Pop Culturalist Chats with A Bronx Tale’s Adam Kaplan

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent. It’s a lesson that audiences take away night after night at the Longacre Theatre in New York City, home to the must-see musical, A Bronx Tale, and a sentiment that’s deeply resonated with leading man, Adam Kaplan. The Elon alumni stars as Calogero, a young man who’s caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. It’s a timeless coming-of-age tale about love, respect, and family, and Adam’s transformative performance will bring you back to the 1960s on Belmont Avenue. We spoke with the charismatic actor about how his life has changed since making his Broadway debut, his fan-favorite Instagram Live series, and how he made Calogero his own.

PC: This time five years ago you were making your Broadway debut. Have you had the chance to reflect on your journey thus far and have there been any particular moments that have stuck out to you?
Adam: Yeah, it’s crazy! That popped up on my Timehop and I’ve also set an alarm up on my phone because it’s an awesome reminder of how things started and where it all began. Newsies was such a tremendous experience for me and it was the perfect way to join the Broadway community. The cast had such a great feeling of camaraderie. When I did the show the other night at A Bronx Tale, I couldn’t help but think about where I was five years ago, and whenever I feel like I have a bad day or things don’t go perfectly with my performance, I try to take a second and think if my sixteen-year-old self or even my five-year-old self could see me now, they would freak out.

PC: You’re currently starring in A Bronx Tale, which just celebrated its 500th performance. Why do you think this story has stood the test of time?
Adam: I think that so many people come to see our show for a multitude of reasons. They could be huge fans of the movie, which my brother and I were when we were growing up. They could enjoy the music, which is so reminiscent of the ’60s, and also, it’s just such a great story. Even though it takes place in the 1960s, it was very popular in the ’90s—it’s a coming-of-age story and it never gets old. You’ve got this kid trying to make his way through the world, a story about a father-son relationship, and certainty race relations, which is so pertinent to what’s going on in the world right now. Even though we say that we’re inclusive and that things have gotten better, which it’s true that they have, there’s so much more work to be done. It’s always nice to take a second to remember that.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

PC: There have been a lot of interpretations of your character. How challenging is it as an actor to make him your own and not be influenced by other performances?
Adam: What’s so nice is that on day one of rehearsals, I asked the director essentially if he wanted a Chazz Palminteri impression, and he said, “No, we cast Adam for a reason.” What’s so great about Calogero is that he’s an outgoing, young kid who just wants to tell his story, so, I tried to bring as much of myself to the character, while keeping it within the confines of the show. Like you said, there have been so many people that have played this part, Chazz did it in a one-man show, the actor who did it in the movie, Paper Mill, and Broadway, but I loved not having that pressure of keeping Calogero in the same box as everyone else. For me, it’s about telling the story as truthfully as possible and adding a little bit of my own flavor to it.

PC: Do you have a favorite number in the show?
Adam: I would say the opening number. It’s a great way to set the scene—it’s colorful and explosive. For me, the show is like a freight train, once it starts, I don’t really stop. It kicks things off in a really exciting way, and it’s one of the only times that I get to interact with cast in its entirety because I spend a lot of time as the narrator. It’s where our whole world starts and comes together. The cast collectively takes a breath knowing that it’s time to go, and that’s really exciting to be a part of.

PC: Throughout the show, there’s a strong emphasis on the choices we make in life. If you hadn’t been introduced to musical theatre at an early age by your father, what do you think you’d be doing today?
Adam: That’s a really good question! I actually don’t know. My dad and mom are both in the medical field and I have a lot of admiration for them, so maybe that’s where life would have taken me. I do think that there would have been something later down the line that would still have gotten me to where I am today. All I can say is that I’m really grateful to be where I am now.

PC: You host this really popular Instagram Live series, 3 for 3. How did that come to fruition, and how has social media impacted the theatre industry?
Adam: [laughs] Yeah! It kind of just happened one day in the dressing room. We were hanging out and I always get these live notifications of different actors doing it and I think we did it just for fun one day and said, “let’s make something silly,” and then it just stuck. What’s so great is that we get to interact with the fans of the show. It’s a way to bring us closer to them and it makes it more personal. When I was in college, I remember seeing the Spring Awakening cast always making these YouTube videos, and it was really the start of that fandom and taking to social media. It’s interesting to think about what Rent would be like today during the social media craze. When I was doing Newsies, I saw my Instagram followers spike just because I was part of that show. It’s really become a way for shows to interact with its fans and theatre has become so much more accessible as a result of it.

PC: Do you have a favorite interaction?
Adam: I love interacting with fans after the show at the stage door. It’s especially exciting to me if I hear that it’s someone’s first Broadway show because I still remember my experience seeing a show for the first time and how exciting that was for me. So, whenever I hear that it’s someone’s first time, that’s really special to me.

One time at Newsies, I had a fan give me M&Ms with my face on them and I’ve kept them in my apartment, wrapped up in a box for a long time. I also love hearing when our show has made a difference for someone. That’s an added bonus of theatre: we really do get to impact people. When I did Kinky Boots, I’d get letters from audience members saying that they wished they had a show like Kinky Boots when they were growing up. With A Bronx Tale, our show has really brought joy to audience members who are going through a tough time. Whenever we can affect people’s lives, it makes our jobs even more worthwhile.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

PC: Great answer! The show teaches a lot of important life lessons, which one has resonated with you the most and why?
Adam: I really do believe that the saddest thing in life is wasted talent. We all have so many capabilities that we don’t necessarily put to use all the time. We’re all so gifted and talented in our own ways and that’s certainty resonated with me. It’s something that I keep reminding myself. I think the reason that Chazz loves to tell this story so much is because he really believes in that message. He has an index card that his father wrote saying that the saddest thing in life is wasted talent hanging above his desk in his bedroom, and he would look at that every day and be reminded of it.

PC: You’re also going to be in an episode of Deception. What can you tease about that?
Adam: I shot an episode of ABC’s Deception, which is coming out March 11th. I had a really fun guest spot in the second episode. I can’t really tell you much more besides that.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Adam: The Office

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Adam: Love Actually

PC: Favorite book?
Adam: I’m a sucker for Harry Potter.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Adam: My favorite play is The Crucible and favorite musical is Parade.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn in on your playlist?
Adam: Dave Matthew

PC: Last person you texted?
Adam: My best friend

PC: Hidden talent?
Adam: I played the trumpet growing up.

Make sure to follow Adam on Twitter, Instagram, and check out his official website.

For tickets and more information on A Bronx Tale, click here.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy