Pierre Marais. Photo Courtesy of Pierre Marais.
Actor and singer Pierre Marais chatted about being a part of “Sunset Blvd.” on Broadway.
“The important thing in life is not victory but combat; it is not to have vanquished but to have fought well,” said Pierre de Coubertin, French Educator who was primarily responsible for the revival of the Olympic Games in 1894. This quote applies to Pierre Marais.
Marais serves as the understudy for Tom Francis for the lead character Joe Gillis.
Tony Award wins for ‘Sunset Blvd.’
The show recently won three Tony Awards. These include wins for “Best Revival of a Musical,” as well as for “Best “Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical” for Nicole Scherzinger, and for “Best Lighting Design of a Musical” for Jack Knowles.
Marais praised Nicole Scherzinger for being an exceptional talent as Norma Desmond.
Marais on ‘Sunset Blvd.’
On his experience doing this musical, Marais remarked, “It has been great so far. Post-Tony Awards, it has been a celebration of this time. We’ve been running in New York for 10 months and people have been coming back to see this piece of art one more time.”
“It feels like a special time to be involved in ‘Sunset Blvd.’ Post-Tony Awards, it is always exciting, but there is a particular energy to it now that it’s closing next month,” he noted.
Marais on Jamie Lloyd’s minimalistic approach
Marais complimented director Jamie Lloyd on his minimalistic approach.
“Jamie has a desire to strip things down to the most simple form and to allow an audience to imagine,” Marias acknowledged.
“Jamie is challenging us and allowing us to imagine in new ways. It’s a trademark on his work. It has been a thrill to work with Jamie on this because I came from a more maximalist world. My previous Broadway show was ‘Aladdin,’ where I understudied Aladdin,” he elaborated.
Working with choreographer Fabian Aloise
On working with Fabian Aloise as choreographer, Marais stated, “I love Fabian’s work. It is so connected to this story, and it is so connected to Jamie’s vision. Fabian and Jamie are really a beautiful pairing together.”
“Sometimes, you can’t even perceive where Jamie’s work ends, and Fabian’s work begins. That’s the mark of a really genius collaborator,” he noted.
“Fabian’s work and Jamie’s dark and minimalistic viewpoints can still somehow create movement that feels motivated, exciting, and innovative. It takes a very particular brain and person to come up with that kind of work.” Marais elaborated.
“I feel Fabian is a genius and I think he is only just beginning his career as a choreographer and as a director. I am excited to see what the world does with Fabian,” Marais added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Marais said, “I was born and raised in South Africa. We came to the digital age a few years later. I remember getting our first cell phone and dial-up Internet.”
“We are the last generation of humanity that’ll ever remember what it was like to be raised without a reliance on technology, and that’s a fascinating thing. This is a point that we will remember,” he noted.
“Other than that, I like Instagram,” Marais admitted.
Working with Mandy Gonzalez
Marais also spoke about working with Mandy Gonzalez, who also plays Norma Desmond in select performances.
“My very first show as Joe was with Mandy,” he admitted. “I cannot say enough good words of praise about her. Mandy really took such care of me… That is so great about both Mandy and Nicole. They are essentially two legends, really. As artists, they are both extraordinary.”
Marais on doing ‘The Walk’ in ‘Sunset Blvd.’ in the beginning of Act II
On doing “The Walk” in “Sunset Blvd.” in the beginning of Act II, Marais said, “It is such a unique moment. You are so focused in while you are doing it. You are there with the camera operator and you are just trying to keep the ball in the air, and that is such a unique thing. I love that moment.”
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and emerging actors, he said, “I think if you show up into any space, as a person and as an artist, and you do your very best, whatever that may be, then it’s impossible to fail, especially if you show up and do your best. You can’t ask your body, brain and your vessel of anything more than trying its best.”
“Failure in the deepest sense is impossible, especially when you are going into every space trying your best,” he added.
Marais on directing Daryl Tofa’s ‘Teardrops to a Glass Eye’
Marais also directed and edited Daryl Tofa’s short film “Teardrops to a Glass Eye,” which he described as a fun experience.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “New Beginnings.”
Success
Marais equates the word success with happiness and peace. “Peace is something that nobody can take away from you, especially when you truly have it,” he said.
Closing thoughts on ‘Sunset Blvd.’
For fans and viewers, he expressed about the show, “What I want people to get out of it is what I love about it personally. ‘Sunset Blvd.’ is a revival and it uses the word ‘revive’ as a verb. It really is something that is breathing new life.”
“I want people to get a new perspective on an old story,” he admitted. “There are so many ways to come to this show to engage with that new perspective and to be surprised and shocked. I want their artistic internal thoughts and inspirations to be revived.”
“I think this is a show that you think about for quite some time, and that is successful, and I hope people are getting that,” Marais concluded.
To learn more about actor and singer Pierre Marais, follow him on Instagram.
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