EXCLUSIVE DRUMBEATS Q&A: Ten Questions for JOSE LLANA

Jose Llana, 26, graces the Virginia Theater stage in New York as the male lead in FLOWER DRUM SONG. No stranger to Broadway, Llana has performed the roles of Angel in RENT, Jessie-Lee in STREETCORNER SYMPHONY, and Lun Tha in the hit 1996 revival of THE KING AND I. He received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role as Tin Man Wong in THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, as well as a Barrymore Award nomination as Best Lead Actor for his work in Candide at The Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia. His television appearances include HBO's SEX AND THE CITY and AS THE WORLD TURNS, not to mention a widely broadcast commercial for Circuit City (which he says led to numerous emails from his mother?s friends, congratulating him on his choice to go into computers!). Affable and charismatic, Llana spoke to DRUMBEATS between rehearsals:

Drumbeats: Tell me about your childhood... How old were you when you moved here from the Philippines? Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school?

Jose: I moved to New York when I was three, then Virginia at four. I had a typical suburban Virginia upbringing, with football games on Friday and school dances. I did go to a magnet math high school, where the curriculum was focused and accelerated in math and sciences, as did my older sister, Patricia.

Drumbeats: Did you always want to be an actor? Did your parents encourage your acting career or did they want you to be something else?

Jose: My parents encouraged me to be happy and to follow my dreams. Granted, they were a bit hesitant about me pursuing a career in music, but they knew it was what I wanted to do.

Drumbeats: What was your first "big break"?

Jose: I was a freshman in college in Manhattan when I heard they were auditioning for a big revival of THE KING AND I for Broadway and were looking for young Asian singers. I snuck into an audition--which were supposed to be Equity auditions by agent submission only, and I didn't have one then--and four months, later they offered me one of the leads, Lun Tha, the young lover. I was 19.

Drumbeats: What has been your most challenging acting role and why?

Jose: I've had the pleasure of having some great roles I've learned a lot from, but I would have to say the most challenging was FLOWER DRUM SONG. When the character you play is so similar to you and your experiences, it is sometimes difficult not to just play yourself, but to play the character the playwright and director want in the show.

Drumbeats: Let's talk about the production. How would you describe Ta, the character you play?

Jose: We are very similar. Both born with two conflicting cultures, the foreign and the American, in my case, Filipino, Ta's is Chinese. The specific cultures may be different, but the fact that neither are American and are trying to coexist is what's important.

Drumbeats: You once said that being involved in “Flower Drum Song” changed you as a person, made you more aware of your Asian American-ness. Can you elaborate?

Jose: I spent a vast majority of my childhood hating being a foreigner, looking different from the kids at school. Even in my early adult years as an actor, I got frustrated at the typecasting that is involved in casting ethnic talent on Broadway and in TV and film. I guess it's a rite of passage or, God forbid, a sign of maturity, when you realize that you can't change what you are. What makes you different also makes you special.

Drumbeats: Some Asian American actors say they feel limited because of their race, like they have to know martial arts or fake an Asian accent to get roles. Do you feel being an Asian American male has ever limited you in your career?

Jose: I've had my share of Asian roles and non-Asian roles, thankfully to open-minded directors and producers. Maybe that's why I stay in theater, more specifically musical theater. If you can sing, dance and act, that'll get you in the door first. Theater also has a much more forgiving suspension of disbelief. The audience knows the people onstage are actors. TV and film is a lot less forgiving. If the stars on the screen don't look like brother and sister, it won't pass. Things are changing, though. Slowly...

Drumbeats: Will the New York production of “Flower Drum Song” be different from the Los Angeles production? If so, how?

Jose: Snip here, tug there. Always trying to make it better.

Drumbeats: Any behind-the-scenes anecdotes or stories you can tell us about working with David Henry Hwang, Lea Salonga or any of the other castmembers?

Jose: Well...we have potluck parties to rival all!

Drumbeats: After “Flower Drum Song,” are you going to continue focusing on musicals and theater, or do you have plans to do more TV and film work in the future?

Jose: I love the theater and find a great home there. TV and film reperesent amazing new things and opportunities. We'll see...

Drumbeats: Here’s a bonus question for the Filipino moms: When I make chicken adobo, I like to add a splash of sesame oil to the marinade. What's your secret for good adobo?

Jose: My dad makes the best using both pork and chicken wings only. It's a little sweeter and less saucy. I think he fries it quickly in oil after stewing it... ALL ADOBO ROCKS!