Exclusive: Broadway Becomes DEATH BECOMES HER's Taurean Everett

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It's the Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon. Broadway World Family. Okay, listen, welcome to the Roundtable

My name is Robert Bannon. I'm so excited that you're here. I know that this season, I knew, I heard of this show last season

I'm excited. I'm already in trouble because, listen, here's a confession. I have not seen

I've not seen death becomes her. I've seen the movie, like in 1992, 93, I'm gay

So last month, three months ago, six months ago, four years ago. I've seen the movie a lot

Okay. And I've seen our next guest a lot on Broadway. This is what I know about it

A, he probably doesn't eat. B, he wears very little clothes on stage

C, he has 162 abs. Does he worry about having 160 abs instead of 162

So like if he's going to go out after the show, does he eat pizza? Does he not? Does he ever eat pizza with Michelle Williams

These are the things that I want to talk about today with you on this very trashy

I'm a trashy guy and he's a classy Broadway guy. So here we go, people

Brian is here. We're going to find out all the scoop. And then I'm coming back to New York in February and I'm going to sit right front center

And I'm serving Lunt Lund Fontaine as well, just like his shirt says

Welcome to the round table. Hi. I want to just correct you with one thing

Please. It's not 162. It's 158. What happened? The abs. Well, just life happens

And I enjoy a cinnamon roll. So it's 158. Wait, are you

So my husband, my husband is a beautiful 6.5 man. His name is Darius

And he can eat a cinnamon roll in a bag of chips every day. and be snatched. And I look at him eating it and I gain weight. What is wrong with him? Is Darius a black man

Yes, he is. Damn it. It's that meme of Oprah. I said before this show started, firstly, and when I say giving looks on stage people

giving looks on state, like you give looks, looks, looks, looks, looks. Where are the

look at the, come on, look at this outfit. What did you think of when they showed you that

I was actually critical of myself, to be honest, and just thinking, like, what can you do to make that image even more enticing

But I think that's what makes a, like a great performer, is that they're constantly trying to grow

That's what it was. But the gag is I'm in those photos and that's the gag

So I, and I'm content with them. But we're just, you know, it's the nip and tuck and pull and freeze

Well, I, you haven't seen the show so you don't know the reference. I don't know the reference

I, oh my gosh. This is our hundreds and hundreds of interviews

And this is the shade, most shade I've ever gotten. Congratulations. You win

Well, Chagall is a shaded character. Tell us what I was moved when I was researching you

You went to college in somewhere that I don't think of musical theater. Like you went to like the University of Kentucky, Louisiana

Where did you go to school? No, so I went to school at Wichita State University

Wichita. Yes, which houses a music theater of Wichita, which I think is a great formative training ground for people who

aspire to work in the industry in New York City on Broadway specifically. And they bring in a lot of

artists. So like I was in the ensemble all the time, the resident company, because I'm from

Wichita, for music theater, Wichita for like years, four or five years or something like

that. And they usually bring people like me back who are ensembleist on Broadway to then be

leads there. So it's a constant cyclical training ground to get to where you want to be

So I am from Wichita, Kansas, where, Wichita, which is the air capital of the world, by the way

I love, all the Boeing flights that you fly on, that's us

Let's go, Wichita. Look, Wichita, they're making planes. They're making Broadway shows. They're doing, Wichita, come on

So I was telling you, I saw Wichita and I thought, wow, that's a journey

How old were you when you came to New York City to live here? Oh, I moved to New York City in 2008, August of 2008

So I've been here for a little over 17 years. Is my math correct

Don't shave me if that is. Yes, it is. It's right. I can count to eight really well

But I am. Five, six, seven, eight. But I moved to New York in 2008, and I've been here ever since

So, graduate in 2007, you can do the math. I'm not going to tell you how old I am because you don't need to know

You graduated college in 2007? Perhaps. Good night. This is over. This conversation. Right

Wait, we are very similar in here. So I hear you. So when I, kind of, I'm older, but by minutes

So when you, when you move to New York, what I love about your career, but I was really moved before we talk about Death Becomes or

which you've got to get a ticket, which apparently I'm not gone yet

So I fail, especially if you're a queer, if you're a woman, if you're a person of color, or you like anything that's entertaining, period

If you want to laugh, if you like to laugh, come see the show

Deathbecomeser.com. Firstly, and this cast is bananas from, oh, my gosh. goodness Jennifer and Megan and Chris and Michelle Williams and you and a bunch of other singing and dancing fools up there on the stage every single night Joshua Lehman We have one of the Dora Melage from Black Panther Her name is Maya Abney

