Final Bow

Final Bow: Josh Grisetti of It Shoulda Been You Reflects on Audience Surprises and Wedding Awkwardness

“David is great about guiding you in the right direction,” Grisetti says about director David Hyde Pierce.

It Shoulda Been Him: Josh Grisetti (center) receives the adoration of Chip Zien, Anne L. Nathan, Tyne Daly, and Adam Heller in Barbara Anselmi and Brian Hargrove's It Shoulda Been You, directed by David Hyde Pierce, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
It Shoulda Been Him: Josh Grisetti (center) receives the adoration of Chip Zien, Anne L. Nathan, Tyne Daly, and Adam Heller in Barbara Anselmi and Brian Hargrove's It Shoulda Been You, directed by David Hyde Pierce, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
(© Joan Marcus)

Eight times a week, Josh Gristetti makes the most memorable entrance currently happening in a Broadway house. That's for his role as Marty Kaufman, the jilted ex-boyfriend of the bride in the wedding-themed musical comedy It Shoulda Been You, now set to end its run on August 9.

Drama Desk nominee Grisetti spoke to TheaterMania about his favorite stage-door gift, a special visit from Alan Rickman, and some real-life wedding drama that surely left a stain on all involved.

Josh Grisetti stars as Marty Kaufman in It Shoulda Been You.
Josh Grisetti stars as Marty Kaufman in It Shoulda Been You.
(© David Gordon)

1. What is your favorite line that you get to say/sing?
My character is hiding onstage when the groom's father does a soft-shoe number about prenups; shortly after he leaves, I say, "They're gonna make Rebecca sign a prenup! I just heard Brian's dad do a whole song and dance about it." I pitched that joke in rehearsals and it stuck. I'm pretty proud of it. #consistentlaugh

2. Everyone loves inside jokes. What is the best one from your show?
Does it count as an inside joke if we told everyone about it on the Internet? (If you don't know what these things are, you aren't trolling our social media enough…)

3. Every show deals with technical difficulties. What was the worst technical difficulty experienced during your show and how was it handled?
We have a unit set (no major scene changes), but there are automated doors that have broken on two occasions. Both times, we just pushed through and finished the show without any doors. Who needs doors?! Privacy is overrated.

Josh Grisetti proudly displays his favorite stage-door gift.
Josh Grisetti proudly displays his favorite stage-door gift.
(© Emma Citron)

4. What was the most "interesting" present someone gave you at the stage door?
No one's given me anything super weird, but I did get an awesome Sardi's-style caricature by an incredibly talented artist/fan (who was only eighteen years old)! It may be my favorite thing anyone's ever given me at the stage door, simply because it's so well done!

5. Who is the coolest person that came to see your show? (You can't say your family!)
We've had a bunch, but my favorite was Alan Rickman. I mean, have you seen him do the "I am a rock" monologue on the extended DVD of Galaxy Quest? The man is a genius.

6. What was the most helpful direction David Hyde Pierce gave you?
To focus on the heart of the character rather than just the comedy of the situation. There's often a fine line between which of the two the audience needs in a given moment, but David is great about guiding you in the right direction.

7. What is the most shocking thing you've personally witnessed at a wedding?
During the final moments of an outdoor reception, a drunk wedding guest dumped an entire bottle of red wine over the head of the best man because she said he didn't look like he was having a good enough time. It was a bizarre move.

8. What was the most memorable audience reaction you encountered during the run of It Shoulda Been You?
An old woman in the orchestra section yelled up to the balcony, "Turn off your cellphone!" after a cellphone sound effect. I guess it was too realistic, but it gave us a chuckle onstage.

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