In less than a week, many of Julia Knitel鈥檚 theater dreams came true.
Julia Knitel stars in "Dead Outlaw."聽
Five days after her聽Broadway musical, 鈥淒ead Outlaw,鈥 opened, the show landed seven Tony nominations including one for Knitel鈥檚 performance.
鈥淟eading up to opening a Broadway show is chaotic and hectic, even with the mildest of schedules,鈥 she says. 鈥淏ut we were on a condensed timeline because we were opening on the last day of Tony cut-off. Everything was really, really intense. And then, to have your dreams come true, you just try to stay in the moment and absorb as much as possible.鈥
Before Sunday鈥檚 Tony Awards, that includes fittings, interviews, and, oh, yeah, that show that needs to be performed eight times a week.
Julia Knitel looks at the body of Elmer McCurdy (Andrew Durant) in "Dead Outlaw."聽
Then, too, there鈥檚 the quirkiness of Knitel鈥檚 show. 鈥淒ead Outlaw鈥 tells the true story of a corpse that was shuttled around the country before finding a final resting place, decades after dying. Knitel plays a series of women in Elmer McCurdy鈥檚 life, including a young girl who grew up with the body in her house.
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鈥淣o one really knows what those conversations were like between Millicent, this real little girl, and Elmer,鈥 Knitel says. 鈥淪o, I get to imagine what it would be like and how she may have felt in those moments.鈥
Another character was merely a footnote in McCurdy鈥檚 story 鈥 鈥渓ost to history,鈥 Knitel says聽鈥 which gave her creative liberty to fill in the blanks.
鈥淢illicent definitely took a minute to find,鈥 she says. She and director David Cromer talked about the task at hand 鈥 鈥渨e didn鈥檛 know how to play an 8-year-old, a 13-year-old, a 19-year-old over the course of four minutes, as a 30-year-old.鈥
Luckily, the cast has a host of engaging songs by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna that propel them through Itamar Moses鈥 book. It鈥檚 a swift history lesson that brings plenty of laughs along with the tears. Meanwhile, Andrew Durand, who plays McCurdy, spends half the show in a coffin without moving.
Andrew Durand plays a corpse in "Dead Outlaw," a musical based on the life of Elmer McCurdy.聽
鈥淗e does have the worst job on Broadway,鈥 Knitel says. Luckily, there are moments when cast members stand in front of the coffin and he has a second to blink. There鈥檚 a brief moment offstage where the two get to enjoy a few minutes of peace. 鈥淚 check in on him and see how his show is going.鈥
There鈥檚 also a dance they share. 鈥淲e just live truthfully in that moment together each night, which feels like a little slice of cake.鈥
Julia Knitel and Andrew Durant share a dance in "Dead Outlaw," a new musical.聽
Leading up to Sunday鈥檚 Tonys, nominees are celebrated at a series of events, including a luncheon where they get to check in with one another. It鈥檚 a pinch-me moment, Knitel says.
鈥淚鈥檓 standing there with Audra McDonald. I鈥檓 standing there with George Clooney. I鈥檓 standing there with these titans that I have admired for so long and to be in the same Tony class is just humbling, exciting and overwhelming. I聽think I鈥檒l probably start to really absorb it once everything鈥檚 over and I have a little more time to breathe.鈥
In the business for 16 years, Knitel has starred in several Broadway shows, been up for 鈥 and lost 鈥 others and realizes how difficult the route is. 鈥淒ead Outlaw鈥 is her first opportunity to originate a role in a new musical.
鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful,鈥 she says. 鈥淓specially at the luncheon, it feels like a senior class (celebration). It鈥檚 incredibly daunting, but it creates an aura of camaraderie, which I think is really beautiful.鈥
