May 2010<\/p>\n
By Meagan S. Riedmann<\/em><\/p>\n Ogunquit Playhouse is famous for enticing notables to grace their stage, most recently Lorenzo Lamas the last two summers. It was a natural progression to seek out another big name this year. \u201cEveryone here thinks Carson\u2019s going to be an amazing asset to our summer theater; he has tons of fans, and people really love him,\u201d says Cheryl Farley, director of marketing at Ogunquit Playhouse.<\/p>\n Carson waxes poetic about big martinis in our small-town taverns.<\/p>\n Have you done theater before?<\/strong><\/p>\n I did theater in college but no role as major as this one. When they called me and asked me to play Man in Chair, I was like, oh my, this is going to be easy. All I have to do is just sit there. Then I read through the part, and this character is juicy, saucy, and snarky\u2013he is not like me at all! The work I usually do is reality television, so it\u2019s just me being me. It\u2019s going to be really fun to play a character! It\u2019s going to be very different, more theatrical. It\u2019s going to be all about entertaining people so they can come out and have fun.<\/p>\n What drew you to the Ogunquit Playhouse team for summer theater in Maine?<\/strong><\/p>\n First of all, just the idea of spending part of my summer in Maine. Summer in Maine is just heaven. I\u2019m also looking for a small-town experience. I\u2019ve always spent time in either big cities like New York or rural areas. I just want to walk around Ogunquit and pretend I live there. I can\u2019t wait to go shopping and be part of the community.<\/p>\n What was the biggest fashion faux pas<\/em> of the Jazz Age, the setting for The<\/em> Drowsy Chaperone<\/em>? <\/strong><\/p>\n I just love the clothes, the flapper girl showing some leg, and fitted three-piece men\u2019s suits, which are very in style right now. I think the worst thing they did was put actual grease in their hair. I mean, today we have all these amazing styling products. It was just horrible.<\/p>\n What if they make you put grease in your hair as part of your costume?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019d do it if I had to for my art.<\/p>\n If you were to give Ogunquit a makeover, what would you do?<\/strong><\/p>\n Nothing! I think it\u2019s perfect, classic New England, but if I had to do anything I would add a Neiman Marcus.<\/p>\n What are you most excited about experiencing here during your stay?<\/strong><\/p>\n Everything. If it was good enough for Bette Davis, it\u2019s good enough for me. There are just so many things: lobster rolls, Maine beaches, outlet shopping in Kittery. There are so many great antique shops, too. It\u2019s just world class shopping.<\/p>\n You came to Maine in 2007 to see a friend in the opening of La Cage Aux Folles<\/em> in Ogunquit. Was that the first time you were here?<\/strong><\/p>\n No, I was in Ogunquit in the early 1990s. It\u2019s a huge gay destination, and I was there for Halloween.<\/p>\n Cheryl Farley at the Playhouse says when you came to the opening of La Cage Aux Folles<\/em> you became an \u201cinstant friend\u201d with many people at the theater. What is your fondest memory of that opening?<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a little bed and breakfast called Beach Street. The owners, Dick and Linda, invited us. We went to breakfast there, and it was so sweet\u2013homemade muffins, friendly, warm and inviting. I can\u2019t wait to go back there. That was my absolute favorite thing about my last trip.<\/p>\n Did you visit Marginal Way, the ocean walk in Ogunquit?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes. And I don\u2019t think it\u2019s marginal at all! That\u2019s a terrible name for it. It\u2019s got such gorgeous views of the ocean. If I had to rename it, I\u2018d rename it \u201cSpectacular Way.\u201d<\/p>\n What were your impressions of the white bridge over Perkins Cove? Did it remind you of anything?<\/strong><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t see it\u2026but that\u2019s a great name for a novel, White Bridge over Perkin\u2019s Cove<\/em>, by Carson Kressley. In fact, I will write that in my downtime.<\/p>\n Could you write a novel in a month?<\/strong><\/p>\n Honey, I can barely read a novel in a month!<\/p>\n From your experience, what does the entertainment industry think of Maine?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think everyone loves Maine. In fact, it wasn\u2019t long ago that I was on a plane, sitting next to Stockard Channing (who played Rizzo in the screen version of Grease<\/em>). She lives most of the year in Maine, and we were talking about it. I think people are realizing the beauty and tranquility of it. I can\u2019t wait to experience that.<\/p>\n What was the most beautiful thing you saw on your last visit?<\/strong><\/p>\n A guy named Luis and the beach, in that order.<\/p>\n What is the first thing you\u2019re going to do when you get into Ogunquit at the end of May?<\/strong><\/p>\n As soon as I get into town, I\u2019m going to go have a big, fat martini and meet some of \u2028the locals.<\/p>\n![\"carson-kressley-guide\"](\"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/carson-kressley-guide.jpg\" "\\"carson-kressley-guide\\"")
The stage at Ogunquit Playhouse is about to be taken hostage and made over in true star fashion. Carson Kressley<\/strong>, Emmy-winning television personality from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy<\/em> and transformational self-esteem booster on How to Look Good Naked<\/em>, will be starring as \u2018Man in Chair\u2019 in The Drowsy Chaperone<\/em>.<\/p>\n
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