Interview with Julia Murney

Times sure have changed with the hottest leading female roles on Broadway. Several years ago the roles of Dolly Levi, Fanny Brice, Liza Doolittle were roles to die for. Then the ladies crammed the audition stages to try out for Christine in The Phantom of The Opera, Fantine in Les Miserables, Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Kim & Ellen in Miss Saigon. These days, our female stars can't wait to paint their faces green and be hoisted to the ceiling on a cherry picker to belt out a tune and fly on a broom as Elphaba in Wicked.

I recently caught up with one of today's outstanding performers who is thrilled to be in her first Broadway touring production of Wicked, Julia Murney. This is Murney's second Broadway show, having first appeared in the short lived production of Lennon last year. Best known for her Drama Desk Nominated role of Queenie in the off-Broadway production of Lippa's Wild Party, this gal has pricked up the ears of many seasoned theater fans with her powerhouse vocals.

Ms. Murney is part of the "popular" Tony award winning Broadway show Wicked with music by Stephen Schwartz (Bakers Wife, Godspell). This is the first time on the road touring in a major show for Julia. So we thought we would start by asking her to take us back way before the green makeup and so called glamorous life of a stage actor.

Julia was born in State College, PA but grew up in New York City. Her father is an actor, "so she has always been around this but wasn't a child actor or too overly interested in this business", as she tells us. She was in choir in junior high and went to what is now called LaguardiaHigh School. Julia recalls "After my freshman year, my parents said to me "you're going to a summer camp. You can't just hang out anymore (laughing). So they drew a name out of a hat and sent me off to a camp called Stagedoor Manor and it totally changed my life. It was completely frightening and cult-like and it became my obsession, but in a very good way." From there she went to SyracuseUniversity and earned a BFA in musical theater.

Pati Buehler: That was a great start. Julia who or what influenced you in the theater industry?

Julia Murney: You know, the biggest influences are my friends who are in theater. They inspire me. I recently went to see my friend Jen Cody who's doing The Pajama Game and I was very inspired watching my dear friend excel so highly on stage. And I was saying to myself "I'm ok. I can do this." Of course there are wonderful actors like Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep, singers like Bette Midler, Barbara Cook. There's pop singing and all the other avenues of music that feed into what you do or would like to do. But my friends are the ones who support me and help me make decisions.

PB: Riding the wave of a big Broadway show is an exciting experience, but as we all know, even the biggest waves hit the shore eventually. So what does theater mean to you personally?

JM: They do come crashing to the shore and I think the one nice thing about this show which is sort of its own juggernaut right now, is that we, the cast don't worry about what will happen in August. We're going to be fine. I've never been in a show like this where I don't have to wonder how long this will last. But yes, theater means different things at different times to people.

It's just as valid to take a job for much less money because it's something artistic and you really want to stretch yourself and try it. It's also valid if someone says "I need to buy an apartment and I'm going on tour for a year." So to an actor, it means different things to different people.

From an audience standpoint, with some shows there are nights when the audience is really not as demonstrative as others nights other audiences. But in that theater crowd there are some young people that love everything they see going on and I try to remember that and that's what I focus on.

In the case of Wicked, there are a zillion young people loving everything they see. This show helps them to see how it feels to perhaps not fit in and to feel that in time they will at some point be ok. And that's a really cool feeling to perform from that perspective. In every show there's always some who are loving it. And that's what it's all about.

PB: What an interesting explanation about theater. So do you have a few favorite shows?

JM: Sunday in the Park with George is one of my absolute favorites and if ever there were a dream role for me, I would LOVE to play Dot in Sunday in the Park with George. Dreamgirls is probably my all time favorite show. I probably won't ever play in Dreamgirls (laughing). And of course Ragtime was a brilliant show. In terms of shows running now, A Light in the Piazza. I also loved See What I Wanna See. There's a bunch of shows I want to see, but can't. I am one of those people who finds something to like about every show. No one writes a show to be a stinker. When I was doing Lennon it was not easy to see the course the paths were taking. Sometimes you lose control of what the piece was. But the initial sentiment is, I believe in this project and story and I want to tell this story. 

