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Rachel Dratch Says Her Tony Nomination 'Wasn't Even on [Her] Dreamboard!'
May 17, 2024
One of the seven reasons that audiences are on their feet every night at the Shubert Theatre is Rachel Dratch, who is up for her very first Tony Award for her hysterical performance in POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.
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0:00
Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World. We're here at the legendary Sardi's and my guest is nominated for a Tony Award this year
0:07
as best featured actress in a play for her hilarious performance in the new play POTUS or Behind Every Great Dumbass
0:15
or Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. Please say hello to Rachel Dratch
0:19
What does this Tony nomination mean to you? Oh my gosh. You know, I was already just, it was already a thrill just to be on Broadway and making the Broadway debut and everything
0:30
and having the audience laugh every night. So then this was like a surprise. This was, you know, not even on my dream board as I've been saying
0:38
But, so it was just a delightful shock. Yeah. How did this come about for you? Did somebody come to you and say there's this play, there's this great role for you
0:47
Yeah, well, I'd worked with Susan Stroman a couple times just on readings and this one night only crazy for you thing we did
0:54
And so then, yeah, just she kind of like fairy godmothered me into the scene. Yeah
1:00
And then this part just looked really funny to me. So I said yes and I'm glad I did
1:07
Well, this is your Broadway debut and you're making, I've been following you through this whole thing
1:12
I mean, we met here the first day I think. We met here at Sardi's with all the balloons here for everything
1:16
But I mean, Broadway debuts are really special. But this is such an interesting year because we've been closed down for two years
1:23
None of us knew anything. I mean, I only work in the theater so I didn't know what was going to happen. Right
1:28
And none of us knew. So I mean, you were one of these first shows to come up with that season that brought Broadway back
1:34
And I was wondering what that meant to you. Well, I feel like you can feel in the air like that the audience is, they're really, they're laughing a lot
1:41
But then they're also just like happy to be laughing too. So it's this kind of double laugh vibe
1:46
I can't really describe it, but people are just so happy to be laughing that it makes it feel extra special and meaningful
1:54
Yeah. Working with this group of women, I know what it's like on stage because we don't stop laughing as an audience
2:01
What is backstage like? You know, everyone, it's so fun because like everyone's really different but everyone gets along really well
2:09
Just like how you might see in the play. I mean, last night I had some friends come in and they were like, did you guys all know each other beforehand
2:14
And like, we just really gel really well and I think it comes through in the play that we really all like each other
2:21
that we're having a lot of fun. Like everyone always says, it looks like you guys are having fun
2:25
So, and we are. Yeah, and then backstage, I mean, you know, we're all in our little rooms but then we hang too in our spare time
2:34
Yeah. Are you all on the same side of the theater? I mean, are you all spread out
2:40
Yeah, we're in different floors. So what floor? Who's on your floor
2:44
I'm with Suzy and two of the understudies and then they put the young spring chickens on the third floor
2:49
because they have to do an extra flight of stairs. So, you know, I'm in the middle. I'm in the middle there for stairs and age. Yeah
2:58
No, because people always say that they put the young ones upstairs and they do like the POTUS workout of coming down the stairs to get to the stage
3:03
It is a workout, yes. Do you all have a ritual backstage before you go on? Do you all meet beforehand or something
3:09
No, just like right before. I do an extensive warm-up session vocally, physically
3:15
No, we just kind of like meet right before the same, you know, we have the house. Yeah
3:21
And so, yeah, and then I'm next to Suzy. So we usually chat. But no, there's no big ritual
3:26
There's no like prayer circle or whatever. No, because every show is different. Like some people like to get to the theater really early
3:33
And some people like, if I have an 8 o'clock show, I walk in at 7.30 and some people like to get there early
3:38
What's your, like when do you arrive to the theater usually? I just get there like, well, I have to get there a little early for my wig
3:44
But I just get there on time. Let's just put it that way. Yeah, but it's funny because like some of the ladies, the more Broadway veteran ladies
3:52
they've really done up their dressing rooms so that they look beautiful
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Like, and so, you know, Vanessa Williams has like the rug and the fake candles and everything
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I don't want to just like crap everywhere, but I'm trying to emulate those ladies of the theater
