Tony nominee Robert Westenberg is a longtime fan of Neil Diamond’s music but he never really knew the iconic singer’s backstory until he was tapped for the role of Neil Diamond — Now in A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, coming to Altria Theater April 15 through 20.
“Everything was a revelation to me — his life, his children, the trajectory of his career,” says Westenberg. “He was a critical element in my youth. It’s an incredible honor to portray such a great artist. He’s absolutely brilliant.”
Portraying Diamond, who was inducted into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame and received a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award, is both humbling and exciting, Westenberg adds.
“It’s a huge responsibility to bring authenticity to the portrayal,” he says.
Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A Beautiful Noise, is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon. With 120 million albums sold, his catalogue of classics include“ America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline.” His sold-out concerts around the world made him bigger than Elvis.
Bringing the Essence of Neil Diamond to Life
Westenberg, who was born in Florida and raised in California, didn’t consider acting until he was enrolled in a California seminary studying to be a priest and a friend suggested he try out for a role in a murder mystery play. He got the role, left the seminary and enrolled in the California State University, Fresno to major in English and to act.
Over the years, he has appeared on Broadway multiple times, receiving a Tony Award nomination for his role in the original Broadway production of Into the Woods.
An emeritus professor from Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance, Westenberg currently serves as a lecturer of musical theatre at the University of Colorado Boulder.
He was asked to audition for the role of Neil Diamond — Now on Broadway a while back. He didn’t get the part but was told they wanted to keep him in mind. They kept their word. About a year ago, he was asked to join the touring production.
While he loved the show after first seeing it, a father and grandfather, knew he had made the right choice when his daughter, who favored a different genre of music and didn’t know much about Diamond, saw the show in Washington, D.C. She loved it.
“Coming from my daughter that says a lot,” Westenberg says, noting that it reaches all generations.
Acting in the show can be taxing for Westenberg, who is on stage during the whole two-hour-plus production. “I have to keep it fresh and give 100% of who I am on stage,” he says. “It’s an exercise in deep concentration, with everything going on around you.”
The play opens with Diamond in a very personal, simple setting with a psychiatrist. As he slowly begins to talk about his life, his memories come to life, giving the production the opportunity to bounce back and forth between the past and present.
“It’s an origin story, a memory play and a Neil Diamond concert,” Westenberg says. “It’s beautifully constructed and written. It’s a joyful exercise in storytelling.”
The cast is incredible, he adds. “I basically feed off their energy to bring the most authentic parts of myself to the performance.”
Finding the similarities between young and older
Westenberg works closely with Nick Fradiani, who plays Neil Diamond — Then in the production. Fans of American Idol will remember Fradiani as the 2015 winner of the popular show.
“I love Nick. He’s amazing. He’s a great guy, a wonderful actor and an incredible singer. He has one of the most beautiful male voices I have heard,” says Westenberg.
The two actors are very similar in stature and physique, which gives credibility to the similarity between the two who represent different generations of Diamond’s life. “It helps with believability,” Westenberg says, adding he is not doing an impersonation of Neil Diamond on stage “and neither is Nick. We are capturing the essence of the man.”
One thing that Westenberg did when he started rehearsals was to study both Diamond and Fradiani. “I based my choices on Nick’s personality and vocals to create a believable blend between the two of us while staying true to myself,” he says.
While Westenberg has never met Diamond except through a FaceTime call facilitated by Diamond’s wife, Katie, he will have the opportunity to meet the icon when the show plays Los Angeles.
“I can’t wait to meet him,” Westenberg says. “I feel like I know him really well after doing this show.”
Show information and tickets for the show can be found here at www.BroadwayInRichmond.com . The show has raised $750,000 for the Parkinson’s Foundation. For more information on how you can help visit www.abeautifulnoisethemusical.com/partners
Purchase your tickets using this exclusive RFM discount link!
