Performer David Pevsner is full of surprises. Not only is he a talented actor in films like 300: Rise of an Empire and Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean, but he's been an erotic model for 20 years. Television credits include Modern Family, Criminal Minds, and Grey's Anatomy.
He just released a comedy album called Most Versatile with songs like "Straight Guy" and "The Gay Old Times."
Windy City Times talked to Pevsner recently about the new music and his acting projects.
Windy City Times: Hi, David. You are originally from Skokie?
David Pevsner: Yes. I was born and raised in Skokie, Illinois.
WCT: Did you study music or theater?
DP: I went to Niles East High School. I did a million shows when I was there. That is where my desire to do it desired and blossomed. I went to college at University of Michigan but it was too difficult to do theater. I wanted to major and really couldn't there. I went to Carnegie-Mellon after that for four years, then moved to New York.
WCT: Did you perform theater professionally in Chicago?
DP: I didn't until I started performing in national tours. I did a couple of those in the late '80s. I toured South Pacific and Fiddler on the Roof that went to Chicago.
WCT: How did Naked Boys Singing happen?
DP: I was in an off-Broadway show called When Pigs Fly. I loved it and wanted to try to write some songs. I just started writing dirty lyrics to melodies just for fun. My friend told me about someone in Los Angeles putting a nudity themed show together. I sent in four songs and he picked three of them.
WCT: Naked Boys Singing ran forever here in Chicago.
DP: It did have a long run there, and is still actually running in New York 17 years later.
WCT: You used one song on your new album Most Versatile, didn't you?
DP: Actually there are two: "The Naked Maid" and "The Perky Little Porn Star." That is the first song I ever wrote.
WCT: How did you decide which songs to put on the album?
DP: I have written a whole bunch of songs. Almost all of them have found their way onto shows I have written or this movie I wrote. I whittled it down to songs that could live on their own that were not part of a plot from the shows. My producer and I came up with 13 of them. They are funny, dirty little ditties. There are a few surprises and musical theater-type songs. It is a fun romp.
WCT: I saw Jim J. Bullock guests on your record.
DP: Yes, we have been friends since the Los Angeles production of When Pigs Fly. He's truly one of the best people I know period and one of the funniest people I have ever met. He can really sing. He's playing a character on the CD so you might not be able to tell, but he just dove in.
WCT: What is the movie you have written?
DP: It's a movie called My GFF ( My Gay Film Festival ). It is ten short films directed by ten different directors. It is all different genres. There is a comedy, drama, animated, documentary, and a porn. It will feel like a whole gay film festival in 90 minutes. It will star all gay and gay friendly actors, like the ones that we see at Reeling and Outfest. It will be directed by recognizable directors in the gay community. We are just looking for the financing of it right now.
It is really fun and I am totally dedicated. It a project I have worked on over the years.
Once I get settled back in LA I am going to get back into it.
WCT: How were you cast in the movie Scrooge & Marley?
DP: I auditioned. It was on a website called Actors Access. I wanted to shoot a movie in Chicago because it is where my parents still live. I sent in a tape. They wanted me to be in Chicago for the callback. I went and was offered the role. The funny thing was my daddy picked me up from the audition to take me home!
WCT: It was like your first day of school. How was being in the Lifetime movie Liz & Dick?
DP: Oh, gawd. When they said Lindsay Lohan was exhausted, she really was. They didn't have much of a budget and kept moving. By the time I shot my scene, they had been shooting for two weeks so everyone was pooped.
I said the worst line I have ever said in a film. Someone asked me [playing a doctor] what was wrong and I said, "Well, I am not saying it is colon cancer" just out of the blue. It was random and ridiculous.
I couldn't be in Glitter or Valley of the Dolls, any of the great bad movies, but I am in Liz & Dick!
WCT: Do you have more acting planned?
DP: I have a couple of movies. One is called Open. It is a gay romantic comedy. I shot a movie called Flying Cars. It is about the remote control car movement.
WCT: What are your plans for the new music?
DP: I want to start going out performing benefits somewhere. I just want people to listen and laugh. I hope other performers will take on these songs as well.
WCT: Maybe you could perform at some of the great cabaret spaces in Chicago.
DP: I have a one-man show called Musical Comedy Whore. I have done it in Palm Springs and LA but maybe I could do it all over. I would love to do it in Chicago. Then I could sell my CD outside after doing my show. I just need to figure it all out. I have a lot of irons in the fire but there is a lot of work to be done!
Go to DavidPevsner.com and click on "Most Versatile" to buy the new album and follow his new work.
