Coming 2024 Holiday Season:
Read a behind-the-curtain story about my disastrous 2013 unpublished interview with Jan Maxwell in my soon-to-be-released book, Behind The Curtain: The Mistakes, Lessons Learned & Triumphs of Interviewing Celebrities.
Original 2010 Interview:
With the talent and personality, it's no wonder Jan Maxwell is a 4-time Tony Award nominee, with her two most recent nominations this current season for The Royal Family and Lend Me A Tenor. She is also a Drama Desk Award winner (updated: Jan won her 2nd award tonight for The Royal Family) and 5-time nominee as well as a 2-time Outer Critics Circle Winner & 5-time nominee.
Jan is one of the few performers with the most impeccable comedic timing of our times. When Jan is on stage, the audience is paying attention. She can make your theatre experience one you will never forget!
In this interview, Jan answered my call to reveal:
- Best advice she has given, but not taken
- Unusual talents
- Who she dreams about
- If she ever thought about quitting acting
- So much more
Me (Adam Rothenberg) and Jan Maxwell, 2010 Drama Desk Awards
1. Who inspired you to become a performer? Both my mother and father. My father is quite the ham. He did community theatre in Fargo, ND, where I was born and also wrote sketches and plays. My mother, though, did the leg work for the few opportunities there were for me to experience the arts in the area. She would find theatre and dance programs and tell me about them; then call, sign me up, and drive me back and forth.
2. Who is the one person you haven't worked with that you would like to? I don’t know. Christopher Guest, Steve Buscemi, Edward Albee . . . too many to list.
3. Is there ever a time you thought about quitting? If so, what career would you choose? Umm . . . I think this business quits you before you quit it. But I’ve always wanted to be in a lot of different professions. I think that’s why I act, so I can be all those things I want to be: marine biologist, veterinarian, junkie . . .
4. If you could dream about anyone while you sleep, who would it be? Shakespeare - I like epic dreams.
Jan Maxwell in The Royal Family on Broadway
5. What's the best advice you've given someone, but not taken for yourself? Don’t go into acting.
6. Do you have any strange or unusual talent that no one knows about? I can tie a cherry stem into a knot in less than 15 seconds.
7. Favorite skin care product? I wish I could find one. I keep trying different ones, which is probably the worst thing you can do.
8. Favorite play/musical? Too hard to choose.
9. Favorite website? Google.
10. "Mary" or "Rhoda"? Mary...Hartman, though.
BONUS QUESTIONS:
11. Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts? What do you order? Neither. Caffeine is banned after noon. Once, my stage manager, Matthew Melchiorre at Coram Boy, wouldn’t allow me to have it at all. Especially if I have a smaller part. I become a bit obnoxious start trouble backstage.
12. Favorite hobby? Staring at an empty wall (unless I have coffee, and then it’s bouncing off that wall . . . )
More Jan Maxwell Interviews:
Jan Maxwell in Coram Boy on BroadwayPhoto Credit: Joan Marcus
More on Jan Maxwell:
Jan Maxwell's Broadway credits include Coram Boy (Tony & Drama Desk Nominee), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Drama Desk Award Winner, Tony & Outer Critics Circle Nominee), Sixteen Wounded (Drama Desk Nominee), A Doll's House (Outer Critics Circle Nominee), The Sound of Music (Outer Critics Circle Nominee), The Dinner Party (Outer Critics Circle Award Winner), Brian Friel's Dancing At Lughnasa and City of Angels.
Off-Broadway, Jan has delighted audiences in Howard Barker's Scenes From An Execution (Drama Desk Nominee) and Camille, Anton Dudley's Substitution, Entertaining Mr. Sloane (Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Nominee), Tina Howe's translation of lonesco's The Bald Soprano, Jules Feiffer's A Bad Friend, Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady (Lortel Award winner, Drama Desk Nominee), Opening Doors, Alan Ayckbourn's House and Garden, and The Seagull.
Jan's television credits include PBS' AIDS: Changing the Rules, Law & Order, and Gossip Girl.
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