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So you didn't do anything to your dressing room? Not really. Yeah. I mean, yeah, no, I'm just going to say no
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I would like to. I aspire to be Vanessa Williams though. She has all the good, you know, hookups, taste, whatever you want to call it
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She sends me links of, you know, rugs and candles because she's a maven of style
4:26
Because I know she dressed Julie. I think she dressed her opening night
4:30
Oh, probably. Yeah, she knows everything about everything. In the best way, I mean
4:34
No, totally. Because she's like, you're not wearing that. You'd wear that to a barbecue. Oh, I didn't know that
4:38
Oh, yeah, she told me. Her same designer, she was like, you're not wearing this. So I always ask Julie when I see her, who are you wearing
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And she says, back of the closet. Oh, yeah, back of the closet. Or a Vanessa Williams special
4:50
How incredible was that premiere performance, that fabulous pink carpet we had outside the shoot
4:57
with Ada for your gala performance? It was so, you know, as fun as Broadway debut
5:02
So we all, like Susie and I and Julianne, I think it was the three of us, our Broadway debut
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Anyway, so we were all just, you know, like Susie and I would tear up every night in the funniest way
5:13
We'd always like point at each other like, you're crying, you know. So, yeah, it was just a lot of fun and like something really memorable
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Because that was a big one. A lot of places, they don't want to do like close the street off and do carpets and everything else
5:27
I don't know this stuff. I just thought that happened to everybody. So when you come back for your next one
5:31
Yes, then I'll know. I need the carpet. I need the road shut down. I need this whole city block closed off for my next show
5:38
I need my dressing room done. Take heed, Broadway. So I was going to ask you, what are you enjoying the most
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Because you've worked in every medium. And they're all so different. What have you enjoyed the most about being on Broadway and doing the play
5:50
Well, what I love, so it harkens back to when I was at Second City. And it's just like you in the audience and you're just free
5:57
And this very funny part, as you know, Second City, kind of the same vibe
6:01
So it's just like, I just love that, you know, there's no one in the middle. There's not like the film thing where you're going to do it 80 times
6:08
And you get the immediate response. And there's just an energy that's really special
6:14
It's like my joy place. But I kind of forgot. I mean, I've done a few off-Broadway plays
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But there's nothing that was like this, sort of the clown, like this role is
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So it's just really fun to discover new things. You know, sometimes if you're in a role where you're like supporting the action
6:30
then you've got to like stick to the plan. But this is like, you can find new things all the time because it's so much physical stuff
6:37
So that's really been fun. Because growing up, you went to Lexington High School? Yes
6:43
I looked at my dossier. I've done a dossier. You sort of go towards the comedies, right
6:50
Yeah, I was always more into the comedy thing. I was always like, even when I just started in school plays
6:54
like, oh, this line could be funny if I did that. Like that kind of thing
6:58
But not like a thought out thing. Just sort of an instinctual something or other
7:02
So I always veered towards comedy or wanting a comic role. Because I'm never going to be the person that's like
7:08
you must give it. I'm just not that drama. That's my dramatic performance
7:14
You must give me the thing. So anyway, you don't want to see me do that
7:20
So yeah, this is much more fun for me. Yeah. And it's such a light energy
7:26
Even in these heavy times, I don't want to be pretending to be heavy in my spare time, too
7:30
I want to be light and have fun. Have an audience of people laughing
7:34
Because we need the laughs right now, I think. Well, that's what I love about the audience that goes to your show
7:38
The second they walk into the Shubert Theatre, I'm not sure how close you are to hear the audience before you come out there
7:43
Everyone cannot wait to have the best time. Oh, I didn't know that
7:47
You probably can't hear all that stuff back there, right? I can't
7:51
But I feel like they're laughing a lot, so that's good. What got you to Second City
7:55
Well, so in college, I was in the improv group, said and done
8:01
Because they all have names like that. But anyway, I saw there was an improv group
8:07
and I was like, I feel like I'd be good at improv. And I was like, I don't know
8:11
I was in the improv group, and I was like, I feel like I'd be good at that. Because I was sort of like the class clown type
8:15
So then I started doing improv, and it was just like, I was like, oh my god, I found my thing
8:21
