We caught up with Hunter Ryan Herdlicka who is currently starring in Transport Group's revival of Once Upon a Mattress. With his perfect pitch, matinee idol looks and charming personality, Hunter is en route to becoming a bona fide star. From A Little Night Music on Broadway, to a beloved cabaret show at 54 Below, sky's the limit for Hunter. We asked him about how he ended up playing the Minstrel in Mattress, his earliest memories of the show, and the future of musical theatre.
Were you called in specifically for the Minstrel part in Once Upon a Mattress?
A little less than a year ago I went to see a show that Lypsinka was in, and I ended up sitting next to Jack Cummings III, who is now our director, we met, he knew of me, I knew of him. So when they were casting the show, I got a phone call offering me the job. I didn’t have to audition which was wonderful because all actors hate to audition.
Were you a fan of the show before?
It was actually the very first show that I was in when I was a kid. I was a sixth grader and played the role of Sir Harry, I have great memories of the show because it was one of my first cast albums, it was the first time I rehearsed a show. I learned the cast album word for word.
What are your favorite songs to perform in the show?
I think my favorite song in the show is “Happily Ever After”. I don’t get to sing it, but it’s one of my favorites. My favorite song I do in the show is “Many Moons Ago”.
The show hasn’t been revived very often. Why do you think this is?
It was such, such a hit when it was first performed, and it was so great for Carol Burnett, that it took decades for it to get a revival, until they did it with Sarah Jessica Parker, and that revival was not a success. It didn’t sell well, the critics didn’t like it, the one thing about that production I’m so happy was preserved were the orchestrations which are just spectacular. I don’t know why there aren’t more revivals especially because everyone knows this show, everyone does it in high school, and children’s theaters. I guess it’s kind of a tricky show, there are basically eight leading parts, so you need eight great actors and singers. Also whoever plays the Princess has to be a genius, Carol Burnett set the bar really high and filling those shoes is very difficult, and nowadays you need someone who sells tickets, and those are usually movie stars unfortunately. So this movie star also needs to be a great comedian and singer, so it’s tough. I think Mary Rodgers definitely wanted it to be more revived.
One of my favorite pieces of Tony trivia is that she had to compete against her father for Best Musical.
I had no idea! I remember that year had Fiorello! and Gypsy.
And her dad had The Sound of Music.
Wow.
Isn’t that cool? One of the best things about this production of Once Upon a Mattress, is that there are no limitations to who can play what, or what age or gender they have to be. When you were growing up and wanted to be an actor, what parts would you have liked to play regardless of those limitations?
Being a little kid that loved musical theatre I dreamed of playing Guinevere in Camelot, and Joanne in Company, Mama Rose in Gypsy (laughs). Certainly in college, I went to Carnegie Mellon, so in Shakespeare we had that because all plays were written for men, so I played female roles in Tartuffe, Twelfth Night...and watching Jackie Hoffman I wanna play that too. Lypsinka and Jackie are such “unconventional” choices for these roles, Jackie is a middle aged comedian, and you usually get young ingenues to play this part, but having her is so perfect because Princess Winnifred is an underdog, and Jackie is a character actor, so it’s a perfect fit. I love that people will finally get to see that Jackie isn’t only good at making people laugh, she also has a huge heart, and vulnerability. She’s such a beautiful, honest actor.
After Camelot and Once Upon a Mattress what would you say are some of the pros and cons of wearing tights?
Oh, I don’t get to wear tights in this one which is wonderful. I love doing period pieces, like Moliere, Shakespeare, and I love doing classic musical theatre from the 30s and 40s. The tights are something you kinda have to put up with.
What do you think is the role of new media and television in spreading the greatness of musical theatre beyond New York?
The internet has changed everything, it makes Broadway and live performances that would only be available on specific nights and times, available to people all over the world, with streaming, YouTube, people filming cabarets, it’s incredible all the exposure theatre actors can have. It also helps theatre actors get considered for other jobs outside theatre. YouTube, Facebook and social media are invaluable as a performer.
I have to ask you the hardest question anyone will ask you this week.
(Laughs)
Pick three Sondheim songs you love, and three Sondheim parts you’d love to play.
I love “Finishing the Hat”, “The Glamorous Life” from the film version of A Little Night Music, “If You Can Find Me I’m Here” from Evening Primrose. Now three parts, let’s see, when I’m older I want to play George in Sunday in the Park with George, Bobby in Company, and I’d love to do either Tobias or Anthony in Sweeney Todd.
For tickets to Once Upon a Mattress click here.
