Q&A with Hardy Weaver

If George Hamilton could be a movie star, then Hardy Weaver could be… well, one of the comedic highlights of A Chorus Line. As the wonderfully droll Bobby, Weaver has epitomized wit and mischief every night for the past seven months thanks in no small part to the side-splitting monologue he has perfected for his character. In this blog entry, Hardy gives us a glimpse of what goes into making that scene so formulaically funny and also shares how he and Bobby were kindred troublemaking spirits as children.

Name

Matthew Hardy Weaver (the First)

Role

Bobby

Describe your favorite song / scene / moment in A Chorus Line.

I love being a part of the final kick line. The first time we did it, I was boo-hooing with a goofy smile on my face. It’s an amazing feeling being part of such an iconic and recognizable moment in musical theatre history.

Monologues are tricky to pull off for any actor, but many people might be surprised to know there’s just as much work that goes into comedic monologues as in dramatic monologues. What were your secrets for keeping Bobby’s monologue fresh over the course of the tour?

Comedy is such a delicate thing. People think you can get up and say a funny line and people will automatically laugh. Not the case. Timing is so important and if you deliver a punch line a second too early or too late, it bombs. My biggest “secret” is studying comedic geniuses. Since the age of 10 I’ve watched shows such as I Love Lucy and Golden Girls. Yes, I do watch them for entertainment, but I really do study these amazing actors and how they set up, deliver, and play comedy. My cast-mates sometimes catch me on the bus mouthing a scene between Lucy and Ethel or Dorothy and Rose. When it comes to monologues, comedic or dramatic, I always think of it like jazz music: you start in one place and you never know where you will end up. You have to be willing to go with the flow and embrace the fact that new reactions and intentions might come out of nowhere. I love it.

As a child, were you ever as outlandish as Bobby?

Oh yes! Before we started rehearsals, I was trying to figure out Bobby and I made a list of all the weird things I did as a child. I went through a phase where I wanted my Doritos toasted, so I would individually burn them to a crisp with a lighter. I tried to make a lizard into a paratrooper by tying a mini parachute to it and having it float down from my clubhouse. And, like Bobby, I had many staged productions. There’s many a photo of me and my childhood friends putting on an original production of “The G.I. and the Olympic Swimmer Attack Boppo, the Defenseless Clown”.

What was the funniest thing that happened to you on or offstage on the tour?

Julia Freyer. She is the funniest thing that has happened to me on tour. It’s tough to make me truly laugh out loud, but she is able to have me in stitches at the drop of a hat. Curse you, Judy Turner.

Which was your favorite stop on the tour and why?

Our recent stop in Baton Rouge was wonderful, because I had so many family and friends from New Orleans up to see the show (in a fancy limo bus, mind you). Kayaking on the Pacific in Santa Barbara and visiting Lincoln’s home and museum in Springfield, Illinois also top my list.

Hardy Weaver as Bobby in A CHORUS LINE
Photo by Phil Martin

Name one item you could not have lived without while on the road.

My iPod. Singing is the one thing I cannot go a day without doing. Before every show I need to vocally warm up, but I also need to sing and lose myself in some other moment.

If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show what would it be and why?

Ay Chihuahua, this is tough. I would kill to have been at any premiere of a Sondheim show (namely Sunday in the Park with George and Sweeney Todd). I would love to have seen the original production and cast of Ragtime. What a show.

What is your favorite showtune and why?

“How Glory Goes” from Floyd Collins. I did the show and played Floyd my senior year of high school and didn’t realize fully, at the time, what a magical opportunity I was given. It is a big dream of mine to revisit this show and that song.

What are the top five most listened to songs on your iPod?

1. “Therapy” by India.Arie
2. “Glitter in the Air” by P!nk
3. “Up the Ladder to the Roof” sung by Sherie Rene Scott
4. “Hang With Me” by Robyn
5. “Shark in the Water” by V.V. Brown

Do you have any pop culture guilty pleasures?

America’s Next Top Model. My college friends and I still do photo shoots. You wanna be on top?

The world is dying to know… what are your plans for after A Chorus Line?

My plan is to stay in New York for a week or two and visit with friends and then head back to my beautiful home city of New Orleans and take some time to enjoy home, family, and friends. There is no city like it and I encourage everyone to take a trip down to the Crescent City. I’m planning on spending most of the summer there and then moving back up to New York. Back to a life of auditioning!