Nick Adams and J. Elaine Marcos talk to us about playing Adam/Felicia and Cynthia

They both wear outrageous colorful and eye-popping costumes and dance and sing their hearts out in the entertaining Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical. What are the challenges of performing in a high-energy, quick-costume-changing, and visually stunning musical? We schmooze about that and lots more!

<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_24077" style="width: 399px;"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-24077">J. Elaine Marcos and Nick Adams (courtesy of LSG Public Relations)</figcaption></figure>

Joel: What is Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical about?

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Nick: It’s about three friends looking for love, family, and acceptance.

J. Elaine: From Cynthia’s point of view, well …according to her, everything is about her.

But Cynthia is this mail-order-bride stuck in a the middle of nowhere and all she wants to do is be free from this boring life she has with her husband Bob. Priscilla (who is actually a bus and not a person) represents a chance for Cynthia to get out. Metaphorically, the bus represents a journey that we all go thru. It might not be about the destination, but how one gets from one place to another.

Why did you want to play the roles of Felicia and Cynthia?

Nick: It’s a leading role in a new Broadway show. What musical theatre actor wouldn’t want to? It’s a role that really calls upon all the criteria of musical theatre.

J. Elaine: Cynthia captures everything that I (deep down) love to do. Be over the top, be shockingly silly, and sing with a Filipino accent.

How did you get the role of Cynthia?

J. Elaine: To be honest, most of my auditions been like Cynthia’s number: unexpected, comedic with random but strong choices all the while singing a 16 bar cut of a musical song. I don’t think it’s a wonder Telsey (casting office) thought of me for this role because for a while, all I did was sing in an accent for many shows they cast me in. For instance, in The Wedding Singer, I played Imelda Marcos.

How did you prepare for your roles?

Nick: I worked on the material with some great acting teachers/directors and dialect coaches. I really tried to bring in something specific and personal. I am like Adam/Felicia, because he uses what he’s got to get what he wants.

J. Elaine: I had already prepared my whole life for this role. It required me to literally impersonate my Mom and so no rehearsal was really necessary. Her mannerisms and speech patterns were burned in my brain!

You recently opened the show on Broadway. What are your favorite memories from Opening Night?

Nick: Feeling completely fearless the moment I stepped onstage. Looking out into the crowd while riding the silver shoe over the audience and catching my mother’s face. Looking in Will Swenson’s eyes when we were entering for the finale and bursting into tears. Taking my bow during the curtain call.

J. Elaine: Joan Rivers coming up to me and telling me she thought I was “funny”!!! I’ll take that. I also loved putting on this gorgeous Reem Acra dress that was so gorgeous and fun to wear. It was nice to wear something other than the same old Gap sweats.

You both appeared in Toronto with the show before it moved to Broadway. What changes did they make in Toronto and for this production at The Palace in NYC, and how do you think these changes help the Broadway production?

Nick: We established a more appropriate opening number with better story telling. It’s clear what the focus of the story is from the get go. We also tightened some dialogue and jokes.

<figure class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_24079" style="width: 250px;"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-24079">Nick Adams (Photo: Joan Marcus)</figcaption></figure>

Any changes to your character, songs or costumes?

Nick: They allowed me to infuse the role with a youthful jovial quality. I have some new custom shoes, a new Barbie outfit, and we made a bigger ending on “Like A Prayer”.

J. Elaine: They did add Zebra print to my leggings and arm bands. In the movie, Cynthia comes in wearing a Zebra hat so I think they wanted that “animal-like” presence still to be apart of the costume. They didn’t change much with my number. I just got notes to try some different things on different lines, and I actually love doing that anyway. I prefer to change things often so I still feel “in the moment”. I still have yet to have a back to my dress. I still wear a front apron, bra and panties.

What was the best advice Director Simon Phillips gave you on performing the role of Cynthia?

J. Elaine: Best advice Simon gave me was, “Have fun!” He really let me play and find different things, and I am so grateful for that.

How many costumes do you wear, how many dressers do you have, and what’s your favorite costume?

Nick: I think I have about 21 costume changes. I have a dresser who is with me the entire show, but we sometimes have 4 people hidden in the bus helping me make a quick change. My favorite is the silver suit I wear atop the shoe.

J. Elaine: Just nine costumes (one being a paintbrush and another being the Star of David) I only have one dresser. My track isn’t as difficult as the others – thank goodness – so I’m not running around like crazy going from Cupcake to drag to paintbrush to flying in the air etc. My favorite costume is definitely Cynthia’s “Pop Muzik” costume. It’s actually very comfortable for a lingerie costume, and I love the Zebra print – it just makes me laugh.

Where do they keep all those 500 costumes?

Nick: Anywhere they find room. Most of them are flown in the wings above us.

Talk about working with your fellow travelers: Tony Sheldon, who has played the role of Bernadette since the show’s premiere in Australia, and Will Swenson (Tick/Mitzi)?

Nick: They are a dream team. I love those men like family. We are a family. The chemistry onstage is so true because we are thick as thieves offstage. I have never worked with such encouraging, inspiring actors. They make me better every night.

How has Tony helped you with playing Adam/Felicia?

Nick: The dynamic between those characters is very crucial. They have to maintain a witty banter, play and feed off one another but also care for one another. Playing off of Tony’s energy really informed me in a lot of my choices with Adam.

There is a scene where you sing ‘Sempre Libera’ on top of Priscilla (the bus you travel in). Whose voice are you lip synching to? [See a picture of Nick singing ‘Sempre Libera’ here]

Nick: It’s an Australian recording from Verdi’s La Traviata.

Your 11:00 number “Pop Muzik” is a real ‘scene stealer’. What’s the song about?

J. Elaine: What IS the song about??? When you really think of it….the lyrics are ridiculous! I take it as Cynthia is just copying everything she’s seen on TV or the movies or in magazines that are Pop culture references and she puts them all together in a dance number and adds her true talent which is shooting ping pong balls.

Describe that “Pop Muzik” scene for us.

J. Elaine: I enter by busting thru the door holding my boombox playing “Pop Muzik”. I make my way to the stage area, kick the other Drag Queens off the stage and perform the number as Cynthia has rehearsed it several times and ends with ping pongs balls flying. Do I need to say anymore?

Most people don’t know that you are a male soprano and understudied