“It’s a true revival in the sense that it is taking existing material and making something new with it,” explains Claybourne Elder of the gender-bent Broadway revival of “Company.” Elder portrays Andy (April in the original version of the show), a hysterically dim-witted but sincere lover of Katrina Lenk’s Bobbie. The actor reveals that swapping the genders of the characters in this Stephen Sondheim musical, helps shape the story in a way contemporary audiences can appreciate. As the actor describes the events in his life which lead him to this point in his career, it feels like destiny that he should star in this particular production. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Elder admits that as a young theater kid, he would sing along to cast albums at home, but he would only be singing “the fun parts.” Little Red in “Into the Woods,” Dot in “Sunday in the Park With George,” and serendipitously, April in “Company.” So when it was announced that director Marianne Elliott would be bringing her acclaimed London production of “Company” to Broadway, Elder knew he wanted to play Andy.
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“They don’t write a lot of men like this,” says the actor, “and I wish they would because it is so fun to play.” Andy taps into the recognizable “dumb blonde” trope, but seeing a masculine interpretation of a ditzy persona frequently keeps the audience in stitches. Particularly during a one night stand with Bobbie where Andy drones on earnestly about butterflies as if it is the sexiest, most interesting topic in the world. “I sort of approach every role I play looking for their pain,” explains Elder, “I didn’t want him to just be dumb all the time.” The actor found moments in the script which played into Andy’s insecurity around feeling intellectually inept, resulting in quite serious line readings. The character’s sincerity in discussing topics like butterflies transforms a scene which could otherwise be a standard gratuitous romp into a surprising comedic highlight of the production.
Elder has also been making waves this season by giving away free tickets to “Company” to folks who otherwise would struggle to afford a Broadway outing. It’s a way for the performer to “pay it forward” after a stranger did the same for him. As a young aspiring actor, Elder took a trip to New York and had a standing room ticket to “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” A stranger noticed the future Broadway star’s enjoyment of the musical and gave him $200 with instructions to use the money on a ticket to the revival of “Sweeney Todd” the next night. That production starred Michael Cerveris, who is featured in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” with Elder, and Patti LuPone, whom Elder now performs with each night in “Company.” The work of the late Sondheim would also form the backbone of Elder’s musical theater career, including the legend’s final musical “Road Show” and this current production of “Company.”
When reflecting on this “full circle” moment, he describes how this one kind act is “this one event in my life that has tied everything together.” So after the star was sidelined from “Company” with a Covid case, he celebrated his return to the show by giving away a pair of tickets on social media. The pandemic stirred fears of uncertainty in the industry when Broadway was forced to shutter for over a year, but beyond his own job security, Elder was scared for future performing artists. “What I’m really worried about, is that we just lost a whole generation of actors who were just graduating from college.” He hopes that after losing an important two years of opportunities, scoring a free theater ticket can inspire these young people in the same way his surprise trip to “Sweeney Todd” did for him. Because of donations that have since poured in, over 1,000 people have been able to see “Company” for free. After facing doubts and setbacks due to Covid, Elder sees this string of good deeds as an important reminder. “Even when something seems bad, or sad, or wrong, something beautiful can come out of it.”
In addition to “Company,” Elder has been featured on Broadway in “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Sunday in the Park With George,” and “Torch Song.” He is a Drama Desk nominee for his performance in “One Arm” and a Lortel nominee for his performance in “Allegro.”
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April 15, 2022 at 01:00AM
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Claybourne Elder (‘Company’) details his ‘full circle’ moment playing the ditzy Andy and how $200 changed his life [Exclusive Video Interview] - Gold Derby
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