Phil LaMarr Set To Play The 'Wonderful' Tin Man

Phil LaMarr 

By Darlene Donloe

About the same time Phil LaMarr was getting his head blown off as Marvin in Pulp Fiction, he became an original member on the comedy series, MadTV.  Both would come to yield memorable performances.

Now, LaMarr, 51, is starring as the Tin Man in the world premiere of Lythgoe Family Panto’s production of The Wonderful Winter of Oz, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, December 15-30, and he’s hoping this performance will be just as noteworthy.

The Wonderful Winter of Oz 

The show is a holiday version of America's favorite modern fairy tale, in the style of a traditional British Family Panto. As the story goes, it’s Christmas Eve when Dorothy gets swept away by a 'freak' Kansas blizzard and lands in a world of munchkins and witches. Sound familiar? The show includes songs from Imagine Dragons to Earth, Wind and Fire.

The production is directed by Bonnie Lythgoe and choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo (NappyTabs), with book by Kris Lythgoe and Michael Orland (American Idol) serving as musical arranger and supervisor.

Between and after Pulp and MadTV, LaMarr managed to put together an impressive list of credits.

The Los Angeles native, an alumnus of Yale University and The Groundlings Theater, who is known for his dead-on celebrity impressions and cartoon voices, has amassed an extensive amount of voice-over work, appeared in numerous films, TV shows, theatrical productions on Broadway and even video games (Shadow of Mordor for which he won the NAVGTR award for best supporting actor).  He is currently writing and producing the web series Inside The Legend (http://www.youtube.com/user/InsideTheLegend)" and the animated series Goblins, (goblinsanimated.com) all while performing monthly with The Black Version (www.theblackversion.com), appearing in Netflix's Kulipari, Incredibles 2 and starring in Tyler The Creator's animated series, The Jellies for Adult Swim.

LaMarr is a very busy actor, writer, and producer, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s clear when you talk to him that he loves what he does. He talks easy and proudly about an industry that has done him well for decades. I recently caught up with the married, father of two to talk about his diverse career and his upcoming run as the Tin Man. 

DD: So tell me about The Wonderful Winter of Oz and why you wanted to be a part of this show.

PL: It’s part of their British tradition of Christmas shows for kids. They take shows people know and mash them up. It’s been a long time since I’ve done a straight up real music with dancing and singing. This is fun because it’s aimed at kids. For some it will be their first introduction to theater. The process is fun and open. Those dance numbers are no joke.  This is just like doing a Broadway show. You get two solid weeks to make it happen, but they are big weeks. We are hammering away learning the songs and dances.

DD: I haven’t seen the show, but it’s a take off of The Wizard of Oz.  Talk about how you developed your Tin Man and how it differs from the original.

PL: That’s what’s fun about it. Kris Lythgoe (wrote the book) is going back to the original story and running it through us. He has given me room to play. I work in some of my impressions. It’s very much open to interpretation. This is not your father’s Tin Man.

DD: Are you a fan of the Wizard of Oz?

PL: Yes, huge fan. How can you not be?

Phil LaMarr as UBS guy on MadTV

DD: Who was your favorite character in Wizard of Oz?

PL: That’s a tough one. My two were the Scarecrow and the Tin Man. I loved those actors Ray Bolger and Buddy Ebsen. Ray Bolger got to do a lot more. I get to take the Tin Man out of the stiff guy. I loved the Scarecrow. I loved the falling and loose body thing. It reminds me of the UBS guy on MadTV.

DD:  Are you a fan of Panto?  Why/ why not?

PL: To be honest, I had never heard of it before. I’m amazed they have that tradition. It’s something our culture could benefit from. Our kids don’t get exposed to shows like that. Storytelling nurtures the soul.

DD:  Talk about your director and cast. 