It was so fun. And so then my improv group, one of the guys was from Chicago
8:25
So during the summer, we went to Chicago for a week and just checked out Second City and ImprovOlympic
8:29
And I'd never been to Chicago. And then I decided, I'm going to just try this after college
8:35
I'm going to just give it a shot. Because it wasn't that I was like a kid
8:40
and I was like, I'm going to make it. I just wanted to know what I'd try
8:44
Because every time I'd go to a movie, I'd be like, oh, that looks really cool
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But I didn't want to go through life thinking I hadn't given it a shot. So I moved to Chicago
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and then very slowly, like all actors, or maybe not, but I never got anything the first time
8:58
I was always like, didn't get into the classes, then didn't get into the touring company
9:02
I always had to audition two times, a year apart, whatever. But then eventually I got into Second City Touring Company
9:08
the main stage where I was, with a lot of famous, amazing comedian people
9:12
Yeah, like Tina, and Amy Poehler was in the touring company. Oh my God, when I was in the touring company
9:18
like Amy Sedaris and Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert were all in the same company on the main stage
9:24
And just so many names, so many people. And even a lot of people that you might not have heard about
9:30
are writing comedy. We were all out there, the Second City crew
9:34
That is crazy, the names you just rattled off I know, I got so many more
9:39
but I'll keep it to that. But yeah, so and then you're up in front of a crowd
9:47
six nights a week, and doing improv and sketch, and so it was the best training ever
9:53
There's nothing like being in front of the audience. You can think of a funny idea, but until you put it up
9:57
in front of a crowd, you don't really know. But you and Tina had to act
10:01
together, right? Yeah, so after Second City, she was at SNL as a writer
10:05
and then I had moved to LA and nothing was happening, and then we were like
10:09
what if we did a sketch up? So we did this show, Dratch and Faye, where it was like an hour
10:13
long, I guess, and it was just stuff we came up with and we put it up
10:17
and it was a big success. It was so fun. Because at Second City
10:21
when you put up a scene, you get to try it out in front of an audience a whole bunch of times
10:25
and then hone it and tweak it and all that. With Tina, we just wrote it and then we just put it up
10:29
We'd never done that before. That first night, we didn't know how it was going to go and it went really well
10:36
Do you remember your audition for Second City? You said you didn't get in the first time or whatever
10:40
What was that like? Oh my gosh. Well, you know what? To get into Second City
10:46
first you have to audition for classes and I didn't get into the classes
10:50
I had done a bunch of them and I was just like should I just move back to Massachusetts
10:54
But then I stuck it out and did other and I got in
10:58
I auditioned for a touring company, didn't get in the first time. Then I finally got in
11:02
and then got on the main stage. I auditioned for SNL two times
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Yeah, so stick with it, guys. Kids. Were those scary, the SNL auditions
11:12
I mean, it's like a total thrill. It's kind of like how I feel about the Tonys
11:18
because I'm just like, I'm just glad to be here. That's how I felt about auditioning for SNL
11:22
Yes, it's like the dream to get SNL. But I was walking down the street like
11:28
I'm about to audition for SNL. You come up with your own characters
11:33
and impressions. There's no really set structure. You just create your own audition
11:37
So then you go in and then you're on the stage. I didn't realize until afterwards
11:41
I was on the stage where the host comes out. And then they just basically say
11:45
go. No one's like hey, so tell me about your... And go
11:51
You do your thing and then you go. I actually felt really good
11:55
about it, but I didn't get it that year. And then I
11:59
got to audition again the following year. For the same people? Yeah, as far as I know. You can't see who's out there
12:05
I know Lorne was there. And some producers. I don't know who's out there
12:11
Did you create one of your famous characters? Did you have it at your audition
12:15
I did that Boston teenager because Tina and I had done a scene
12:19
like that at Second City. So then we brought it here. I don't really remember what else
12:25
Whatever. I have to go think about it. That was the one that comes to mind
12:30
I just love it. You're like I'll move to Chicago. I'll audition for the touring company of Second City
12:34
I'm on the main stage now with 40,000 people who have now become the biggest stars
12:38
in the world. How am I going to go to New York and audition for SNL
12:42
It was all a slow journey. And yeah, that's how it all
12:48
worked out. Now I'm on Broadway. I think I asked you this before
12:54
Because of SNL and your success on other things people are coming to a show for the very first time
12:58
I've watched people come out of your theater and go oh my god, we've never been to a show
