EVERYTHING’S COMING UP HAM!

INTERVIEW: SAM HARRIS

BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO

Sam Harris, multi-million selling recording artist, Tony nominated Broadway/television actor, playwright, composer, and director brings audiences memories and stories from his life in a wonderful musical format. Ham: A Musical Memoir, now Ovation reccomended, plays at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre until February 7, 2016. Here is my interview with the incredible Sam Harris as he discusses his musical memoir and so much more.

Why did you decide to write Ham: Slices of a Life: True Life Tales?

I had written for different mediums; I’d written for stage, for television and I had written some essays about memory things and funny things. Then my friend Franklin Langella said, “You should be doing this more.” People had always encouraged me through the years to start this kind of project, but a book sounded so ominous, so large. And Frank said, “Don’t think of it in terms of that, just write, write without expectation.” So I started writing different anecdotes and stories, then suddenly I had all these pages. I didn’t write it as an autobiography, I didn’t write it chronologically, I wrote it as things came up. It happened fairly quickly: suddenly I had a great literary agent, suddenly I had a great publisher—it all happened in an amazing, organic kind of way.

What was the most difficult part about writing the book?

The editing was longer and harder than the writing, always going back and over and over the work. I remember pushing the final send and thinking, “Noooo, noooooo!” I had to force myself to push the send button because you don’t want to let it go.

When did you decide to turn your book into a one-man show?

Once the book came out and we were talking about promotion, I said, “Rather than doing typical book tour signings, let’s do this in theaters ‘cause it more my wheelhouse and we’ll throw in a few songs, it will make it more interesting.” So I went around doing this with little stories from the book and I would throw in songs. Then when I was in New York, a couple of Broadway producers came forward, both of whom I knew, and they said that with development this was a real play if I wanted to go there. I said, “Of course, that would be great!” So I got together with Billy Porter, my director, and Todd Schroeder and we just plowed through it. We plucked, edited and fixed what it was and then Billy said that I should be playing these characters rather than talking about them. And the show was born. We did it off-Broadway last year and then with director Ken Sawyer for the Los Angeles production.

How much of Ham: A Musical Memoir is scripted?

Every word is scripted. Once in a while I’ll change a word or something but it’s all on the page.

How did the songs come about?

The first song “Open Book” came from when I was getting ready for the book promotion and I needed something to send it off, so I wrote that song which was not in the New York production. The song “Ham” came because I needed a title song. I’m a lyric freak, I love inner rhymes, trying to find clever ways to say things. I remember making lists of ham relations and words, and then Todd and I got together and finished it out. The song “Sweet Dreams” which is in the suicide section I actually wrote a few weeks before we did this production. We had a different song that was not mine in New York (an obscure song called “Steal Away”), but I needed something that could reflect the moment better for myself. And then “Broken Wing”, which is the last eleven o’ clock sort of anthem, was because we needed something to pull it all together—something that was true to the show and its message, but also could live outside the show as a song on its own.

Todd Schroeder, left, & Sam Harris performing, “Ham: Slices of a Life,” at 54 Below (2014). Photo Credit: Michelle V. Agins.

What do you want audiences to get from your story?

First and foremost, you want something to entertain. For me as an audience member, I also want something that allows me to go deeper— I want stuff there to be mine. So the person that’s coming to watch and have a good time, there are funny jokes and things like that; but for someone who wants to take it to a different level that, is available as well. I hope I have provided entertainment that goes to places that are unpredictable and raises thoughts and feelings and concepts that are sometimes uncomfortable. I want audnences to come away with the message of the show, which is: It’s not just my story, it’s about so many of us that are trying to discover what is enough. Especially in America, where everything is about more and bigger—about the endless search for what is enough and finding it in our lives. In this show it’s about finding things that are simpler than what we thought before.

How did your production team influence and support the stage show?

Todd Schroeder and I have been working together for over twenty years. We breathe together, we think together, we’re sounding boards for each other. And Todd was a very important part of glueing this together, suggesting things, creating concepts of music and underscoring. He’s a brilliant musician and his instincts are great.

Billy Porter had a huge influence dramaturgically. I remember in New York he was say things like, “Don’t talk about the black woman in church, write her.” He taught me to release myself from the book and create the show. Billy did those kinds of things that were really freeing and made it into a show instead of just stories.

In Los Angeles director Ken Sawyer was brilliant. He took all the work that we had done, respectful of the work Billy, Todd and I did, and took the show to the next level. Not only with his visuals, but also as an actor’s director. He made me look at things in a new way.

The most important part of our team is our producer Susie Dietz. This is a woman who’s one of those rare producers who is both business savvy and creative. She’s at all the shows and most of the rehearsals. I remember when we sat down with the script, just she and I, before the L.A. production. She’s involved in every aspect, she’s generous, she’s always looking for the best answer and she’s really extraordinary. Every night before we go on stage, Todd and I have a little ritual—we say, “God bless Susie Dietz” because she is the greatest gift to this whole project.

Ken Sawyer, left, Suzi Dietz, Sam Harris, Billy Porter. Phot Credit: Ken Sawyer.

Do you have any favorite moments in the show?

As much as it’s like ripping off a scab every night, the scene between my psychology teacher and myself in my teen years, which is the penultimate moment of everything coming together. Here, I’m trying to find myself, trying to come out. I’m terrified of the culture I live in and he says, “There is nothing wrong with you.” As difficult as it is to relive that every show, it’s when I feel the most vital.

I also love the “Ham” reprise when we go into that dark Fosse section. I love that section because it’s fun, it’s self-deprecating, it’s showbiz, it’s ugly. I love the style of it, I love Todd’s participation in it.

Sam Harris. Photo Credit: Ken Sawyer.

What is your next project?

I’m working on the second book, which is fiction. My publisher said, “We want fiction.” And I said, “Oh my god!” And it took a year for the light bulb to go on for this project.

What was your favorite role that you played in a musical?

I loved playing Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. It was a great production—it was smart and the cast was incredible. It was great material and I loved trying to humanize him. Finding a sense of humor in him, anger in him, so you can understand his draw and his charisma, rather than somebody who is all knowing and all seeing.

What role in a musical would you love to play?

Mamma Rose in Gypsy! It’s the best part ever written for the Broadway stage. She’s joy, strength, pathos, crazy, everything—she’s a fully fleshed out character and in musicals that’s not always the case.

CLICK here for my review of Sam Harris’ HAM: A Musical Memoir now playing!