Tom McGowan
Tom McGowan’s one of those actors you know even if you don’t know
that you know him. In addition to receiving a Tony nomination for his
performance in La Bête, he’s been a regular on
Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond and appeared in films
as diverse as Bad Santa and The Birdcage. Now the
all-purpose actor is touring as the animal-oppressing Wizard of Oz, in
Wicked, which pulls into the Orpheum this week. Here’s what
McGowan had to say:
Flyer: What about Wicked
aren’t you tired of talking about?
Tom McGowan: My daughter. She’s the one who introduced me to
the show. She saw one number from Wicked on the Tony Awards …
and all summer she and her best friend acted it out in the
backyard.
You’re not a Joel Grey type, although you replaced him in
Chicago and are now in Wicked
playing the part that Grey played on Broadway.
Nobody ever described me as a “Joel Grey type,” but you’re right. I
should call Joel up to find out what I’ll be doing in five years.
The Wizard’s fun. We expect the doddering coot from the movie,
but he turns out to be not such a nice guy.
There’s so much going on in this show. Young girls love it because
of the relationship between [Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the
Wicked Witch of the West]. But there’s also a political angle too.
Well, break legs and keep on keeping those animals down.
Those animals deserve everything they get.
“Wicked” at The Orpheum on June 24th-July 12th. $38-$138. Call
525-3000 for tickets and information.