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| Cheyenne Jackson |
by Gil Benbrook
Broadway favorite and television standout Cheyenne Jackson has built a career defined by versatility, charisma, and an unmistakable voice, but his upcoming concert at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on February 1st promises something even more personal. The show is described as a candid, funny, and deeply human look at the moments that have shaped both his life and career. Jackson says the concert was born when he was asked to create a new residency show at New York’s 54 Below, an opportunity that pushed him to strip away the polish and be as honest as possible on stage. That decision resulted in a piece that blends storytelling, humor, and emotional openness in equal measure.
Jackson brings with him decades of experience from Broadway leading roles in Xanadu and All Shook Up to memorable television turns on "Call Me Kat," "30 Rock," "Glee," and "American Horror Story," experiences he credits with teaching him discipline and technique.
Music sits at the heart of the concert and Jackson sat down in final prepartion for the evening to answer a few questions, including describing how music is the driving force of his early life and career, something he believes quite literally saved him.
Audiences can also expect reflections on fatherhood, career highlights, and a few saucy show business anecdotes that hint at memorable moments with late friends like Leslie Jordan.
Your upcoming concert at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is described as a personal and funny exploration of your life and career. What inspired you to create this concert?
Jackson: "I was asked to write a new show for a residency at 54 below in New York City and I decided I wanted to cut the crap and be as honest as possible on stage. That was the inception of this piece."
According to the concert description, the show features songs from artists as varied as Sam Cooke, Lady Gaga, and Chappell Roan. How did you choose the setlist, and can you tell us a few things about what some of the songs in the show mean to you?
"As I get into in my show, music was always the driving force in my life and early career. I feel like it literally saved me. My musical influences have always been very varied and eclectic. My Chappell Roan cover is coupled with a story about my first love. Sam Cooke is a love song. Sometimes I sing it to the audience, sometimes to my children, sometime to my husband. I can’t sing anything unless I am connected with it completely. "
You have had a remarkable career on Broadway, including originating the leads in the musicals Xanadu and All Shook Up. How does performing in a concert setting compare to performing in a musical?
"Concerts are all you, all the time. Nowhere to hide. You can’t run backstage and get a drink of water and chill in a chair for a few scenes, and I love that. it’s all me out there and that is exhilarating. "
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Many fans know you from your television work on shows like "Call Me Kat;" "30 Rock," "Glee," and "American Horror Story." How has TV acting, where you play the same character over many episodes, shaped you as a performer?
"It’s taught me discipline and technique. Things that have served me well in my other artistic endeavors. "
Fatherhood is one of the themes of your concert. How has becoming a parent changed your perspective on life and art?
"It makes everything mean less, and everything mean more, if that makes sense. "
You describe your concert as being filled with "saucy showbiz anecdotes." Can you give us a little preview of one of the behind-the-scenes stories that audiences might hear in the show?
"I can’t give my secrets away for free, but there might be a story of Leslie Jordan doing something outrageous that will stay emblazoned on your mind for time and all eternity."
You also perform your own original music in the show. How does sharing something you have written differ from performing a song by another artist?
"It feels the same to me, it’s only different because I wrote it. I connect to it as much as any of the other songs, so it’s a wonderful moment to have that added in."
In October, you stepped into the hit Broadway comedy Oh Mary!, as Mary’s Teacher alongside your "30 Rock" co-star Jane Krakowski as Mary Todd Lincoln. What was that experience like?
"The most fun I’ve ever had on stage NOT on roller-skates!"
With such a wide range of projects in your career, from stage to screen to music, what is still on your professional bucket list?
"My own PBS solo special, a Christmas album, selling out the Hollywood Bowl, and starring in my own tv show that I wrote. (that’s in the works!)"
What do you hope audiences take away after experiencing this concert in Scottsdale?
"I hope people feel a little less alone, and that they can see themselves in my journey in some way and realize we are all in this together. "
