Long Story Short’s Colin Quinn Shares His Silly and Serious Backstage Digs

He may be splitting sides with his one-man show Long Story Short, but comedian Colin Quinn takes his role as a Broadway performer very seriously. The longtime stand-up and Saturday Night Live alum feels right at home at the Helen Hayes Theatre, where his first Broadway show An Irish Wake bowed in 1998. These days, he's busy telling his tale of the world’s greatest empires up to three (three!!) times a day. Broadway.com caught up with Quinn in his low-key backstage lair, where he shared five things that help keep him in mint condition.

Photo by Jenny Anderson for Broadway.com


“The King of Queens is very important, because you need to watch it before the show. King of Queens and Jeopardy. It’s like a modern day meditation.”


“Using a humidifier before the show makes me feel like a pro. You feel like you’re doing everything possible for your voice. They can’t ask for more than that.”


“I don’t really use the iPad that much, but just knowing that I could go on Netflix and watch something makes me feel good.”


“Ricola is important. You need to worry about your voice, especially when you’re the only one talking.”


“On Saturdays, when we do three shows, we need the trampoline. I get a little bit exhausted, and it gets your circulation going.”