Peter Gallagher on His 'Astounding' Chemistry with Kristin Chenoweth in On the Twentieth Century & More

Half of Peter Gallagher’s 10 Broadway credits over the past 30-plus years have been musicals, but he readily admits that Roundabout’s revival of On the Twentieth Century presents his biggest vocal challenge ever. As dashing 1930s producer Oscar Jaffee, who boards the title train hoping to convince former protégée Lily Garland (Kristin Chenoweth) to return to Broadway, the 59-year-old actor gets to sing some of Cy Coleman’s most theatrical, operatic songs. From a soaring ballad (“I Rise Again”) to a vocal duel with Andy Karl as Lily’s young lover (“Mine”) to a duet with La Chenoweth (“I’ve Got It All”), the film and TV favorite is getting set to show audiences a different side of his talent—and he can’t wait.

Congrats on this fabulous part! Were you familiar with On the Twentieth Century, which ran for a year back in 1978?
I saw the original production. I remember the train; I remember that it was funny; I remember that the singing was amazing; and I remember being in the show that Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Hal Prince did next, A Doll’s Life, which had a very different outcome! [The 1982 musical version of A Doll’s House closed three days after opening.] I think of little Amanda [Green], who has grown into a wonderful lyricist and contributed some remarkable lyrics to a new song, “Because of Her.” It’s the same melody [as “The Legacy,”] and is true to the period, but it supports the character development of Oscar and Lily. Her dad would be so proud.

Had the role of Oscar Jaffee been on your radar?
No, but I had been dying to do a musical with Kristin Chenoweth. I always suspected she would be wonderful to be on stage with, and that’s been an understatement. She’s an astounding talent, and she’s astounding as a human being, so compassionate and caring and generous.

Did you feel chemistry with Kristin from the get-go?
Oh, right away. About a year ago, we had to sing the score together for [Adolph Green’s widow] Phyllis Newman, because nothing was going to happen unless she gave the okay about who was cast. And it was magic. At the end of the day, this is a love story, and this production, in particular, will tease that out more.

Is it intimidating to sing with Kristin?
I’m too old to be intimidated [laughs]. But definitely, nobody has heard me sing like this. Kristin and I study with the same singing teacher, Joan Lader, and I’m working my butt off to serve this show because I love it. I’ve worked with the best and I’ve worked with the worst—and the best, like Kristin, make it easy.

People might be surprised that you’ve continued singing lessons while acting in TV dramas like Covert Affairs and Law & Order: SVU.
That’s how I started, auditioning for Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett. When I went to my first open call, I knew nothing about musicals. I remember standing in line for six hours, clutching my sweaty picture and resume, to audition for the original company of Grease. I sang “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” and at the end of the song, Vinny Liff, the casting director, said, “That was beautiful.” My knees buckled and my eyes filled with tears. He had just given me a reason to keep going for the next 10 years.

It didn’t take that long for you to play Danny Zuko.
I went on a bus-and-truck tour with Scott Ellis. He was Doody and I was Danny, and now he is directing me on Broadway!

What’s up with the workshop you recently did of a new musical by Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello?
That was phenomenal. It’s based on their album Taken from Memory, [with a book] by Steven Sater and [Two and a Half Men creator] Chuck Lorre. It’s about a husband and wife and their daughter, and how people who pursue artistic professions can sometimes miss the most important things right in front of them. John Doyle directed, and Marin Mazzie, who did the workshop of Passion with me years ago, was in it. It needs more work, but La Jolla is interested.

If you commit to musicals, you’ll be busy for a long time.
Well, it’s hard to do a musical when you have little kids at home, but our children are out of college now and working—our daughter [Kathryn Gallagher] is a wonderful singer/songwriter, and our son [James Gallagher] is a talented director and writer and photographer. I remember bringing my little boy backstage to Guys and Dolls and [celebrating] “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” during Noises Off. I love being with them, and everyone will be here for opening night. It’s an exciting time in all of our lives.

See Peter Gallagher in On the Twentieth Century at the American Airlines Theatre.