From playing Andy in Stephen Sondheim’s final Broadway production: the gender-swapped revival of his landmark musical COMPANY, to playing John Adams in the acclaimed series THE GILDED AGE, Claybourne Elder’s career is on a trajectory that has been garnering him attention for various reasons beyond his performing career. In between his Broadway performances, Claybourne sat with Los Angeles and New York-based Photo Art Director Dfernando Zaremba for a little conversation as published in our last Client U.S. edition No. #16. Below are 10 of the 19 questions from the conversation between the two. To read the full interview grab yourself a digital copy or order in casebound hardcover or perfect-bound softcover.
Photographer: M. Cooper
Photo Art Director/Stylist/Producer: Dfernando Zaremba
Talent: Claybourne Elder
Client U.S. #16 – Order Digital & Print editions:
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1. DZ: Here we are in 2022, and just doing a quick Google search on you, it is quite obvious you have been quite busy lately. How does it feel having so much happening all at once?
CE: I have always loved being busy – I think I get it from my dad. When I’m not busy working, I always find ways to fill my time with projects or things I’m curious about. I have gotten myself into some I LOVE LUCY-style messes, haha. A few years ago I decided I wanted to make my own whiskey – the whole process from corn to finished bottle. It was a disaster and a huge mess. But the whiskey was actually pretty good. But the past year or so has been really full of work, which has been thrilling, wonderful and I’m so grateful for it. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that the real challenge about being an actor – or an artist of any kind really – is riding those waves. This year I’ll be busy and next year I’ll wonder if I’ll ever work again, we all do. So ask me what I’m up to next year and maybe I won’t be working and instead, I’ll be learning Italian or keeping bees. I really want to get some bees.
2. DZ: Many have come to know you now for playing John Adams in the hit HBO Max series THE GILDED AGE (which returns for a Season 2 in 2023), along with currently playing Andy in the multi-Tony Award-winning, groundbreaking, gender-swapped Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical COMPANY. How did both projects come to you?
CE: They both came at almost the same time! I had taken some time off from acting when my son was born, but almost right when I started auditioning again both COMPANY and THE GILDED AGE came. I feel like it’s all about the cross-section of luck and talent. Everyone is talented. There are so many incredible artists out there who just haven’t walked in the right room at the right time. You just have to keep doing the work and honing your skills until you are the lucky one and you have kept the talent up until it’s time. That said, next year maybe I won’t have the luck and I’ll be working on my bee houses and making honey!
3. DZ: What is your favorite moment in COMPANY?
CE: Andy, who I play in Company, is described as being “odd.” I really took that to heart haha. There’s a part in the show where I’m telling a long story about a butterfly and it takes a little turn. Almost every night, at that moment, the audience gets suddenly very quiet. You can hear them listening. It’s the most thrilling thing about live theater to me, those moments where the audience leans in.
4. DZ: Growing up, what was your favorite musical?
CE: INTO THE WOODS. My mom recorded the PBS broadcast of the show and my brother and I used to watch it over and over again. It was funny, but also dark and strange. I loved the dark strangeness about it. I also loved Monty Python films, which were very musical.
5. DZ: Did you perform in the school musicals?
CE: I was Artful Dodger in OLIVER! in the school play when I was in 7th grade – it was my first real musical. I had been the groundhog in the “Holidays of the Year” play in second grade, but OLIVER! was my big break (I hope that you can tell that my tone is sarcastic in saying that). None of my family – I have 7 older siblings – were really into theater, but I knew I wanted to do it. My mom was a teacher at my school so I would have to wait for her for a while before I went home. One day I sat down in the office with the phone book and called all the community theatres in the area to see if I could audition and the rest is history I guess.
6. DZ: Favorite film, and why?
CE: This is a tough one because I really love movies, but what the hell, I’m gonna say RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. It’s one of the movies that made me fall in love with movies. I LOVED Indiana Jones and wanted to be him when I grew up. He was tough and cool and handsome and got chased by boulders. I also loved history and the myths they explored in those movies made me love real history even more. If Indiana Jones was an actual job, I would apply.
7. DZ: Describe to me the first day you met THE legendary and quite feisty Patti LuPone?
CE: Ohhh Patti. My love. During the first week of rehearsals we were all sitting around on a break and talking about birthdays. I knew that Patti and I have the same birthday but I decided I didn’t want to just blurt it out. Patti mentioned that her birthday is April 21 and I – doing my best acting work to date – said “Oh really? That’s my birthday too.” She turned to me, put her hand on my face and looked deep into my eyes and said “That means we’re soul mates.” Now, we’re not soul mates, but we do have a special friendship. She’s wonderful. She has two dressing rooms – it’s a common thing for stars to have one dressing room and one for a lounge – and she turned her lounge into a bar just for the cast and crew. She stocks it with booze and snacks that we like. She even bought a popcorn maker, haha. There’s a point in the show where she and I secretly hold hands for a minute. I went shopping with her this week to help her pick out new appliances for her kitchen. She’s great and I look forward to hanging out with her after the show is done.
8. DZ: Were you raised in a traditional Mormon household or a more liberal?
CE: A little bit of both. My mom converted to the church so she had an outsider’s perspective. My dad comes from the earliest members of the church so we have a long family history there. When I was growing up my mom wrote an article under a pen name about being an outsider in Utah. She said some shocking things – that everyone was thinking – and as her small rebellion it made me look up to her so much. When I left the church it was hard for my parents for a time, but only for a minute. They just loved me and that’s all they needed to know.
9. DZ: You are primarily known for your musical theater work, but what other types of singing do you enjoy?
CE: I grew up playing the fiddle and I always loved old country and folk music. I still play my violin a lot, sometimes in shows, and I love that kind of folksy bluesy singing. It’s not always clean and pretty, but that’s what I love about it.
10. DZ: What are you favorite music artists and bands?
CE: Some of my favorite current artists are Melody Gardot, Monica Martin, Ray LaMontagne, Noga Erez, Brandi Carlyle, The Weepies, Sylvan Esso, and St Vincent. I also really love Chet Baker, Joni Mitchell, Patty Griffin, Paul Simon… I really like music so this list could get really long, haha.
