Andrew Rannells Hearts Toddlers & Tiaras, Nick Jonas Would Go Starkers on Stage & More Lessons of the Week

Time flies when you’re having fun on Broadway! In the blink of an eye, another week is over, and we’re taking stock of what we've learned. From a Mormon star’s hidden talent to the recipe for playing a successful Twilight character, here’s what we're taking away from this week on the Great White Way.

Andrew Rannells Could Definitely Host Beauty Pageants
When Side by Side’s Susan Blackwell revealed The Book of Mormon star Andrew Rannells’ love of reality television, she also unearthed an unexpected talent. Rannells, a big Toddler & Tiaras fan, does an amazing impression of his favorite characters on the show—not the bedazzled contestants but the women who announce them on stage. “This is Katie,” he drawled in a deadpan, “Katie loves macaroni and cheese and her mama.” Are you listening, TLC? We smell a TV hit.

No Fair! Lea Michele Has the Best TV Parents Ever
As Glee drama queen Rachel Berry, Lea Michele already gets to call Idina Menzel her biological Mom, and now she gets not one but two awesome dads: Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jeff Goldblum. News just broke that these Broadway vets will play Rachel’s oft referenced dads, LeRoy and Hiram Berry, on the show’s upcoming Valentine’s Day episode, and they've already tweeted a family photo. Be honest: if your dads were that talented, you'd probably grow up to be a diva, too.

Brooding + Buffness + Cher Wig = Twilight’s Taylor Lautner
What does it take to bring Jacob Black to life on stage? According to Jared Zirilli, who played the werewolf in a recent reading of Twilight the musical, the answer is “brooding intensity and zero percent body fat.” It also takes a Cher wig, which Zirilli wore in a half-ponytail, just so he could shed it (and his shirt) late in the show when Black transforms from leading lady Bella Swan's innocent best friend into a smoldering, vampire-battling beast. Don't sell yourself short, Jared. If it were easy, there would be sexy werewolves everywhere.

Carol Channing Likes to Eat Fresh
She’s been a musical theater icon for nearly 50 of her 90 years, but there is still plenty to learn about Carol Channing. Dori Berinstein’s new documentary Carol Channing: Larger Than Life is hitting theaters, and she recently shared way too many Channing tidbits for us to choose just one. She started life as a ballet dancer? She’s performed with broken bones? She married her childhood sweetheart after being separated for 70 years? But the most shocking thing we learned? The legend's favorite restaurant is Subway. Yes, Subway! She's all that and a bag of chips (if you order the combo).

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Have Gotten Engaged Twice
Broadway vets Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka have never been shy about putting their relationship in the public eye, but in a recent Out Magazine article, they shared some new and heartwarming details of their courtship. Five years ago, they said, Burtka proposed to Harris on the street corner where they first met. Aww! But a year later, it turns out, Harris proposed back to him. Double aww! These two have yet to tie the knot, but we have it on good authority that they've got some pretty adorable flower children available. Just promise to tweet a photo when the time comes, OK guys?

Forget Musicals! Plays Are Taking Over on Broadway
Splashy musicals often bogart the attention on Broadway, but as more and more great plays are announced for spring openings, it looks like Best Play might be the most competitive category at this year’s Tony Awards. Heavy-hitters like Clybourne Park and The Columnist will soon be joining contenders like Other Desert Cities, Stick Fly and Seminar on the Great White Way, to name just a few, and it's anyone's guess who will take home the trophy. We love a good musical, but it’s nice to see straight plays in the spotlight.

Warbler Love is True Love
Darren Criss hit Broadway at warp speed on January 3, when he took over the leading role of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He’s spent the days since in an endless parade of interviews, performances and stage door autograph-fests, but he found time in this whirlwhind to stop by Godspell and cheer on his fellow Glee Warbler, Telly Leung. Well, after going through Sectionals together, they're pretty much the Glee equivalent of war buddies, right?  If war buddies wore matching blazers. 

George Salazar Will Risk His Life for a Job 
Many young actors pay their dues pounding the pavement and working restaurant jobs, but Godspell’s George Salazar took his commitment to his craft to the next level. Before booking Godspell, he spent three months working at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Times Square. No big deal, except that Salazar has a terrible allergy to shrimp! We’ve heard people say they’d die to be on Broadway, but come on, George; that’s just crazy.

Once Upon a Time, Nick Adams Was Scrawny
It's hard to believe, given that he has one of the most jaw-droppingly jacked bodies on Broadway, but Priscilla star Nick Adams used to be a skinny little thing. In Body By Broadway, Broadway.com's new video workout series, Adams revealed that before he moved to New York, a teacher suggested he might be more cast-able if he put on a few pounds and bulked up. Boom! His love of working out was born. We know what the "after" looks like, but how about showing us a "before" picture, eh Nick?

Nick Jonas Hasn’t Ruled Out Full Frontal
His soon-to-be role in How to Succeed doesn’t call for any nudity, but that doesn’t mean Nick Jonas has nixed the possibility of being in the buff on Broadway. In an interview with The Advocate, Jonas said he’d thought about getting nude on stage, like his How to Succeed predecessor Daniel Radcliffe did in Equus. “I don’t know that it’s something I would’ve done in the end, but I definitely would’ve considered it,” Jonas said. “You have to be open to everything.” On behalf of Broadway box offices everywhere, Nick: Please consider it again.