photo by Kurt Sneddon

Name: Taylor Frey

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Education: Brigham Young University, Provo, UT

Select Credits: Venice Film Festival: Summertime (Matt-  Dir. Gabriele Muccino “Pursuit of Happyness”), Tribeca FIlm Festival: G.B.F. (Topher, dir Darren Stein); South Pacific @ Lincoln Center

Why theater?: Because it's in the now. It’s happening right before us. It wasn’t recorded somewhere in time and witnessed on playback. Because I love humans and interacting with them. To come on stage and see a crowd full of people there who came to go on a journey and dig into a story is so thrilling to me. Building a relationship with them throughout a couple hours in a dark theater where incredible experiences can be had is very motivating to me.

Tell us about The View UpStairs: The View Upstairs is based on the real event that occurred in New Orleans in 1973 where a gay bar was burned down. It dissects the gay community quite a bit, it examines our hierarchy, our stereotypes, what’s beautiful about us and what’s tricky about us. It examines how far we’ve come and how far we need to go. It tells the story that the 32 lives in 1973 didn’t ever get to tell. Every single night before I go on that stage I send up a sort of thought/prayer into the universe and to the lives that were lost in hopes that I tell the story well and remind people of these lives lost in a way that is honorable to them.

Who do you play in The View UpStairs?: Patrick, a runaway hustler trying to stay afloat.

What is it like being a part of The View UpStairs?: It’s been incredibly rewarding to be apart of the creation of new work, and to put my artistic stamp on Patrick and the show. It’s also important to tell a story so few know occurred. It feels especially meaningful. But as a gay dude,  it’s rare and special to be a part of something that is predominantly lead by gay characters. I love that Max Vernon created something that is so specifically fabulous, and GAY.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theater that has a message, a reason behind it. The kind of theater that reaches into your heart and then slowly moves up your throat as it tightens and your jaw locks to hold in the emotion you are overwhelmed by. I suppose that will occur in different types of shows depending  on the person. It happened to me in very memorable ways during  Once and The Color Purple. I was a mess. I loved feeling that. I have this phrase always on the forefront of my mind in terms of inspiration, and its “Tell your story.” As an artist we can get so caught up in just getting jobs and to “stay working” that we forget that a massive reason behind what  makes this process special is that it’s you doing it, and there are things only you and your life experience can offer a role or piece. I find that incredibly inspiring. No one will do it like you do. Who inspires me? Artists who are completely themselves and not afraid of what jobs may or may not come because of that. Also, my husband’s work ethic honestly, and Beyonce’s appeal and originality :). Truly her appeal   is so universal, it blows my mind.  And she maintains that appeal while putting whatever the hell she feels like creating out there. And people eat. that. shit. up. We don’t meed more artists trying to fit a mold. We need new   original artists here to shake things up and be different (enter:  Max Vernon.)

What’s your favorite showtune?: Hmm. Tough. I love so many. But as of now---- I did kind of just swoon over “Too Beautiful For Words” recently when I saw Heather Headley perform it (the key being Heather Headley singing and acting it.)

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: There’s an Australian director who I think is truly a visionary named Neil Armfield. I would die to work with him. He is a brilliant story teller and celebrates all the things that make me excited to continue on in this business. Him  and also my dear friend and brilliant actress Meghann Fahy.  I would love to be opposite her on any stage or set anywhere and feel what that’s like.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I don’t know who would play me, but it would be called “You finally got your shit together!"

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Crazy For You original cast, 1992. That show makes me happy. I love those tunes.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Not many recently to be honest. There’s still a lot I need to see this year. I would recommend Hamilton more often if tickets were more readily available.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Wine.

What’s up next?: An 8 show week at the Lynn Redgrave this week.

