David Lago may be known to millions across the country from portraying the character Raul on the daytime serial The Young and the Restless but he's certainly made his impression on Chicago in another, iconic role—that of Elvis Presley in the smash-hit production Million Dollar Quartet. Lago recently talked with Windy City Times about being The King; seeing openly gay performer Levi Kreis winning the Tony for portraying Jerry Lee Lewis in the Broadway version of the show; and impersonating Christopher Walken.
Windy City Times: First of all, congratulations on the role and your performance. However, I must ask: Is it advantageous or disadvantageous to be in something where your life depends on a possible date extension?
David Lago: I have found in the 16 years of my professional career that [ that condition ] is the same with any job. I was on a soap opera for five years and I was supposed to have one more year. So when I was off the show after five years instead of six, [ I saw that ] that can happen anywhere.
I think once you know whether the course is two months or 15 years, you have to enjoy it for the moment, be present and never know when your last performance is going to be. I guess that goes with my philosophy for life in general: Love what you do, do what you love and just enjoy it. Just be present and do your best at all times.
WCT: Elvis Presley—could there be a more daunting role?
David Lago: [ Smiles ] Well, it's crazy because I get a chance to portray who I think is the coolest person in the history of the world so, yes, it's a lot of pressure. And it's especially so, considering Elvis is one of the most "impersonated" people in history. I think people come in either ready to hate me or willing to love me and my interpretation of it.
I do feel, at times, that I'm under a microscope, and I just really to bring an honest twist to [ the performance ] . He's 21 [ in Quartet ] and a wide-eyed kid who was actually shy. He was a nice mama's boy who, when it was time to turn it on, was this ball of energy. He was able to stand out from everyone. One of my favorite quotes, from Maya Angelou, is, "Do not make money your goal. Simply pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that they can't take their eyes off of you." And living by that helps me take the pressure off myself.
Number one, I love acting and I love music. Second, I love Elvis Presley and everything he stood for—and I get to portray him on top of that. It's, like, the best job ever. When I think about that quote, I just think about what I'm going to do and I don't have to worry about what critics say or what the 430 people in the theater might think—and I hope they like it.
WCT: Well, you seem to be getting rave reviews. I take it you don't read critiques?
David Lago: I don't read every review; I'll read the ones that are put in front of my face. It's rare that I'll jump online and go searching for stuff; that's not really why I got into it. The job is so much fun and it's everything that I like to do wrapped up into one. If I start to read other people's opinions—and they can be so mixed—it's like, "Which ones do you listen to? The ones that make you feel good or the ones that make you feel bad?" I appreciate it when people have good things to say, but sometimes people say things for the sake of controversy.
WCT: I know you primarily as an actor but tell me about your musical background. When I heard you were doing this role, I was like, "Whaaat?"
David Lago: [ Laughs ] That's so funny. About two months ago, we had a meet-and-greet after one show. Kay Alden, who is the head writer of The Young and the Restless—who I haven't seen in years—turned out to be in the audience; she had no idea I was in this. She lives in Chicago, and she said, "I didn't know you could sing and move and do your stuff."
To be quite honest, I can't say that I knew, either. In 2004, I was up for the CBS miniseries on Elvis that Jonathan Rhys-Meyers got. I had always loved Elvis' music and had listened to it off and on throughout the years. So, in 2004, I dove into the role and listened to everything he sang as well as his interviews; all of a sudden, I was just intrigued with who he was as a person. In only 23 years of performing, he did so much. I didn't get the role, but I got this inspiration. Robin Williams was the reason I got into the business, but Elvis Presley was the reason I stayed with it.
I don't know if I can sing anything else besides '90s tunes and Elvis, but there it is.
WCT: So if there's a musical production about *NSYNC, you're there.
David Lago: [ Laughs ] Well, I'm thinking more rock and roll, but maybe I could do a little No Strings Attached [ one of *NSYNC's albums ] . [ Both start singing, "Bye Bye Bye." ]
WCT: You've mentioned how much you love this role, but what is your dream role?
David Lago: As corny as this may sound, this really is my dream role. It's not a simple role; it's challenging for many different reasons. It's an hour and 45 minutes with no breaks in between, staying in character and pulling off the songs. But here, you're watching your fans watch you—and it's either instant humiliation or gratification; it's so personal and intimate, and it's the primitive art of storytelling. And, on top of that, the music we're playing is iconic.
WCT: So what do you think of Levi's recent Tony win?
David Lago: I thought it was extremely well-deserved. I've known Levi for about 10 or 11 years now and when I got here they had just walked off and were backstage; we looked at each other and were like, "We know each other." We figured it out.
I've always thought Levi was talented. I've seen his shows back in the day and then, when I came here, I watched 32 performances of his before stepping on stage. [ His win ] came as no surprise to me; I predicted it because it was so well-deserved.
WCT: Speaking of wins—and I know this is very belated—but congratulations on your Daytime Emmy win [ in 2005 ] . They're still talking about that acceptance speech, in which you impersonated Christopher Walken. Is he an icon of yours? [ Note: Lago's speech can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch. ]
David Lago: Thanks. I've always enjoyed Christopher Walken's work. I've liked him since way back in the day. And when he did the Fatboy Slim music video, that put him in amazing graces with a brand new generation. Then, Catch Me If You Can came out, and I think that was the first year I was nominated. And he gives this cool acceptance speech in the movie. I had a nice speech the first year, and then my friends said, "You should do [ Walken's ] speech." By the fifth time I was nominated, I was already off the show for a couple months so I had irony on my side.
The context of the speech could've been taken a million different ways, and it was taken a million different ways. The people who knew me or got the joke, dug it; the people who didn't know me or misinterpreted what I said were ready to hang me. I had Mario Cantone on The View talking bad about me but, at the same time, Howard Stern said, "Hey, that was cool." Looking back, I think I got more hurt than I really should've.
WCT: What do you want fans to take away not only from your performance but from the production?
David Lago: Oh, this is a great one. I don't consider this a musical; it's a play that has music in it. We don't turn to each other and just start singing. It is a gritty story: It's set in 1956, and you have these kids in here. It's raw and it's gritty, but there are parts that are also funny.
I think different generations take different things away from this. We have kids who love the music; then you have parents, grandparents or event great-grandparents who are watching a moment in time that they were a part of—but maybe didn't know what was going on in these singers' lives. You can lose yourself in the show while you watch these four legendary icons interact as young men, making mistakes and saying things they shouldn't say. You're watching this little intimate part of their lives.
It's more than just a play. You should see these people's faces when it's over. We go out there and they're genuinely touched.
WCT: Is there anything you want to add?
David Lago: The entire production—cast and crew—is amazing, and one doesn't function without the other. I'm very lucky to be working with such a tight group of professionals.
Million Dollar Quartet is playing at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln, and has been extended through Jan. 2, 2011. Visit www.milliondollarquartetlive.com/chicago-tickets.html, call Ticketmaster at 800-982-2787 or visit the theater's box office.
