TV Exclusive: BROADWAY BARTENDER Pours a Drink with Arnie Burton

If you could have a drink with anyone in the theater world, who would it be

I'm Anthony Capparelli, and I'm running through my list. Each week, I'll sit down with cast members, bartenders, and personalities from New York's Theater District

and get a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to live, work, and play on Broadway

Come have a drink with us on Broadway Bartender. Welcome to Broadway Bartender. My name is Anthony Capparelli

and we are here at New World Stages in the heart of Manhattan's Theater District

home to my show, The Mbibeble, A Spirited History of Drinking. And today we're going to do a very popular version of a drink that we've made several times

It's a martini. We've done, I think, a dirty gin martini. We've done some darker martinis

I'm going to do a classic vodka martini for our first guest

And as usual, you will understand why when you see the show that we're going to be talking to

But I'm going to start with a mixing tin about halfway full of ice. And I'm going to go ahead and use some Crystal Head vodka

and I'm going to do about two ounces per drink of vodka

and about a half ounce per drink of dry vermouth. And then I'm going to shake this up really, really well

because I like my martinis the way Mr. Bond likes his martinis, shaken, not stirred

A couple of advantages to shaking the drink. One, it chills it down a little bit more quickly

Two, it introduces ice chips, which are like little mini ice cubes, and it keeps the drink colder longer

But my favorite thing about shaking the drink is that it adds air bubbles

which you can see, and those act as little flavor capsules that then pop and keep that flavor in your mouth and going up to your nose

so you really get a little bit more intense flavor experience. Releases all those nice botanicals in the vermouth

So I'm going to go ahead now and strain this into two martini glasses

And again, you can see those air bubbles in there, which I just love

And then I'm going to top it with two cocktail olives on a pick and serve it to our special guest this week, Mr. Arnie Burton from the Government Inspector

How are you, sir? I am fine now. You look fascinated by that drink

I am because I've never had one before. Now, you mentioned to me when we were talking earlier that you're not a big drinker, right

No, I'm not. I'm not. All right, so this is sort of a big drinker's drink

Yes, it is. It's a big man's drink. It is. Let's do a little cheer

So, first of all, thank you so much for coming. Thanks for asking me. And tell me what you think

All right. Well, that is the best vodka martini I've ever had

Okay, so... It is my first vodka martini. We're one for one, then. My only vodka martini

I love it. But it is the best. I can't imagine it'll ever get better. No, actually, I have had another martini before, and it was super strong

And I found it, whoa, this is actually really nice. Thank you so much

And again, another advantage of shaking. I'm all warm right here. I just hit my mic, but I'm very warm

When you shake the drink over ice like that, the ice melts pretty quickly, and you get some dilution

That's really, really important. You don't really. And I'm also big on the visuals. I loved that you're shaking

I loved that it was like, I had a beautiful kind of color. cloudy color. It's dynamic, right

Yeah, it really is. Yeah. Thank you. Great. Okay, awesome. So, we're off to a good start. Yes. Okay, so

the government inspector. I'm in. I'm in. Keep talking. So, first of all

we're neighbors now. You just moved here to New World Stages with us

Yes. And you guys are just making a huge splash. I mean

rave reviews all over the place. Yeah, it's New York Times. Talk to me about the show

So, first, let's clue in our guests. Why did I pick a drink

with vodka in it? The whole show takes place in Russia, right

Yeah, yeah. It's a kind of, it's an updated kind of, it's a classic Russian play, but very funny

It's a classic comedy by Gogol. And Jeffrey Hatcher has adapted it into a kind of like vaudeville, borscht belt, Carol Burnett meets Monty Python

It's so funny. I can't tell you. There's like, literally, there's like a joke every other line

But he's amazing because he's able to tell the story of this very corrupt town where everyone is corrupt and kind of joyously so

And then they hear that a government inspector is coming into town. So they say, oh, we've got to clean our stuff up

But it's a classic comedy mistaken identity because the person they think is the government inspector is not the government inspector and is someone possibly even more corrupt than they

So it's like how all that happens. and it's just so funny

So Jeffrey Hatcher, the guy who did the adaptation, has managed to tell this story

yet still managed to craft some of the best jokes I've ever had the privilege of saying in a play before

So now, talk a little bit about... So you mentioned it's a classic play

that exists as a thing in the world and it was written when

Oh, 18... In the 1830s, maybe. And I'm sure a very politically relevant

for its day. Oh, yeah, yeah. It was actually, once it was performed, it was, some people obviously

loved it, and some, and it was banned in some places. Really? Because it really, yeah, it really

takes to task how corrupt the government can be, and probably usually was, and still is

