Sutton Foster Has a Not-So-Secret Talent, Danielle Brooks Does Children's Parties & More Lessons of the Week

Happy Friday, Broadway fans, and happy early birthday, Jonathan Groff and Orfeh! We have some exciting plans this weekend (read: watching this and this on repeat), but before that, let’s make sure you're up to speed on everything happening on the Great White Way. It’s been a busy seven days, so study up with the Lessons of the Week!


Danielle Brooks Is a Balloon Historian
Danielle Brooks has audiences screaming “hell yes” at The Color Purple, but her acting and singing chops aren’t her only party trick. Next time you run into her (say, at a child’s birthday party), have her make you a historically accurate balloon animal. Brooks specializes in making animals from the 17th century, and creating elaborate backstories for them. That’s great, Danielle, but don’t quit your night job.


Jane Krakowski's Scent Is Wack
Jane Krakowski plays a perfume store clerk (who’s prone to doing the splits) in She Loves Me, but when it comes to Krakowski’s own fragrance, we’re a little perplexed. At the revival’s opening night, the Tony winner said a Krakowski fragrance would smell like “wacky.” What exactly is the scent of wackiness? Beats us. Gabrielle Ruiz, can you help us out with this one?


Veanne Cox Got Bad with Sherie & Jane
We bet this dressing room smelled super, uh, wacky. While revisiting some of her favorite roles, An American in Paris’ Veanne Cox said she shared a dressing room with Krakowski and Sherie Rene Scott for the film Marci X, and that they were “bad” together. We’re not sure what that means, but we’re pretty sure this is what Waka Flocka Flame had in mind when popularizing the term #SquadGoals.


AKB Wants to Be Old & Creepy
Andrew Keenan-Bolger’s returning to Broadway in Tuck Everlasting as the titular boy who never grows up. This isn’t exactly a stretch for the Broadway favorite. The Marci X star (so many of them this week!) claims he’ll inevitably have to play the “comedic old creepy man” someday, but we’re getting no indication of that yet. Keep wearing those shorts and putting “Twink Slave” on your resume, AKB. You’re still an Artful Dodger, not a Fagin!


Jenn Simard Is a Moonlighting Pharmacist
What’s the secret to Jennifer Simard’s show-stopping performance as Sister Mary in Disaster!? Tonics…which is code for lots of drugs. Simard essentially runs a backlot pharmacy to keep those vocals fresh. Hydrogen peroxide, antihistamines, oregano oil and Flonase make up just a fraction of what she has on hand. So if the line’s ever too long at Duane Reade, head over to the Nederlander. 


Michele McConnell Will Beat Your Face
What does it take to be a prima donna? High notes, yes, but also a ton of Mary Kay products. When The Phantom of the Opera’s Michele McConnell showed us around her dressing room, she showed off her abundant makeup supply and ever so subtly tried to hawk some of it on camera. We’re starting to think Sister Mary and Carlotta should open up a Walgreens together.


Kantor & Silber Are Their Own Parade
Following a parade of Motels in the final episode of Motel Citizen, Adam Kantor and his Fiddler bestie Alexandra Silber gave us a taste of their own Parade. If you were ever wondering what Motel and Tzeitel would sound like if the went south after heading to America, here’s your chance. And it’s not over yet: the two also teased a Jewish Oklahoma, and we wouldn’t mind seeing Fruma Sarah ride in on a giant windmill.


Garen Scribner Felt J. Lo's Light
Garen Scribner may have fidgety feet in An American in Paris, but when he’s with Jennifer Lopez, it’s his hands that are doing the fidgeting. The two shot a L’Oreal ad together, where he expressed concern about having to slide his hand up her leg. She told him, “I don’t care what you do, as long as you make it look real,” which is good advice in general, or when you have to convincingly receive a first edition Iliad as a gift.


Damiano's in a Hairy Situation in Psycho
Last week, we lamented about Jennifer Damiano not being able to show us the cool sets or costumes during American Psycho’s tech. Now, we finally got to see the wig she kept teasing last week and we have to admit, we can’t really tell it’s a wig. It looks great, but it also looks just like her hair! We were hoping for something a little more dramatic…like this. Either way, we’re thrilled you’ve finally mastered the pin curls!


Sutton Foster Can Sing...Who Knew?!
Long before Sutton was rocking fur bikinis and selling panties on TV Land, she’s been wowing us with her signature belt. It’s hard to imagine new fans not knowing her Broadway past, but that’s what’s happening as people routinely approach her telling her she should try Broadway. Younger writers, take note: Liza needs to do a community theater production of Anything Goes in Paramus in season three. #LetLizaSing