We have Sarah Meal, Sir Rock Warren, just we have a collegiate gymnast. Like we have there's so many people who are absolutely spectacular

you really won't know where to look. You're going to have to see it multiple times because everybody is so fantastic, so fantastic

I feel so upset because I have been in Detroit since August

I'm missing everything. People, I'm coming back February. I'll see you there

I'll bring a cinnamon roll. So when done, and we can follow on Instagram as well, the links will all be below so you can stay up to speed

Maybe you'll have 159 abs. Maybe it'll be 157. You'll have to stay along

What will it look like at the Tony Awards? I don't know. You'll have to stay a part of it all

What I'm moved by your story is when I read about your story, if I look back at the Broadway shows that you've got

if I go back to Mamma Mia, or if I go back to Miss Saigon, or if I go back to Mulam Rouge

or if I go back to the Cher show, I see a lot of stories that are

and roles, ensemble roles, dance roles, featured roles, that's a journey for you to be a principal

big time smackity-shmack Broadway star now. What does it feel like as that young actor

who is now growing and gone into this part? What was the journey like to get to this particular role

It's a big deal. Thank you. I agree with you. And I think the fact that I agree

is that I'm, means that I'm aware that it is a big deal

And the journey has always been like, and the irony, if you want perfection

which is the theme of our show, I just wanted to do it right

I am a very visual learner. I am great at style and understanding what people are asking for as best I can

And I practice at home. Even like, I know the show now like in my bones and I'm still

practicing at home. And it's just for continuity and to just continue to grow. My journey from

Mama Mia, like when I got that show, it was such a, I remember going to the audition and there were

so many people in the room. And I hadn't seen the show, but I remember them doing, like

there was an improv section before the dance combination. And everyone was

like turning and flipping and splitting and doing all of these things

And I remember thinking, I'm not interested in that. So what I did was I went to the back of the room

It was at Ailey Studios. I went to the back of the room. I leaned on the bar and I smoked a cigarette while watching, not a real one, but, you know

I mined a cigarette while watching everybody do the thing. And I had my booty toot, Tyra's Booty Tootch

And I remember thinking, I just want to do the thing that no one else is doing

And that caught their attention. I read the sides, made a lot of great choices

And the next, about a few days later, my agent called me

And I was on my way to Hawaii for a trip with my family

And my agent said, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is you can't go on the trip with Hawaii

The good news to Hawaii, the good news is that you made your Broadway day

Broadway debut with Momomia. So since then, it's just always been like

be the best you can be. And I've worked on my physicality

which is why I'm never clothed on stage. But that's not a problem

And it's not for everyone. To be clear, I don't want, there's

I remember there being a, this sort of shaming of body types on Broadway

And it's not, There's space for that. But I do think that my particular brand warrants that

Like, people want to see that. And that thus far has been my journey

So then going into a principal role in Death Becomes Her, I finally got a chance to speak

And I finally got a chance to seeing. And what people don't know because they only are, you know

the attention span is based on what they see, is that I'm funny

And, you know, I feel like I might be a little bit charming, if I may

You can click, yes. It's really long. It's really like. That is good

That's bundles and bundles. Let's go. Right. And that, like, I want to work on that

And so the director, Christopher Gateli, really saw something in me from the show and wanted

to give me that chance. and part of this whole experience is truly trying to say thank you by growing and being better and better each day

I say the same thing to my parents. The way I can say thank you to them for believing in me is by showing them the success of becoming a principal on Broadway, which is a wild dream

And I often go back to the little boy in me who saw that on television and saw that

in the movies and just thought, I want to do that. I think I can

Maybe, but who knows? And now I think I am that person, but I still just feel like me, you know

Well, that's what was so moving. Because, you know, whenever I talk to people and they make their Broadway debut

I find it so moving. Because I feel like, and I often say, think about all those classes

all those dance classes, all those auditions, your songs in your book, the journey to will this ever happen

Then you make it happen. But doesn't mean you have a sustained career. that doesn't mean the next shows around the corner

And then for you to be a principal on a hit show on Broadway

it is and that because you are who you are What I love about what you said is making choices and making the choices that wouldn make because I think we are afraid So how do you have the courage to walk into an audition room and make a different choice

Isn't it feel like you're being judged? Isn't it scary? Because there's not a wrong answer

I think everyone is trying to do what they think is the right answer

And usually that answer is to like do what you think. think someone else wants. I always, there's an ogy that I like to use that I read somewhere

that it was like, you may go to an audition and they are asking for pineapples, right? And you're an

orange. But maybe what they didn't know they needed is the orange to make a better fruit salad

You know what I mean? I think you should always hire a fruit. Everybody out here. I just..

