Gays of a certain era (and a penchant for daytime soaps) will never forget Jason Tam’s decade-long, heartthrob stint as Markko Rivera on One Live to Live. But the versatile actor’s true calling has been the stage, from his childhood Broadway debut as Gavroche in Les Misérables to his heartbreaking performance as Paul in the revival of A Chorus Line. Theatergoers can now get up close and personal with Tam in one of his most unusual roles — the late senator in The Ghost of John McCain, now at Off-Broadway’s SoHo Playhouse.
The trippy purgatory musical features McCain transported to the twisted mind of Donald Trump with a bevy of characters, including a boozy Hillary Clinton, fetish-friendly Lindsey Graham, and flashback appearances from the likes of Teddy Roosevelt and Eva Peron. Tam has plenty of onstage sparring partners, including a brilliant performance by Kolbe Mannikus as a petulant adolescent Trump.
Tam, in the title role, barely leaves the stage during the show’s fast-paced 90 minutes, but Queerty caught up with the actor shortly after opening to talk about performing in intimate spaces, how he spends his free time, and who’s on his shortlist of dream collaborators.
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At my dressing station, you’ll find …
Wig prep. I wear a fantastic lace front wig in the show designed by Ashley Rae Callahan. It matches my hairline perfectly and looks exactly like my own hair but with a little salt and pepper thrown in to help give some elder-statesman vibes. It’s the most expensive wig I’ve ever worn, and it’s truly like, “What lace?” it just disappears. I’ve also got peanut M&M’s because I’m onstage for almost the entire 90 minutes of the show, so they’re a good way to make sure I have enough energy to power through. And lastly a toothbrush and toothpaste because I love my cast mates and don’t want them to suffer, you know?
Stuck in Trumpian purgatory eight times a week is no easy feat. The key to keeping the satire fresh is …
If someone told me a few months ago that very soon I’d be playing John McCain, I’d laugh in their face, but here we are! My worldview is almost completely misaligned with McCain’s, but in our show, he cares about integrity, honor, legacy, and teamwork, and those are all qualities I can hook into. And what makes it so funny is that while McCain cares deeply about these things, he’s surrounded by the complete opposite in Trump’s head.
My task is to play the straight man to the never-ending cavalcade of hilarious characters that pop up, like Hilary Clinton, sassy Eva Peron, S&M Lindsey Graham, and Roy Cohn, to name just a few. And let me tell you, it’s hard not to giggle when I’m surrounded by such comedic geniuses! But I think of McCain as a kind of detective in this world — McCain needs to restore his legacy and find a way to rest in peace, and each new zany character that comes along is an opportunity to forge an alliance or learn about Trump’s vulnerable points, or to get a better lay of the land, to learn the rules of the game, etc. The world inside Trump’s head is a huge puzzle for McCain, and I keep the show fresh by tearing the puzzle apart after every performance so I can put the pieces together again.
I’ve been on Broadway five times, but Off-Broadway spaces offer something unique …
For audiences, Off-Broadway offers a kind of intimacy, real camp fire vibes. It’s up close and personal, and you can easily see everyone in attendance. It’s cozy. As for the cast and crew, we’re packed in like sardines into the backstage area, but in a way that feels fun and fits the unhinged nature of our show. All of us — cast, stage management, musicians, company management, wigs, wardrobe — we’re all smooshed together on the second floor. It’s always lively, to say the least. And on top of that, Soho Playhouse has an apartment on the third floor that they Airbnb, so sometimes we get total randos walking through the shared space. Wild!
When I’m not onstage, you can find me …
Gardening. I rent the bottom unit of a brownstone, and the garden I have access to has changed my life. It gives me a reliable sense of purpose and something to direct my creative energy towards. Gardening’s like a living painting or sculpture, working with color and shape and variance and focus, and the fun part is it’s never done! I mostly grow shrubs and flowers, with a focus on successional planting so that there’s always something in flower and encouraging biodiversity by peppering in plants that are favored by local pollinators like wild aster, anemone, dahlia, etc. I also grow some fruit and veg — my favorites being sun gold tomatoes, and raspberries warm from the sun.
I also serve on the board of directors at Keen Company, where I performed Marry Me A Little twelve years ago. I love the work that Keen does, and I hope your readers will keep Keen on their radar! Coming up, we’ll be producing our first original musical, All The World’s a Stage, by Adam Gwon.
My dream date …
My dream date, whether romantic or platonic, is something experiential and/or outdoors. A bike ride, a walk, a hike, a body of water, a picnic, an adventure. If we go to a restaurant, it would be a hole-in-the-wall spot, as opposed to fine dining.
The show that changed my life the most …
A Chorus Line had a huge impact on me, first because I grew up on the movie, which solidified my love of dance and New York City. And then getting cast in the revival put me on the map of the New York theater industry. It was immensely helpful as a young artist to get validation early on in my career from such established people (Bob Avian, Baayork Lee, Marvin Hamlisch, Jay Binder) who said, “Yes, we believe in you.” Their confidence in me was a buoy that helped keep me afloat for years to come, particularly when I was in between jobs.
Watch Jason Tam’s audition for the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line:
I can sing, I can dance, I can act, but don’t ask me to …
Do press, ha! Which I know is literally what we’re doing now, but still. And not because I don’t like publications! I love publications! I love reading and watching interviews. But sometimes I feel like God, or the Universe, or whatever you wanna call it, was like, “I’m gonna make it so theater and TV are the things you’re most passionate about but I’m also gonna give you the penchant of a reclusive shepherd OK? Good luck with press! Bye now!” I think it’s because I’m a slow processor, and I often don’t know what to say in the moment in real life, which is part of what makes the scripted nature of theater so appealing to me.
Revive ___________ so I can star in it! …
If/Then! I played David in the original, but I’d love to play Lucas [originated by Anthony Rapp] now that I’m a decade older. I’m a sucker for multiverse stories. And “You Don’t Need to Love Me” is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Let it be directed by the great Sheryl Kaller, who directed me recently in The White Chip at MCC. Choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Set designed by dots. Lit by Natasha Katz. Holy smokes, can you imagine?! I just got chills.
The Ghost of John McCain runs through Soho Playhouse, New York City, through October 13.
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