Jeffrey Seller discusses his memoir 'Theater Kid' and the potential insights theater can provide us
Revamped Article:
Yo, Scott Simon here, and today we're chattin' with Jeffrey Seller, the dude behind "Rent," "Avenue Q," "In The Heights," and a little triumph called "Hamilton." Growin' up in the rough 'n tumble suburb of Detroit known as Cardboard Village, ol' Seller had a rocky start with parents known to bicker like cats 'n dogs. But theater provided a safer haven for the young talent. Let's take a peek at how his dramatic journey unfolded, as he invites us into his world through the pages of his memoir, "Theater Kid."
Seller’s new memoir transports us to the final weekend of the play, where the young, starring Seller sat in front of a bright, stage mirror. His blue eyes, aglow with light, reminded him why some folks mistook him for a gal. Recognition from family, though scant, ranged from "handsome" to "gorgeous," labels that typically went to more athletic schoolmates. But in this mirror, he saw himself, ready to conquer the stage. He felt attractive, victorious.
Simon: Hello, Jeffrey Seller, and thanks for joinin' us.
Seller: It's a pleasure to be here with you today, Scott.
Simon: Now, Mrs. Novetsky, your fifth-grade teacher, hung a tag on ya, didn't she?
Seller: (laughs) Indeed, she did.
Simon: When you were growin' up in the rough Detroit suburb, did you ever feel like you didn't belong or even wish to fit in?
Seller: Always an outsider, I was adopted, gay, Jewish, poor, and it wasn't easy. The father I knew, well, he drove around at night, serving warrants. Pouring some truth into this, easier for me than you mate. Learned from the streets, I always did. Anyway, late nights, young Seller accompanied his dad. He saw lives struggle to make ends meet, divorce ratings soaring, folks forced out of their homes. But dear old dad handled things with respect, no judgement. To a twiggy 10-year-old, he was a towering figure.
Simon: Your father also had a brief stint as a clown, didn't he?
Seller: God's honest truth, Scott, my father announced one day he'd join the Shriners to be a clown in the Shrine Circus.
Simon: His heart was truly in it, huh? Your mother may not have seen it that way, though.
Seller: Hard times, no money for bills, and yet there stands Pop, spendin' cash on a clown costume and circus hours.
Simon: Steppin' back from these memories, what do you see in your father?
Seller: He embodied everything beautiful about my father: love, compassion, philanthropy. He brought joy to kids in hospitals with balloons, beamed with kids at photo-shoots, a sight to remember. Made our lives seem poorer for it, they did. Tears well up, they do.
Simon: Moving on, the memoir takes us through your move to the University of Michigan, your start in New York, and your work with booking agents. One day, you stumbled upon a rock monologue by Jonathan Larson, titled "Boho Days."
Seller: Yeah, a profound line from a song struck a chord: "What a way to spend a day." It reawakens me even now. Larson was a 30-year-old composer, nobody wanted to touch, and this song was all about his love of musicals.
(Song snippet, "Why")
Seller: The lyrics resonated with me, and I wrote him a letter the next day, expressing my desire to produce his musicals.
Simon: The tales of your award-winning musicals, including "Hamilton," are all in here. You collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on "In The Heights." What sparked the collaboration that birthed a melodic tale about Alexander Hamilton's life?
Seller: (chuckles) Just your average tale of a bureaucrat, right? Each new musical sets my heart aflutter. Two things I seek: surprise and something that pricks my ears to attention. When I heard Lin rap "In The Heights" for the first time, I got chills down my spine.
(Song snippet, "In The Heights")
Seller: Never heard a sound like it on Broadway. "Hamilton" hit like a bolt of lightning, fascinating every listener from start to finish.
(Song snippet, "Alexander Hamilton")
Simon: The theater is a magical force that awakens hope and a sense of belonging within us, no?
Seller: Right on! I watched "Rent" serve as a haven for young dreamers, giving them a sense of family, a community to call their own. I simply want more people to experience the drama and the joy of the theater.
Community gatherings often revolve around shared passions, and for Jeffrey Seller, books served as a catalyst for camaraderie. As he delved into the pages of various works, he found solace in the words of others and discovered a sense of belonging that transcended the struggles of Cardboard Village.
With the booming success of "Hamilton" and other groundbreaking productions, Seller played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of entertainment. By offering thought-provoking narratives on stage, he transformed the theater into a platform for diverse voices, fostering a sense of unity and togetherness among audiences, much like a community itself.
