Stephen Colbert the persona has taken over for so long, it’s easy to forget that Stephen Colbert the actor actually played other roles once. Even then, him acting in a Sondheim musical at the NY Philharmonic is still a surprising break from norm. THR says the coiner of truthiness will have a supporting role in a production of Company that Neil Patrick Harris is leading. My experience with this particular play is really limited to my college's stage troupe putting it on in a tiny blackbox theater that was situated in the alley between the gym and stadium. As I recall, it was about a thirty-something bachelor who reflects on his commitment fears throughout the course of episodic dialogs with these five quirky Borgouise couples he’d hang-out with.
And most of it's in song.
Colbert’s playing one of the dude’s married friends, a “friendly and affable guy with a drinking problem” (aren’t they all?) while Martha Plimpton ( GOONIES!) is playing his wife, a lady who’s learning karate while struggling with diets. And again, a lot of that's in song.
I don’t know how many New Yorkers we’ve got in the Screened community who’re also theatre enthusiasts, but if you’d like to see Colbert play something other than a caricature of conservative pundits in a live show, this production of Company will run from April 7 to the 9.
He may not ever do that again...but he does have this whip!
edit: HA HA...being weird