For more on Taylor, visit www.TaylorFrey.com. For more on The View UpStairs, visit www.TheViewUpStairs.com

Name: Max Vernon

Hometown: New York City

Education: NYU BA for Gender & Sexuality studies (Gallatin), MFA in Musical Theatre Writing (Tisch)

Select Credits: The View UpStairs, KPOP (Ars Nova, opens August 2017), 30 Million (Keep Company), Show & Tell (Civilians R&D Group, Jerome Foundation), Nincest (Book & lyrics by Jen Silverman)

Why theater?: I think Musical Theatre is the great American art form. When it's bad it feels truly soul killing, but when great it is transcendent- it is visual art, dance, music, performance, writing all rolled into one so it has the potential to resonate on all cylinders. Since we are constantly bombarded with information & stimulation, it can be hard for us to get off our screens. Seeing theatre forces us to lean in and focus. The way I see it, a good TV episode or movie you might stay in your head for about for a week or so; great theatre sticks with you for years.

Tell us about The View UpStairs: The View UpStairs uses the story of the UpStairs Lounge Fire to have a multi-generational conversation about our where our society is headed & the queer community in particular. Since 1973, how has the world changed for better or worse? Which battles have we won, which are we still fighting? The main character, Wes, is someone whose relationships are transactional- someone who thinks in order to be loved he needs a following. Over the course of the show he has to learn that what he's really seeking is community, and to make connections that are transformational.

What is it like being a part of The View UpStairs?: Being involved in this show right now is keeping me sane. We are being gaslighted daily by our President. Every day we read the news and there is some fresh horror. But we are speaking truth to power with this piece in a very balls to the wall, unsafe way. We are saying we are here and we are NOT going back to the way things were 40 years ago. We've got hustlers,  copious cocaine usage, hustlers, busted drag queens, and a fuck-ton of distorted guitar. This ain't Seussical, but for those whom the show speaks to, I think they are going to feel seen. Really seen. And hopefully motivated to go out and carry the torch.

What inspired you to write The View UpStairs?: I was a queer studies major undergrad, and I was going so far down the rabbit hole in my studies, reading Donna Haraway's "Cyborg Feminism", and all this stuff with Foucault and Butler, etc. But 6 years ago when I first learned about the UpStairs Lounge Fire, not one of my professors had heard of it. And before Pulse, this was the worst attack against the LGBTQ community in US history. So I was like, "why am I reading this 500 page dissertation on the ontology of Fisting when no one knows 32 people died in this gay bar...why aren't we reclaiming this story?" Growing up I never felt like I had any queer elders to mentor me, I kind of had to figure out how to exist in this world on my own. So there was a desire with The View UpStairs to travel back to the past and see what lessons I could learn there. How do we stay connected and vibrant and also outraged; how do we survive and fight oppression? I also just wanted the opportunity to write a badass rock score with some Stevie Wonder clav.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theatre that challenges and provokes. That makes your jaw drop and laugh at things you think you shouldn't be laughing at. I like glitter, fantasy, sequins and feather boas as much as the next theatre queen, but I want to get the ratio right. Hair, Hedwig, Rocky Horror, Passing Strange- all those musicals speak to me. My inspirations are all over the place- I love Siouxsie Sioux as much as Sondheim. Mama Cass, Vogue ball culture, Erykah Badu, X and 80's Los Angeles punk. Right now I'm having a Roberta Flack moment.

What’s your favorite showtune?: Probably "Rose Tint My World" from Rocky Horror.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I'd love write a musical with Dennis Cooper or Jodorowsky. Or to score a horror movie with some cheesy 80's synth soundtrack ala Argento's Suspiria.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Ben Wishaw or Ezra Miller. "Existential Life Crisis Lullaby."

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would love to go back in time and see the original Follies.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Go see the Broadway transfer of Lynn Nottage's Sweat, and Kirsten Child's Bella at Playwrights Horizons later this year.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: A stiff drink and a stiff...something I shouldn't put in writing ;)

What’s up next?: The View UpStairs opens at the Lynn Redgrave Theater on Feb 28th (previews start feb 15th), then my other musical KPOP starts previews at Ars Nova in August.

For more on Max, visit www.maxvernon.com and https://www.facebook.com/MaxVernonMusic. For more on The View UpStairs, visit https://www.facebook.com/TheViewUpStairs