Randy Harrison gained a legion of fans for his performance as Justin Taylor on the groundbreaking Showtime series Queer as Folk—we still can’t even talk about the prom… Since then, Harrison made himself quite at home in the theater, starring on Broadway as Boq in Wicked and appearing off-Broadway in Harbor, Silence! the Musical, The Singing Forest, Antony and Cleopatra, an oak tree and A Letter from Ethel Kennedy. (He’s also had a number of regional credits with productions at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, Yale Rep, The Guthrie and more.) Now, Harrison co-stars in the new musical Atomic, about the creation of the A-bomb, and he’s sporting an accent and singing his face off—it’s not to be missed. BroadwayBox caught up with Harrison to get a sense of what his life is like today.
1. The best thing about my current role in Atomic:
The opportunity to sing this kind of music in a New York theater is a rare treat for me. And meeting and working with this cast has been a blessing.
2. Before I step on stage, I typically:
It entirely depends on the role, show, where in the length of the run I am, etc. For my first entrance as Teller, I usually go backstage about a minute or two before I enter. I grab my props, shift my posture, breath, and begin doing the business I enter doing (checking off a check list on a clipboard.) Then I find a problem I need to ask the characters onstage about, so I enter.
3. After a performance of Atomic, I like to:
Get home as quickly as humanly possible to my man, a snack, a glass of wine and some television.
4. The last photo I took:
The view from the patio of my friend's favorite Brooklyn bar. She moved to LA 5 years ago, so I took it to make her jealous. It worked.
5. My mornings are typically spent:
Smoothie and coffee. Right now I'm in class a couple mornings a week, so I rush off. If not, I answer emails and go to the gym.
6. My current NYC obsession:
Riding my bike everywhere.
7. The background pic to my cell phone right now is:
My cat Aggie curled into a little ball and covering his face with his paws.
8. Social media outlet I enjoy/use most:
Facebook
9. The book I really want to find the time to read:
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
10. The last TV show I’ve binge-watched:
The Mind of a Chef
11. The last time I laughed until I nearly cried:
Backstage last night actually.
12. The highlight of my day now typically includes:
Epic Greenroom Scrabble tournament shenanigans.
See Randy Harrison light up the stage in ‘Atomic’ at Theatre Row’s Acorn Theatre.
