PartyLines- photographs by Patrick McMullan

Could you ever imagine a show like Sopranos: The Musical opening on Broadway? “No. Off the top of my head, no, I couldn’t. I think David Chase would probably hang himself before he let such a thing happen.” —Edie Falco

—Bernadette Peters

Are you doing anything particularly British now in order to prepare for the opening of Hair in London this April? “No, that comes as soon as we arrive there. We’ll probably go into full immersion of English culture. It’s probably a bad idea, because it’s an American story, but we need to understand our audience, so I will definitely need to drink lots and lots of Guinness.” —Will Swenson

—Victor Garber

What keeps you performing? “I still have the energy to perform. If you’re blessed with pretty good health and physically able to do it, why would I stop? Can you tell me one reason why I would stop? I can’t. I can’t think of one — unless I was bored, and I’m not.” —Angela Lansbury

—Derrick Baskin

Is it true you met Angela Lansbury for the first time at a Passover seder? “You haven’t lived until you’ve heard Angela Lansbury try to pronounce the word khoroset.” —Charles Busch

—Bonnie Comley

—Christopher Spaulding

Why do you think Angela Lansbury keeps performing as opposed to a life of retirement? “I think it’s in your blood. I mean, I wouldn’t retire either. What a fantastic career she’s had, and it’s still going on. I mean, God bless her. Most actresses would die to stay as valuable as she is. She’s an asset to this country and to the theater” —Jano Herbosch, Drama League President

—Arlene Dahl

Since you got your start on soaps, is soap-opera acting similar to performance art, like James Franco believes? “I guess. They’d be going 5, 4, 3, and I’d have to go, ‘Don’t think about the words. Don’t think about the words.’ And it’s not like film where you’re going to get ten takes, they’re going to roll — unless the whole set wall falls down.” —Donna Murphy