Hunter Bell: From Tony Party Host to Tony Nominee
Some folks may be blasé about getting a Tony nomination, but Hunter Bell certainly is not one of them. Bell’s obsession with all things theatrical provides much of the humor in his book for the musical [title of show], which charmed critics and attracted a devoted fan following after opening on Broadway last summer. Bell and composer Jeff Bowen managed to turn their encyclopedic knowledge of Broadway stars and shows—and their struggle to find a place in the world they love—into a witty, heartfelt show starring themselves and pals Susan Blackwell and Heidi Blickenstaff. Congrats to Bell, Bowen, Blickenstaff and Blackwell, who have just won a 2009 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Ensemble Cast. So, how does the ultimate Broadway fan savor the ultimate pat on the back, a 2009 Best Book Tony nomination? Bell tells all.
Some people grow up wanting to play major league baseball. Some people want to walk on the moon. Some people want to drive race cars or be doctors...lawyers...Indian chiefs.
I grew up wanting to be on Broadway.
My dad was in and out of New York a lot for work and would bring home Playbills and talk about the shows he had seen. That, combined with the family record collection of The Sound of Music, Camelot, No, No Nanette and A Chorus Line and my need for attention, sealed my fate. I loved those records. I loved looking at those Playbills. New York sounded awesome to this southern boy and I thought, “I’m gonna be on Broadway!” So in addition to playing youth soccer, I started doing theater. Community theater shows led to school plays, which led to me finding a home in my high school drama department.
My drama teacher was a woman named Linda Wise. She was an amazing force. In addition to heading a great theater department we did Pacific Overtures in high school. Come on people...Pacific Overtures!, she organized trips to New York to see shows. Now, I was a kid of the 80s...no judging! We’re talkin’ Phantom, Big River, La Cage, Biloxi Blues, Black and Blue, Les Miz, M. Butterfly...you get the picture. So that Broadway dream intensified when I was actually seeing all of these Broadway shows. And not just seeing them...oh no. I waited at the stage door of Drood and had Betty Buckley and Howard McGillin sign my Playbill. I shopped at Triton Gallery, One Shubert Alley Cats keychain anyone? and the Drama Book Shop. On a scale from one to ten my Broadway dreams became a twenty-five! And somewhere in the midst of this dream, I found the Tony Awards. And that became a new dream. To win a Tony!
You remember when we were younger and there was no cable and no DVDs or TiVo so you’d freak out the night The Wizard of Oz and It’s a Wonderful Life were on? The Tony Awards were on that level of TV event excitement for me. I lived for the Tony Awards. It was my Super Bowl...my World Series. I can remember so distinctly just sitting and staring at that magic box and wanting to crawl inside and be there. Angela Lansbury, Joel Grey, Bernadette Peters...they were rock stars to me. This night, as corny as it sounds, was totally magical. And it wasn’t just about watching to see who won. It was that for one night, on my TV, all my Broadway peeps were in the same room and I would get to see clips on network television from plays and musicals. It was everything Broadway, it was in my living room and I loved every second.
As I got older, my passion didn’t wear off. I continued my Tony nerd-dom by assembling two VCR tapes of all the musical numbers from the Tony Awards starting with The Act up until, like, Starlight Express. Another year, my friend Tom and I made a Tony Award cake... 3-D, full-tilt Ace of Cakes style... I know! I’ll put the recipe on the titleofshow.com blog for you true Tony nerds! I have thrown Tony parties, filled out home ballots, and dressed up like a Tony Award on YouTube.
But I have grown up some. I had the incredible good fortune to be on Broadway doing [title of show], a show that I loved with people I love. I rode the awesome roller coaster ride of getting a show to Broadway. I am a little different from that younger Hunter who watched Jane Krakowski ball change into the Grand Hotel number on my Tony tape probably a thousand times...rewind, ball change...rewind, ball change. I think about if the Tonys are political and kooky and strange and wild and wonderful. I think about that it’s weird to have artists compete and decide between shows and determine winners and losers in art. I do. But when I heard my named announced as a nominee...it meant something to me. And when I got home from the Tony press meet-and-greet and took off my Tony Nominee lapel pin you get a pin! I sobbed.
Maybe it’s silly to put stock in awards, but I am so proud. I am proud to represent [title of show] and my writing partner Jeff Bowen and castmates Heidi Blickenstaff, Susan Blackwell, Larry Pressgrove and director Michael Berresse as well as our entire design team and courageous producers. I am so, so proud and humbled to be recognized by my peers and the Tony committee in a season where there are so many amazing shows and performances. I feel proud and excited, and it does mean something to me. It means a lot actually.
Some people ask me if I’ll write a speech just in case. I’ve been writing that speech and dreaming since I was a kid. I have practiced that speech like a total nerdle for about thirty years...while I shower, while I brush my teeth, while I sit on the toilet...subway, you name it. That speech in my head got me through catering gigs, and working temp jobs, and having my cell phone cut off and sleeping on friends’ couches and getting countless rejection letters; so when I run through that speech, I’m not ashamed, because really, it’s me dreaming.
It’s crazy dreaming that got me where I am. It’s crazy dreaming that got [title of show] made and to Broadway and Tony-nominated. Our whole show was about not being afraid to dream out loud and really go for what you want in life. To put yourself out there no matter how scary or vulnerable it makes you feel. I did that, and I’m so glad I did.
My hope is you guys all watch the Tonys. I hope you have a Tony party with all your friends or summer stock casts or fellow campers and make home ballots, and have trivia and prizes on the commercial breaks. And, if you see a quick shot of me, I hope maybe, in the tiniest way, it inspires you to dream out loud and keep or start doing what it is you truly want to be doing on this earth.
I’m gonna go iron my shirt for the Tony Luncheon. There’s a luncheon! I have fingers crossed I sit next to Liza! After all, my Tony VCR tape started with The Act, so it seems appropriate.
You should probably shop for ingredients to make your Tony cake.
Look for me in that magical box.