Blumey Awards Week: Q & A with Broadway Star Andy Karl

Seems like actor Andy Karl is everywhere these days: in recent weeks, the well-known Broadway star performed at the 2018 Olivier Awards in London (he also nabbed a Best Actor award there last year for his role in Groundhog Day), shot a pilot for a new TV series on the west coast (you may already know him from “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), and made time to headline in Blumenthal’s Gala Musical Tribute Honoring William Ivey Long on Feb. 24.

We caught up with him via email on the set of “STATIES,” a TV Pilot for ABC about Oregon State Troopers that Karl calls the most beautiful, quirky and heartfelt television show he’s ever worked on: “If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s like Northern Exposure meets Monk meets Law & Order.”

The multi-talented Karl shared behind-the-scenes details about his time in Charlotte and advice for young performers starting their career.  
 

Q: What made the Gala Musical Tribute Honoring William Ivey Long a unique or meaningful experience for you?

AK: I am such a fan of William Ivey Long as an artist and as a person. He cares deeply about his work but most importantly he cares about the people he’s working with. He and I have shared 3 Broadway shows together and every single time I felt any success on stage it was, in a big way, thanks to William making my character look and feel perfect. I was so happy to be on the list to celebrate him.

Q: What were your impressions of the high school students who performed alongside you at the Tribute?

AK: To see the talent and drive in the High School performers that night was astounding. The fact that they joined me in a song I wrote and then learned choreography on the fly shows you just how quick and willing they are to do what they do best. They are all far more advanced than I was at that age and what was truly wonderful was that each of them are finding their own unique strength as performers.

Q: You’re a well-known Broadway and TV star, yet you took time to connect with these young people in between rehearsals. That’s not something that every successful performer would do. Why did you make that effort?

AK: I saw myself in each of their eyes. They needed no help from me but I found myself encouraging them as though I was speaking to myself at that age. But, uniquely, as theatre should be, they were a family. All for one and one for all. I mean that’s a big part of why I became a performer. I found a family.  And I was part of theirs that night.

Q. What advice would you offer to young performers considering a career in theater, film or TV?

AK: Do what you do with passion. If you truly love performing, it will show when you have a burning desire. Remember to give respect to your cast crew and creatives. We’re all trying to do our best to make a performance wonderful and it takes a lot of people to make it work. And for gosh sake, NEVER STOP LEARNING. The minute you start repeating yourself too much is the minute you should try something you haven’t learned.