Broadway leading man Tony Yazbeck will be joining Montego Glover and The New York Pops for a benefit performance on September 19th, with all the proceeds meant to support the PopsEd music education programs. I spoke to the Tony-nominated actor during the closing weekend of Finding Neverland, which saw him play JM Barrie for over half a year, and for which he received great notices. Known for his extraordinary voice, charming personality and unparalleled, graceful athleticism (the Gene Kelly comparisons are not without reason), Yazbeck is one of the theatre’s most exciting figures. Besides discussing his excitement about working with Steven Reineke of The New York Pops, we also talked about some of his dream roles, and what he loves most about working in theatre. Here is our conversation:

You’ll be joining The New York Pops and Montego Glover on September 19th for The New York Pops Underground. What are you looking forward to the most?

I have been wanted to work with Steven Reineke for a very long time, I’ve admired all the work he’s done through the years. This also comes at a very good time since I’m finishing Finding Neverland, and I’ve been loving doing concert work all over the place. Steve had seen my solo show at Birdland, we chatted afterwards and we came up with some cool ideas to put onstage. This will be the first time we’ll do anything together but he’s been so great at encouraging Broadway artists to do some beautiful work with the Pops. I’ve known Montego for years so we might even do a duet together, and since this is a benefit for the Pops’ education program it’s a win-win all around.

Throughout your career you’ve starred in many revivals, was it any different to do Finding Neverland which is a brand new musical with songs people aren’t familiar with?

It was very exciting to join this, I felt it was like a play with music. I’ve done many revivals in my life, I’m like the throwback song-and-dance man that people call, so it’s nice to put my talents into another show. I love the classics though, so I’ll always do them when they call. The exciting thing is trying to mold everything together, find original work that can keep what was so exciting about that classic MGM Broadway.

One of my favorite things you’ve done was that commercial for On the Town in which you sang “Lucky to Be Me” all over New York, because it made the musical feel so urgent. If you could do any musical in an immersive way, what would it be?

I feel there are a lot of shows I’d want to do that way, one of my dream roles is George in Sunday in the Park with George, and I talked to some people recently and asked what if we staged the show in The Met Museum, or some museum where people could follow you around sort of like Sleep No More, where you could have this beautiful environment of artistic work. I’ve always loved that idea. There’s lots of ways to do things, I’ve always loved seeing all the ways in which they do West Side Story, any Bernstein score works in the streets easy. I’m a big fan of environments, I learned a lot from Tina Landau with her viewpoints technique, it really opened me up to be aware of my environment and to use the architecture around me as part of the story I’m going to tell. It would be fantastic if we could branch out even more and tell theatre in New York without having to been in a proscenium.

I’m glad to hear about Sunday, because I want to ask you about your other dream Sondheim roles…

Oh gosh, I love the two Follies roles, Bobby in Company...there’s just so many. I probably will end up playing Herbie in Gypsy someday, it’s the next step since I’ve played a newsboy and Tulsa.

You’ve worked with some amazing leading ladies, are there any actresses you haven’t worked with that you’d like to share the stage with someday?

I’ve had a huge crush on Bernadette Peters my entire life, so I’d love to get her in a rehearsal room and work with her. I’ve worked with some true divas of the stage like Patti LuPone and it was great, but for now I’m going to say Bernadette because I even remember seeing her in concert when I was in college.

You often mention the actors and artists you admire since you were someone who grew up loving theatre. When you’re doing a family friendly show like Finding Neverland do you think about having that same effect on young people in the audience?

Yeah I think about that, it’s interesting because we have kids in our show and I look at them and think I was them once. I just want to keep reiterating to them to enjoy themselves as much as they can, time flies so fast, which is also part of the story of Finding Neverland. I first got into the show in January, as we close the show they are so much bigger than they were when we started, it baffles my mind how fast they grew in like six months. It really reminds you to be present and stay in the moment.

Is directing something that interests you as well?

I’ve done directing with the National YoungArts Foundation, which helps high school artists all over the world, with teaching and mentorship. I love to choreograph and direct and it’s definitely something I will keep exploring, I like to work in a very collaborative, immersive way, Broadway isn’t necessarily the goal for me, I just like getting in a room with people and work on making the best version of a show. That’s what I love about this business, getting to collaborate with people.

What’s next on your plate after Neverland?

I’m going to do my show in San Francisco in December, I’m doing the Playbill cruise in the winter. I’m shooting some episodes of Billions, so look for me when the second season starts airing in the winter.

Since you’re doing TV, do you have shows you love to binge?

If you haven’t watched Parenthood, do it. It’s so funny but my wife and I just bought a house, we’re moving and we can’t get enough of this show, it’s a great adult soap opera, and also a cry-your-eyes-out kind of show. We have been binged that before and we’re watching it over again when I have time to sit down and watch.

I was always terrified of that show because everyone said how sad it was.

Every single episode makes you cry your eyes out!

For tickets to The New York Pops Underground click here.