Yeah, okay, so, so now when you, you have a work like that that exists and has been around for that

long you mentioned that he now updates and this is the founding director of Red Bull Theater who did the adaptation Jeffrey Hatcher who a brilliant playwright in his own right who written plays and he also adapts plays

I actually had done a play he did earlier. He adapted the book Confederacy of Dunces

a brilliant adaptation of that. So he's quite adept at taking well-known plays

and then kind of giving them... Because the original government inspector, it lasts almost three hours

So Jeffrey was able to like slash and burn, cut like an hour out of it

So now it runs on just under two hours. And it's, as I said, the other adaptations of it, while it's a comedy, were never quite funny enough

And I think that's what stopped it from being revived more often. And Jeffrey, I think, has written just a brilliantly funny version of it

And that's the thing that I keep hearing over and over again about this production is how intensely funny it is. Yeah

Just literally like you just don't stop laughing through the whole show. It's one of those, and it's honestly really nice

and you also have a cast full of, like, just the best comedians in New York

comedic actors in New York City right now. And so, and I think we all were attracted to this material

because we read it on the page, and we go, oh, my God, this is funny stuff

So you put that all together, and it's a fun evening. Okay, so I mentioned the Red Bull Theater

That's who's currently producing this. The artistic director, I think, directed it

Jesse Berger, yeah. That's who I was thinking. Okay. So he did not do the adaptation. He staged it

Okay, great. So now when you have a show like that, that exists, obviously, and it's updated

He cut an hour. Can you actually add lines? I mean, what is considered

Well, you're not supposed to. There's a couple embellishments we've added ourselves to the cast that we've found

But no, it's pretty much Jeffrey's words. But, you know, if you had Gogol's script on one side and Jeffrey's, it's telling the same story, but they're all Jeffrey's words

Okay, so he literally just retold the story that Gogol had told

Okay. So all brand new text. Yeah. Great. Okay, terrific. And so the dialogue is updated, everything's sort of modernized, so there won't be any language issues or anything like that

Like watching Shakespeare is like, what is that? No, like I said, it's just like good old kind of Mel Brooks kind of classic comic lines and situation

And he's just updated because humor changes during the year. And what may have been funny in 1830 is not necessarily would be funny now

So it's just while it's still set then, the comedy itself and the take on it is much more contemporary

So you mentioned the rest of the cast. Who else is in the show? It's Michael Urie

He's our government inspector. And there's Michael McGraw. There's Mary Testa. Myself, Stephen DeRosa

Other funny people, Kelly Hutchison. Talene Monaghan. There's so many. It's a cast of 14, which you don't see much off-Broadway

No. Yeah, yeah. And so it's... And everyone in the cast, it's amazing

because there's a lot of characters in the play. and everyone has moments of showcasing everybody

Wow. And like I said, just getting rave reviews, Ben Brantley wrote you a love letter in the Times

called you out personally. I think he called you chameleonic. Very good

Yeah, I didn't even know that word existed. I didn't either, but you know. I play these two characters that are completely

completely different. And I've done that a lot. I've done plays like 39 Steps and Peter and the Starcatcher

and I've done a lot of plays where I'm the guy that plays all the different roles

So I'm used to that, and I actually love it. That seems to be a very good skill to have

especially in the off-Broadway world. Well, all over, it's like, because in the olden days

like in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, they'd have these big casts

but they would never have, like, they would have a big cast

and everyone played, like, one role. Right. But now they want to do, if you want to do one of these older plays

that had big casts or you want to write more characters, but it's cost prohibitive to have too big of a cast

So it's in demand to have character actors that can kind of shift and do those things

So I feel kind of lucky to have found that niche. That's amazing. We use that all the time

I mean, all of our shows are four people and they each play a minimum of half a dozen characters each

And it's so much fun too. It really is. Because especially if you do a long run, I did a long run of 39 steps for like two years

But it never got boring because I was always, like, either on stage doing one character and then running off, changing into another character, coming back on as another one

You know, and so it stops it from being boring. It's just fun. So now you mentioned that you, the long run on 39 Steps, you did Amadeus for, like, three years

Well, no, no, actually. Well, I did it for, it was my first big job when I moved to New York

I was just a little slip of a thing. And I did the national tour, and then they asked me, and it was my Broadway debut

and then they asked me to join the Broadway company for like six months

So I did it for like a year and a half. Okay, but long runs seem to be something you've been able to manage in your career

What's the secret? I mean, this is every actor's dream is to put together a working career

I know. I've been really lucky, but I have to say there was a long time between Amadeus

which I got when I first came to New York, because I was stupid. I didn't know what a casting person was or how to be nervous or anything