Because everything we do is for the gays. Of course, it's my whole life

Of course it is. Everything is for the gays. Speaking of gays and G-A-Z-E

It's for the gays. Ooh. Gays. When you, speaking of gays, you work with some pretty gay icons on this show

So, and the show is pretty campy and pretty gay. The movie is an iconic piece of material

Iconic. So what does it like to work with Michelle Williams? She is so, so lovely and funny

She's funny. She is Southern. She is down home. That's a black girl from, you know, from Chicago

And she is, she just is willing to play. She holds space for everyone

Any time that she senses, like, there's a certain vibe. she tries to either lift it or include herself or shift it up if it's something that's feeling

heavier. She just is really, really wonderful and so gorgeous and just fun to play with

and play off of on stage. Well, I hope you get everybody while we're talking, you know

the show, you got to get a ticket, get a ticket. You're not going to get a lot of ticket. You can't get a ticket this week. You probably can't get a ticket next week. But stand ahead and buy a ticket. You're not

going to get a discount code either. So why are you waiting? Because the show sells out. So go to Lawn Fontaine Theater and get a ticket to see the show. It's going to be the best time you have on Broadway this season

For sure, I promise you that. So you talk about an important lesson for young dancer, singers, actors, performers out there

You talk about you worked with the director slash choreographer on the share show. And then that relationship, have you felt that the connections you make, the relationship you work? How you show up to work every single day has led you to other jobs. Is that matter

It absolutely matters. I think part of, when you go to an audition, you can be the best person in the room, like objectively speaking, but if you're not someone that someone wants to work with, and that's based on your interpersonal relationships and ability in the room and what people see as leadership or confidence, that will play a part into casting. It's a very specific forming

of a puzzle. But even the moment the door opens, I think a lot of people, like

will charge into the room and they become these robots as opposed to real people

When I came in for my final callback, for Death Becomes Her, honey, the outfits that I wore were, like

giving something. And I was also just showing my personality. One, my final dance callback

was a sheer body suit. You can see everything. Shear body suit

because I knew no one else was going to do that, making choices, right

And or like, I walked in one time in a pair of sequined pants and like this sheer, you know, gorgeous embroidered shirt

And we just sat there and talked about my outfit and shopping. And I checked in with people at the table to see how they were doing because no one ever asked that, you know

And it's just, it's just, oh, these are the human beings who are grounded, who want to connect with

people in the room as a unit, not just as like, I need your approval. And so, you know what I mean

And so I think it's, I think it's truly just about authenticity. And, you know, I could easily

you know, be this sort of like, butch, that's butch, right? This sort of bush. That's what I mean

this sort of butch, like I could put on that persona, but like I like to sit into my hip, you know

and I like to give a job on. And like, that's just sort of who I am

And if they see that that is something that is useful, then it works

If, especially if you are a kind person who has shown up

and been diligent and does the work and provides the receipts, I think that is why Chris

Gateli, the director, choreographer, saw me again and thought, I know exactly where it used him

And the part came about. But you do play Butch. I mean, you just swept away when it was out in town. And that's pretty butch

It's very much. And I think there's, you know, there's colors and there's range with, you know, who we are. And I think the important part of that is just having experiences with people, like with different types of people having conversations. And I love

I love those boys from swept away. They were all absolutely fantastic

I still would wear crop top sweaters to rehearsal, but it was fun to flex a different muscle

Absolutely, absolutely. I hope people listening, you know, my students in Newark, New Jersey that are musical

theater students and people everywhere around, you know, my kids out here in Detroit

You know, I wish I knew at a young age that I didn't have to walk in and be a cookie cutter, that the people behind the table are people and that they could just want to work with you as much as you want to work with them

They looking for the it feels so personal It very hard to not feel judged or to feel outside the box So that is a lesson that is a whole whole word

It is. And I think, I remember reading Michelle Obama's book Becoming. And she mentioned in the book

about being at tables with all of these, you know, high profile people who they don't even

know how they got there, you know, which made me think like, well, if they, they, they

can do it, I can do it. And who else are we trying to be, if not ourselves? Like, I love Michelle