I have a real pet peeve with the internet people. I don't go in the chat rooms. I have in the past and I have seen what people say about actors and shows, even before they've begun in New York and they've got their claws ready to pounce. I often want to say "have any of you ever tried to make a musical from scratch? Because I'm here to tell you it's not easy." Any element can bring the whole thing down, between the choreography, the direction, the casting, the music, etc.

It's not to say that if something is not particularly good you have to be nice to it. But give it until it opens and you see it. As with Lennon, some people loved it and some hated it. I do feel that the world of the internet has created this anonymous way to attack people. Too often it's someone sitting in their underwear...judging (laughing). In the past when I did visit there and saw what was being said about my friends, I had to refrain from responding "you don't even know what you are talking about" and the reactions I know would be, "well, you don't have to read this." And so, I don't.

PB: Well put, and rest assured that what I've read or heard about you is positive and people are very excited about you're being involved in Wicked and are green with envy that some can't get to see you play this great role.

JM: Well, thank you. That is really nice to hear. Tell them all to come to the show!

PB: What's the progress with your new solo CD?

JM: Well, it's done and I am doing a follow-up to see how quickly we can get it out there. I really want to have it to sell in the lobby while I'm doing Wicked.

PB: That's a great way to get your work out there while touring. I also have a couple of questions from BWW readers. What was your Ragtime experience like?

JM: It was a fantastic experience in Raleigh, NC. With Norm Lewis, Michael Rupert, Montego Glover. It is such a beautiful show. There's not a syllable or note of music that is wasted. It all comes together precisely as it should, which makes it a complete and utter joy to do.

PB: How about your CHESS benefit?

JM: That was a very exhilarating experience. It's a huge production put on for one night. It was amazingly good practice experience for Wicked. Norm was also in that one as was Raul Esparza, Adam Pascal and then Josh Groban, who had never done anything like this before. He was the name they used to sell it. He was so lovely and so game for anything. It was great and really fun.

PB: I recall seeing your first CHESS in Concert benefit at the Helen Hayes theater in Nyack with Neil Berg.

JM: Oh wow! Yes that was fun. Yes, with Rob Evan, Lauren Kennedy, again Norm Lewis and Brian D'Arcy James. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Brian; his talent, his kindness. He's a great, great guy. Norm and I have been in several concerts together and I am waiting to play a role where we can play a couple (laughing). He is just so dreamy and what a nice guy.

PB: That's for sure! My last question is do you have any advice for others looking to follow the footlights?

JM: Oh gosh. It's always so different. I've done a few master classes and if I'm having a bad day you want to look at them and say "run, run in the other direction. Don't so this. Are you mad?" (laughing). But, one of the biggest things, especially if you are going to college is to find some other gifts. Take history classes, a psychology course and do other things because it will make you a better actor. It's very nice if you can name all of Rogers and Hammerstein's musicals in order, but it won't get you too far as opposed to being an interesting individual on stage. I know so many people in this business who at one time were doing other jobs. You need skills that you can bring with you and into New York and be able to live and not like a pauper. To be able to be a well rounded person, go and experience other things in life. Theater can be an important thing is life, but it is not everything. There is a whole other world out there. It's ok to dream of being on stage, but there are so many other aspects of this business to explore. Your path is your path.

PB: Good advice, for sure. Someone asked if you have a voice teacher?

JM: I haven't for a long time. But I just went to Liz Caplan who helped me a great deal getting ready for Wicked. She's wonderful, a great lady with a great sense of humor.

PB: Julia, everyone is very excited for you with your run in Wicked and I want to thank you for taking this time to talk with me. We wish you nothing but great things for you in the future.

JM: Thank you!