It's a terrible shame if you're born the brightest guy in your class. If you're not, then you have to hustle-and that's good.

Audiences are quite happy to be astonished, and they don't care who does that astonishing.

Nothing is staged exactly as it was, because I can't remember - and I consider that an advantage.

I don't think there's a defined contemporary American musical, do you?

I remember when people actually wore coats and ties to theatre every night. They don't anymore. It's very different.

What's missing in the musical theater is producers willing to nurture new work, raise the money and put it on.

I was nine. I saw Orson Welles in 'Julius Caesar.' It was involving, emotional, imaginative. I've never forgotten it.