beane has adapted Betty Comden and Adolph Green's Oscar-nominated screenplay for "The Band Wagon" (1953). The popular M-G-M movie starred Fred Astaire as dancer Tony Hunter who, because of his fading film career, agrees to co-star with a ballerina (Cyd Charisse) in a Broadway musical.
Writers of the show are two of his friends (Nanette Fabray, Oscar Levant) — a team not unlike Comden and Green — and the director's a theatrical Renaissance man (Jack Buchanan). Playing those respective roles at the Old Globe are Bakula, Mara Davi, Beth Leavel, Adam Heller, and Patrick Page. Among those also in the cast are Sebastian LaCause, Benjamin Howes and Jacob Ben Widmar.
Has Bakula seen the movie? "Yes, but not for a long time." I'd read that Bakula plays more a singing, rather than dancing, Tony Hunter, but he tells me: "I'm Tony Hunter, the singer and the dancer. I do a fair amount of dancing, but no one's Fred Astaire.
"Elements of the story are the same, but it's deeper. It has a new creative energy. Douglas has had the freedom to go in and, with Gary [Griffin, who's directing], flesh out the story, especially in the second act, so that it isn't just number after number [as might be said of the film]."
Featured in "The Band Wagon" score, by Howard Dietz (lyrics) and Arthur Schwartz (music), are songs first written for eight of their Broadway revues. Two songs deleted from the movie ("Bran' New Suit," "Sweet Music") have been reinstated. Numbers from Dietz and Schwartz shows were added: "Something You Never Had Before" (from The Gay Life) and "Rhode Island Is Famous for You" (Inside USA). "The Girl Hunt" ballet, danced by Astaire and Charisse in the movie, has been eliminated.
Due to his TV exposure, one could count Bakula among the most readily recognized actors. With which character do most people associate him — Sam Beckett, the "Quantum Leap" scientist (1989-93), or Jonathan Archer, the "Star Trek: Enterprise" captain (2001-05)? "Both," he replies, "but 'Quantum Leap' probably carries the day."
Each week, time-traveler Beckett leaped year to year, into the body of a different person, in order to improve matters. His guide was Al, a hologram, played by Dean Stockwell, with whom Bakula remains friends: "He's a good man."
"Quantum Leap" earned Bakula four Emmy nominations, and as many Golden Globe nods (winning the latter award in 1992). The actor directed three of the 96 episodes, and sometimes sang on the series. A 1989 show had him performing songs from Man of La Mancha. "That one had John Cullum and Janine Turner — before they did 'Northern Exposure' [their 1990-95 series] — and Michele Pawk was in it, too."
"Boston Legal" (in February) featured Bakula singing "Once Upon a Time" and playing piano. It reunited him with Candice Bergen, with whom he did 13 "Murphy Brown" episodes (1993-96). "Candice is a love, and great to work with." Will he appear again on "Legal"? "You never know. [Laughs] I didn't die at the end."
Shenandoah, "with John Cullum as the star, was the first Broadway show I ever saw." A few years later, Bakula made his professional stage debut in the musical "at a North Carolina dinner theatre. I've appeared in the show several times, playing various roles. I did it on the old straw-hat circuit, with John Raitt one year, and Ed Ames, another; a couple of national tours; twice at Paper Mill Playhouse." In 2006, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., Bakula graduated to "the lead role of Charlie."
Following a turn as an understudy in Is There Life After High School?, Bakula's Broadway debut occurred as baseball's Joe DiMaggio in 1983's short-lived Marilyn: An American Fable. Does it bring back any memories? He laughs. "Many, but they're way too long."
On April 8, 1995, Bakula appeared as J. Bowden Hapgood, opposite Madeline Kahn (Cora Hoover Hooper) and Bernadette Peters (Fay Apple), in a Carnegie Hall benefit concert of the Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Laurents musical Anyone Can Whistle. Angela Lansbury, who had originated the Hooper role, narrated.
Recalls Bakula, "It was extraordinary! It was almost impossible to step back and appreciate what was going on. I knew Bernadette, and had met Angela a few times, but I didn't know Madeline. She's greatly missed. It was wonderful to share that rare and magical night with her."
Born in St. Louis, MO, Bakula's the father of four. Daughter Chelsy and son Cody are the children of his marriage to Krista Neumann; Wil and Owen are his sons with actress Chelsea Field. Do any of them plan to follow in Dad's footsteps? "They all love [the business] in different ways, but I don't know what they'll end up doing."
His most recent musical theatre experiences include a May 2007 engagement of the Richard Rodgers-Samuel Taylor musical No Strings at UCLA's Reprise!, and An Evening with Scott Bakula, a January 2008 benefit concert for the restoration of Ford's Theatre.
Film appearances include 1999's Oscar-winning Best Picture, "American Beauty," in which Bakula and Sam Robards played Kevin Spacey's neighbors, a gay couple named Jim and Jim. His next TV stint is five episodes of "State of the Union," a sketch-comedy series, co-starring Tracey Ullman, that starts March 30 on Showtime.
Claims Bakula, "The Old Globe engagement [of Dancing in the Dark] gives us a great opportunity. It's a very big show, with a lot of numbers, and really great actors." Saying that it would be great to have him back on Broadway, Bakula laughs, and responds, "I hope to get there."
**snippage**
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