Williams. I love an Andre MacDonald. I love a Diana Ross. I love a Norm Lewis. I love all

of these iconic people. But I am not them. They are them. So then why can't people like

love a Tori and Everett? You know, like, I don't know. So you just, you just

there are going to be a whole generation of young actors and young queens, kings, people across the board who are going to go see your show, they're going to see your character, they're going to aspire to be like you are in this show, and they're going to sit down one day and talk about going to see your show

And that's the generation, that you were inspired by them and you're going to inspire the next generation, just by being you

And I appreciate you saying that one of my biggest things that I hold close to my heart is being the example that

I would like to see in the world. When I was growing up out of Wichita

I didn't have anyone really who was like me to look up to

And instead of shifting myself to be like someone else, I thought, no, I'm going to grow up and be the example

for someone else that when they relate to me, say, oh, I see a lot of myself in him

and I relate to what he's saying or how he's feeling or what his experiences have been

And that will give them a little, agency to go out into the world to really, like, confidently just be themselves

No, there's no point in being anyone else. Be you. That's it. Be you

You're perfect just the way that you are. You're perfect just the way that you are

I need to come to the Lantfontein to see the magic, because I know there is magic on stage

And I know no amount of carbs is going to get you to give away the secrets

I shan't give the secret. secrets away because we have a secret you would die for

Oh, come on. See, that's why that the part. That's perfect. And I'll look forward to seeing you in February

I hope people out here, when you're coming to New York, if you're around the world, you're watching us on Broadway World right now

if you're coming to New York, get your tickets in advance, or if you're in the tri-state area, go see death becomes her

Valentine's Day is coming up. It is February. It is the perfect time

And then we're going to follow you because you're going to have a whole bunch of work to do

Like, I don't know, model work, TV work, Broadway work, all the work

Working. Work. Work. Honestly, work. I had an interview recently and I was explaining to someone sort of my process when I get to the theater

And one of my process is that once I do my face for the show, I'll lightly spray with hair

spray. And I'll look at myself in the mirror and I'll go, honestly, work. And exit to the stage

I heard. I was obsessed with the fact that you spray your face to keep your face beat and your

makeup doesn't run. B, if you're, if you are what you eat, you are a neon gummy sour worm or

something like that. See, I want proof that I do some research here on this show. I read the

articles. Thank you. You did. You did. They don't do that. They don't do that. They don't do

that on all the other Broadway podcast shows. How about that? My guess

Now I'm in my mind. Right. A cigarette always gets it, you know

Look. Look, I'm so excited. I really, I didn't even know, I don't know you

I didn't talk to you ever before this moment. And I saw your history and I had seen you in shows and I had gone to see work that you've done

And then when I saw you do this and I got the chance to speak to you, I was moved and inspired that

We can grow bigger. We can get bigger. The best is yet to come. There is always work out there for us to do. And we just got to lean into what we're meant to do. And you're doing what you're doing what you're doing. And you're doing what you do. And making sure that the information is available and engaging with people in an authentic and fun way. I think that that's so special. And I hope that you are having so much fun doing it

And the other thing about the industry, right, is that there are people who may not want to be out front facing like I am

They may want to do what you're doing. And that is really moving. And he's talking to people

Yeah. And so I think there's space for everyone. I was, not to make this about me, but I was in a really bad, beautiful equity production of a bad show

And my brother and my parents came to see it. And it was in the rounds

And at one point, I was frozen and I was looking directly at my brother. And I emowed to him, save him

save me. And I left that show and I thought, I don't want to do this anymore

And I had trained for so many years. And I said, there's something else that I'm supposed to do

And there's something, we've got to listen to ourselves. And you can be a principal on Broadway. Maybe you'll do something completely different than we

but we just got to keep listening and adjusting and reinvention is where it's at

Thank you. Thanks for saying that. I'll see you. I'm bringing the man

You can all eat cinnibuns and I'll not. And I'll be- You, Darius, and I will go out for cinnamon rolls

Okay. Oh, dear. My wedding is in May, and I refuse to be the zero in the ten

That's my goal is I'm not going down as the zero in the ten. You could never

Don't even say that. You could never. You could never. Okay. Wait, I need to go to death becums there

I need a little nip, a little tuck, a little, hold on. A little freeze

A little pluck. I'll see you over at the launch. I'll see you over at the theater

Thanks for being here