The musical 42nd Street has had an unusual journey to the stage. Starting off as a novel by Bradford Ropes that was turned into a 1933 film then finally into a 1980 Broadway production.
The story tells of director Julian Marsh trying to mount a musical called Pretty Lady during the Great Depression. Fresh-faced newcomer Peggy Sawyer is determined to make it big and after a tragic accident she has her lucky chance.
Steven Bidwell plays Bert Barry, the co-writer and producer of Pretty Lady. He brings a background of musicals to the table like Hello, Dolly and Oliver!
Windy City Times: Hi, Steven. You are originally from Canada?
Steven Bidwell: I was raised on Ottawa and got my undergrad degree in Nova Scotia.
WCT: Did you study theater?
SB: No; I understudied recreation management. I'm a late bloomer! I always wanted to be an actor but I wasn't from an environment that had any exposure to it. When I graduated university, I went down and worked at Disney World. I opened the first Disney cruise ship and that is where I met people who were actors for a living. I realized I could perform so I didn't go to school until after that. I went to Vancouver and studied there, then ended up studying in New York. I have been all over the place.
WCT: So you were a performer at heart?
SB: I always wanted to but I was super-shy and didn't know how to approach it. I met people who gave me a lot of advice and encouragement.
WCT: You are a New Yorker now?
SB: I am. I guess after you start complaining about the tourists you become a New Yorker! [Laughs]
WCT: Have you toured often in the past?
SB: This is my first national tour. I have done a lot of shows and traveled a lot, but this is my first big tour.
WCT: Talk about 42nd Street.
SB: I knew the Broadway musical is based off of the movie but the movie is based off of a book. I read the original book. It is out of print and very difficult to get. It is really interesting to see how things change from the book to the film. They really had to clean things up for the audiences. The book touches on a lot of darker subjects that they couldn't depict in the '30s. With the Broadway show being written in the early '80s this was something people did not want to touch on in order to grab a wider audience.
It is the story of a girl who comes to the big city and after some tragedies ends up becoming the star of the show. That is all still intact.
WCT: Is there LGBT camp in the show?
SB: There is not. It's flashy and over the top. The dance numbers are phenomenal. I am not a dancer but do dance in the show. It is like performing in a rock concert because the thunderous applause just for the dance numbers alone is amazing. I love watching them from the wings.
In the original book, there was LGBT subject matter. That was taken out of the film and subsequently the Broadway show as well.
In the book it is touched on but you would have to know what they were talking about to catch it.
WCT: Describe your character.
SB: Bert Barry is the writer of the show Pretty Lady that is on 42nd Street. I am a co-writer with my partner, Maggie, and in the show as a comedic actor.
WCT: Do you have a favorite song?
SB: Right before I go on to do "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," the number is "With Plenty of Money and You." It is all of the guys in the show tapping and singing to Peggy. It is probably everyone's favorite number.
The girls are phenomenal but to just see men doing their thing has everyone in the wings watching.
WCT: I heard Catherine Zeta-Jones was discovered in this musical.
SB: Yes, she was "Anytime Annie" and that part turned into a big break.
WCT: The show is about that, so it's ironic.
SB: Exactly. Another fun fact is the girl that plays Peggy Sawyer in the touring show is 19 years old and from Texas. This is her first professional gig. She came to New York and booked the show. She is literally living the life of the character.
WCT: So you were in a show called The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever?
SB: It was very over-the-top, about a group of actors trying to put on a Christmas pageant. I played the producer of the show in that as well as 42nd Street. I'm a producer in real life too, so hey!
WCT: You produced The Bench Project?
SB: Yes; it is a series that I created and produced. It is five short films on benches in New York. They are not connected other than the fact that they take place on benches. They are each a unique independent film. I asked writers to create scripts that were from three to five pages with two characters set on a bench. This is what they came up with.
I am really quite proud of these films and what they are doing. Two of them have LGBT content. All of them are doing well in film festival circuits right now. They can be watched at www.thebenchproject.tv and I am in the process of getting them on other platforms like Amazon.
WCT: Have you been to Chicago before?
SB: I have a couple of times but not for any length of time. I am looking forward to exploring the city.
We are doing a cabaret show with cast members of 42nd Street. It is a fundraiser so we are not singing from the show but we will be singing musical theater tunes.
Run over to 42nd Street, Cadillac Palace Theater, 151 W. Randolph St., through March 20, with tickets at broadwayinchicago.com .
Look for Lullaby of Broadway featuring members of 42nd Street at Davenport's, 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave., on Thursday, March 10, at 11 p.m. This is a benefit for Chicago Cabaret Professionals with tickets priced at $15 plus a two-drink minimum and found at davenportspianobar.com .
