You may know Matthew Morrison as the teacher and choir director Will Schuester, aka. "Mr. Schue," from the Fox television show Glee. Given his singing and dancing on the program, however, it's probably no surprise that his heart lies with Broadway. Morrison has a new album out called Where It All Began, his second of classic Broadway standards. He stopped by NPR West to talk with All Things Considered weekend Host Jacki Lyden about singing experiences over the years.
In between listening to excerpts from the album during the interview, Morrison revisits the childhood moment when he knew the stage was for him and his decision to leave New York University at age 19 for role in Footloose. He also talks about recording "Singing in the Rain" as a tribute to his idol Gene Kelly, and his go-to audition song, "On the Street Where You Live" from My Fair Lady. And even though it makes him cringe, you'll also get to hear Morrison cover Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" (from Glee; that's obviously not a Broadway standard).
After the interview, Matthew Morrison was kind enough to pose for my camera... and with a Glee fan who works here... and then he signed a card for a Washington, D.C. colleague. With a voice like his, somehow I think he's probably accustomed to the attention.
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