PL:  Bonnie is our director. She is an amazing seasoned professional. She gets it from all angles. She knows about us as actors and dancers. She grew up with Panto, so she is teaching us this form. We’re playing with it and having fun. Jared Gertner, my scarecrow partner did Book of Mormon, Marisa Jaret Winokur won a Tony for Hairspray. It’s intimidating. I’m here for laughs. It gives me security because I know they have every inch of the show covered.

John Travolta, Phil LaMarr and Samuel L. Jackson on the set of Pulp Fiction 

DD:  You’ve done television, film and theater. Talk about what each one has done for you.

PL:  Honestly, it started in theater. That is where my heart is. There is nothing better. That feeling of real people. Film and television you don’t get to hear that applause.

DD: What is it about theater?

PL: I actually have a theory about this. There is an energy in people’s gaze. Think about it. If you don’t look into someone’s eyes and then you turn around and you do look into someone’s eyes – it’s a different feeling. There is a different energy. For most people their worst fear is public speaking because the energy you get from all those people looking at you is too much.  It’s an amazing, energizing, empowering thing. The energy of the audience has healed me. I’ve had headaches and stuffy noses. The energy hits me and when the show is done, I’m fine. It's a dance. In comedy we know when a joke is working before we get to the punchline.

DD:  How did you first become involved with theater? What was your first experience and were you any good?

PL: My first play was in eighth grade. I was a bookworm. We did Phantom Toll Booth. The director liked my audition so much he cast me as part of the lead. That first opening night I stepped out of the curtain and walked on stage and that energy of the audience came up over the stage. It was transforming. My path was chosen at that moment. After college I decided I wanted to be an actor. I had been doing plays for seven or eight years. When I got out of college I had to do something. 

DD: What happens to you when you’re on stage?

PL: Sometimes you get deep into the character. Other time you are very aware of the audience and the affect you’re having. Sometimes you got that eight count going. Hopefully you get pass that. I did a lot of improv comedy as well. You kind of have to not be conscious. You can only be conscious of your choice in the moment. If you stop to try to think it through, you’re a step behind. The audience wants to watch you just “be”.

DD: What could happen to make your career all worth it?

PL: Personally, I tend not to think in term of career. I think in terms of jobs and opportunities, the part, the people or the pay. If you can get two out of the three to excite you, you’re doing good. A career is an accumulation. For me, it’s more about finding new experiences and finding the joy in my work. Every day I go to work, I feel lucky.  If you were to ask me my favorite, it’s my next one.

DD: What did you expect from this business and what did you get?

PL: During college I had a chance to intern at a casting company. I got to see the actor’s experience from the other side. You have so little control of your destiny as an actor. You can only control your performance.  Having so little control of your life can be psychically unnerving.  You’re not always going to get the money or the leading part. It had to feed me on a soul level. I went toward things that made me feel good and it has led to positive results.

Phil LaMarr 

DD: What’s next for you?

PL: While we’re putting together Panto, I’m putting together an animated project on my own. There is a comic called Goblins (goblinsanimated.com). We’re turning it into an animated show. We just had our first recording.  It’s interesting and daunting to go from acting to producer.

The Wonderful Winter of Oz also stars Mackenzie Ziegler (Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, Dance Moms) as Dorothy, Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur (Celebrity Big Brother winner and Broadway’s Hairspray) as Glinda, and features Kermit The Frog® as the Wizard of Oz, Jared Gertner (Broadway’s The Book of Mormon) as The Scarecrow, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer (Nickelodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band, “Cha Cha” on FOX’s Grease: Live!, National Tour of In the Heights) as The Wicked Witch of the West, Hailee Payne and Valerie Rockey of So You Think You Can Dance, and Rescue Dog Pickle C. Irwin as Toto. 

The production is directed by Bonnie Lythgoe and choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo (NappyTabs), with book by Kris Lythgoe and Michael Orland (American Idol) serving as musical arranger and supervisor.

Lythgoe Family Panto The Wonderful Winter of Oz, Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 East Green Street, Pasadena; Dec. 15-Dec. 30; $40; www.thepasadenacivic.com