I was literally, you know, it's one of those things where a little less knowledge is sometimes

good And then I went through a period where it like oh okay I got to relearn how New York works And then I had been very lucky you know things like 39 Steps and Peter and the Star Catcher and other shows

where it's enabled, you know, in those long runs. And I recognize, like, especially for plays, plays don't tend to run long

And so I've been very lucky in finding plays that have had a nice life

And when I'm in the middle of them, I go, this is rare. I'm going to stay with it

I'm going to make the money. I'm going to save up for my house. and that's what we did

So producers out there, if you would like a long run to your show, cast Arnie and apparently that's a secret

I mean the ones that you named are unbelievable. You know, 39 Steps, tremendous run there

Peter and the Starcatcher, which I actually saw, amazing show and another great story

You know, really, really incredible. So these projects, do you tend to come on early in the project's lifespan

or do you kind of join them? Have you joined them sort of during fully realized runs, or how does that work

Usually, hopefully, most times I'm in at the beginning. You know, sometimes you'll just do a reading of a play

Someone will call you up and say, can you come do this reading of a play? And that reading will lead to another reading, which will lead to a workshop, which will lead to the production

And then you're employed for the next two years. Things like 39 Steps had been a big success in London, and so that was already a set thing

And then when they cast the American cast, I was the first cast of that

Peter and the Starcatcher had been workshopped out of La Jolla, and I wasn't in that. But when they did Off-Broadway, they asked me to join the cast

And so it really depends. Wow. That's – and if I'm saying this right, Machinal, is that right? Machinal

Machinal. Tell us about that. That seems like an incredible – It was an incredible experience

It was directed by this amazing British director, Lindsay Turner, that was completely inspiring to be a part of

It's one of the things I'm most proud of. I think it was an incredible play, and it was just an incredible production full of amazing people

It was, yeah, it was really a real highlight. What's the show about

Oh, that was a play, also because I'm a fan of true crime. It's like, I love, if there's a book on true crime or if there's any kind of series that's true crime, I am in

And so this was based on this woman in the 1920s that killed her husband

And it was at the time the crime of the century. Because then the trial was heavily covered in the newspapers

And she had had, it turns out, a lover. And they both kind of conspired to kill the husband

And this play is kind of a fictionalized version of that play

But it says a lot about women and the women at that point in time

This is in the 1920s. And women were just starting to discover their sexuality and burst out of kind of the Victorian times

And so the play is kind of about that. Yeah, it's an amazing play

Wow. Now, you mentioned Amadeus, your first big job when you came to New York

Where were you coming from? Oh, I was coming from Tucson, Arizona. Really? Born in Idaho, and then we moved to Tucson, Arizona, and then to New York

What makes someone from Tucson decide, I'm going to move to New York and audition for Amadeus

Yeah, I don't know. Because I was a freak. I was like, no, and when I say that, I mean it completely

I was like this shy, weird kid. I didn't have any friends for my first, I would say, through junior high, because I was just too shy, and I was all in my own little world

But I always wanted to do theater. It was kind of my way

My mom always said it was my way of connecting with the world, because I couldn't do it personally

So by being in theater, I was able to connect. So for me, and there is no history of my family at all of anything remotely like that

We're farmers from Idaho. So there was nothing. But it was. And once I discovered it, it was like, oh, this is a way I can connect to people and be part of a community

And so then, like in high school, I started being in drama there and then went to University of Arizona and then got a group of friends that way

And then my shyness just kind of dissipated because I had found something that kind of like enabled me to connect

So it was always my dream to come here. I never wanted to go to L.A

It was always New York. It was always to be a part of a theater. It was never really even to be famous

That never drove me. It was always to be part of a community of people that were doing the same thing

And I found it here. Wow, because you do not strike me as someone who was ever shy

You're extremely gregarious and friendly. Yeah, now I am. And I have my moments

I have my moments. I'm definitely, like they say, there's extroverted people and introverted people

I'm definitely an introvert. And they say introverts need to be by themselves to recharge

where extroverts need to recharge the battery by being among people. I'm definitely one that needs to go away, read a book, be quiet

And then you can get up in front of people. Finish my vodka martini. And do what you do

That's amazing. Did you study acting in school? Yeah, University of Arizona. Oh, wow

Good program. Yeah, that's amazing. Fantastic. Well, congratulations. Just an incredible career

So, Government Inspector, here at New World Stages opens when? Well, we kind of have, we've already opened, so it's just kind of we're transferring to

this theater. So we have our, we've been playing now for two weeks, which has been hugely successful

here and we're thrilled. And we kind of opened tonight, reopened tonight

And then we playing through August 20th Through August 20th Yeah we have to end August 20th Okay Yeah Great So we have five more weeks as of this taping Okay Great So come check it out