13:02
We have a playbill. Because they know you from TV. Okay, that's good
13:08
But we were all introduced to something because we knew of a name from something
13:12
Because I knew what live theater was growing up until you saw it
13:16
What that means to you. People are coming and you're introducing them
13:20
to this incredible new world of live theater. I'm excited about that
13:25
When all the theaters were shut down with the pandemic you definitely felt like New York is closed
13:31
And now that it's open it took that to make it feel like
13:35
pandemic is not done but we're moving forward. It was the theaters that made you feel that way
13:41
Even though as someone who lives in New York I try to avoid
13:45
Times Square, but here I am every day. And it is really nice to see
13:49
all the tourists back and people and it feels vibrant largely because of Broadway
13:55
So that's really great if people are coming. The rituals like going through the stage door
13:59
signing in and everything that must be the coolest thing. Yeah, or like when you see the names
14:05
up on the thing that's like, what? That's one of those, if I could have seen this
14:11
when I was a kid, it's really amazing. It must be cool because you have the Broadhurst
14:15
they've got your marquee not only on the Schubert but it's on the Broadhurst
14:19
your pictures go by, your names go by Do you remember the first time you saw that all go by and you're like, oh my god
14:24
I'm on Broadway. Someone was walking by when they were putting my name up
14:28
on the thing and so I sent that to my mom because it's kind of cool
14:32
And every day I go stare at my picture for three hours before the show
14:36
People do. Just to know, hey I'm a big shot I'm important
14:42
and yeah. I know, but so am I you. But finally, what are you enjoying the most
14:48
Because it's a big deal. So many things. I mean, I love working with this cast
14:54
it's so fun and like I said, everyone brings a different energy
14:58
and it's really fun. This is what reminded me when I was doing improv
15:02
sometimes you're just watching and you're laughing internally, hopefully but that feeling of like
15:08
oh my gosh, I'm working with such fun, funny people so that's definitely probably the number one thing
15:12
that comes to mind. And then the audiences the first time you put up a comedy
15:19
you don't know how it's going to go you don't know what jokes are going to work
15:23
or what thing they're going to laugh at you didn't think it was a joke
15:27
the first night we did it, even for the dress we had to invite a dress
15:31
everything got laughed so that was really cool, I'm sure for the playwright
15:35
Selina Fillinger, that was amazing too but for us, we're like, wow, every joke hit
15:39
so having the audience I've been in some plays where like, oh boy
15:45
it's a quiet house out there nothing's getting, but this is always
15:49
work, so that's been fun It's like a Broadway rock concert I love going to the Shubert and watching your audience
15:55
Oh yeah? I've been to the show a few times over there
15:59
I haven't done the thing in high school where you peek out and check out the crowd
16:03
so many stars do I stopped myself in high school you stopped it there when you were in a drama
16:09
in our town saying funny lines working with Stro I know you worked with her in Crazy for You
16:18
that was incredible, because that was put up so quick so quick, but that was
16:22
Broadway fantasy camp, because I was watching these tap dancing lines they were amazing
16:28
so I just came on as a little there wasn't a lot of
16:34
Rachel, what are you going to do with this part? we know what this part is
16:38
but for this it was really great, because she came in with
16:42
a vision, both how the scene is going to be staged and what are we trying to say here
16:48
but she comes in very unassuming here's what she thinks but she's so open to people's ideas
16:56
it never felt fraught, it was always positive, she's always open to comedy ideas
17:04
and also just ideas about more serious little lines mostly farce, but there's some little lines woven through
17:10
and we would talk about that too I love your set, it keeps turning
17:15
is that the coolest thing in the world? to walk through that set
17:19
yeah, it's cool and you get to be in the house a lot
17:23
yes I do, yeah, I get to run through the house but I don't really look
17:29
at who's there I'm so in character, you guys call me Stephanie
17:35
for an hour after the show too if you see me, because I'm still coming down
17:39
off my character I was wondering how Strobe got you all so quiet
17:43
during rehearsal, because I know you were all cutting up during rehearsal
17:47
yeah, but we were, sorry we were pretty focused, it's a goofy group
17:51
but it's like, you know, there's some serious actors in there too
17:55
we behaved, I would say well like I said, I am thrilled
17:59
I thank you for dropping by today you are a comic genius
18:03
I watch you just hone your craft in what you have done it's really amazing
18:07
thank you so much, that's so sweet are we going to have a Barbara Walters cry
18:12
can we? we might, I'm tearing up thank you
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