New World Stage with the Government Inspector, and you can do a little double feature with the imbibble

if you want. Showtimes are what? Eight o'clock? You're almost usually at eight

We do Saturday at two, I think, or 2.30 and Wednesday. Yeah, but in the evenings

it's at eight. Okay, great. Feel like making a drink? I would love to

All right. Okay, be very patient with me. This is going to be easy breezy for you

Why don't you switch places with me, and I'll walk you right through it. Okay. So you're not going to be standing with me? No

Oh, okay. I'm going to be here. Okay. Okay. So we're going to stick with the theme, and we're going to do a black Russian, which is a really, really classic drink

And it's literally just vodka and Kahlua, which is coffee liqueur from Mexico, actually, most people don't know, made with a rum base

So really, I'm going to make the construction. It's really easy. You have two rocks glasses there, and there should be an ice scoop on the shelf on your left

Yep. And just go ahead and fill those up with ice. All the way up? All the way up

We always want to fill our glasses all the way with ice. Great

And then you have a bottle of Crystal Head vodka right there. Love it. And we're going to do just one ounce of vodka

So you're going to pour and count to two. That's how you do it

That's how you do it. Yep. One, two. Perfect. And then another one

One, two. Great. And then in front of the ice well, in what's called the speed rail, you have a bottle on your right, just an unmarked bottle, and we put our Kahlua in there

Where? Here? Right there, yep. Okay. And you can do the exact same thing. You're just going to do one ounce

So just one, two. You can do a little bit more. No more? Yeah, you want to get that bottle straight up and down if you can

Okay, gotcha. One. That's perfect. And now we have a bar spoon

You can put that down. Our bar spoon right here. This. Yep

And you're going to use the back of it. Yep. And just give it a little stir. And then a little stir

And if you don't get ice on the bar, you're not working hard enough. So great job. Fantastic

And that is all there is. That's it? That's it. I could do that

I know. That's what I'm saying. It doesn't get a garnish or anything? No. No

Black Russian, man. It's like a very... It's not like a... This is a man's drink

Exactly. I know it sounds sexist, but it's like... Cheers. Let's see what you think of that. Okay, now see, I really like this

Because as I was telling you, I love a good tiki drink. Because it's like, it's like, those are always, you can't taste the liquor so much

Right. You can't taste it so much in here. It's very sweet and nice. I could easily drink a few of these

I love it. Arnie, thank you so much. Oh, it's my pleasure

Arnie Burton from the Government Inspector. This is a good drink, apparently

Right here at New World Stages, website for the show is redbulltheater.com

Great. Something like that. Yeah, that sounds right. And also you can get it, I'm sure, on the New World Stages website

Yeah, you go to Telecharge. Great, awesome. Come right here to the box office. There's all kinds of great discounts

There's no reason why someone, anyone could afford to come see it. I love it

And personal site? People want to follow you? Find out more about you? I don't like a person. I'm on the Facebook

but I don't do like the Facebook. I don't have my own site

People can, they'll find me Apparently working on and off Broadway forever

Arnie, congratulations. Thank you so much for coming and joining us on Broadway Bartender

Folks, check us out, broadwaybartender.com. Recipes, links. Drink well, drink responsibly. Very nice

It's good, right? It's super good. I know. I haven't even drank coffee either, and that's so good

The In Bible Day Drinking

This is our fourth version of The In Bible. This is the very first time that we've done an original musical

but it's also completely character-driven. There's a story. the original shows very much people called it like a musical Ted talk

A good way of describing it. Yeah, I think so. But this is very much a show to the extent that we can also be educational, which we always are

What was it like working on an original off-Broadway musical? It was new. It was crazy. Well, it was exciting, I think, because it was a lot of things

A lot of feelings. A lot of feelings. No, it was fun because it's sort of like, you know, you come into rehearsal and you do the scene

and then it's like, okay, that night at 3 a.m. we're getting emails like, here's the new script

And I'm like, wait, what? It was an interesting experience to get to try new things while we're also creating this musical

Right. And sort of what it's going to be and then also learning to bartend. Yeah

At the end of the day. Yeah. We had a woman ask about it

She was like, did you guys know how to bartend before you started this? And I said, absolutely not

Not even a little bit, but we had a fearless leader, thank God

What is it that makes the Bible unique? How would you like kind of sum up the Bible, the day drinking experience

I mean, it's not like any other show you're ever going to see

You're ever going to see. I tell my friends, I was like, it's just a lot of fun. It's hard to describe

But Josh, our musical director, said it was like the magic school bus TV show

An alcoholic magic school bus. Yeah, for adults. You get on this bus and you're on this ride and you really don't know where you're going

All of a sudden, you're in it to win it and you're loving every moment of it