How Paulo Szot’s Booming Voice Affected a Pregnant Kelli O’Hara

Paulo Szot—winner of Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World Awards for his Main Stem debut as Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center Theater’s South Pacific revival—is now charming audiences nightly as Lance in the Tony-nominated jukebox musical & Juliet at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

The São Paulo native, who was also Olivier-nominated for his West End debut in the London staging of South Pacific, is nearing two years in & Juliet, the hit pop reimagining of the Shakespeare classic that explores what would have happened had Juliet not taken her own life.

The Broadway and opera favorite will also reprise his Tony-winning role as de Becque in LCT's one-night-only gala concert presentation of South Pacific December 9 at the Vivian Beaumont. Again directed by Bartlett Sher, the evening will feature fellow original revival cast members Kelli O'Hara, Matthew Morrison, Danny Burstein, Loretta Ables Sayre, Sean Cullen, Victor Hawks, Luka Kain, Li Jun Li, Laurissa Romain, Skipp Sudduth, and Noah Weisberg.

On Broadway, Szot also played slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the Tony-winning revival of Chicago, a role he reprised in his native Brazil. His numerous other theatre and opera roles also include Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Juan Peron in Evita, Escamillo in Carmen, Almaviva in Marriage of Figaro, Germont in Traviata, the title roles in Don Giovanni and Onegin, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly.

In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Szot shares why he still looks forward to performing in & Juliet each night and how his rendition of "Some Enchanted Evening" greatly affected former co-star O'Hara.

Paulo Szot and Philippe Arroyo in *& Juliet* Matthew Murphy

Where did you train/study?
Paulo Szot: I took violin, piano, ballet in Brazil growing up; there was this performing arts school in my little town, actually owned by my sister—that helped.

Then, when I turned 17, I got a scholarship to study at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
Many coaches and teachers in different fields. In this business we need help all the time, a pair of outside eyes and ears to mentor, guide you, and to tell what’s working and what can be improved.

But I guess, here, I would acknowledge my first opera teacher. She was in her 60s when I met her, after having herself a wonderful career as a soloist at the Bytom Opera House. She taught me discipline and allowed only vocalizes for the entire first year; she wanted to have the foundation of the classical technique really built in before singing songs or arias. After a few years, she was the one signing me in for voice competitions and auditions. If it wasn’t for her support and guidance, I don’t know if I would have become an opera singer. It is not an easy career. Her name was Janina Kuszyk.

A lot of your career has been performing opera, and you won your Tony singing Rodgers and Hammerstein. What was the process like for you making these pop songs fit your voice?
I grew up liking, playing, and singing all kinds of music in Brazil, but undeniably opera was the genre that gave me more opportunities in the beginning of my career. Also, the classical technique allowed me to play with my voice without hurting it. It is like someone who has a ballet technique using it to dance contemporary, modern dance; I feel that way, too, with my voice. The styles are going to be different, but the technique is the same. Again, to quote my first voice teacher: “Solid technique would give me flexibility.” She was right.

You've been in & Juliet for almost two years. How do you keep your performance fresh during such a long run?
First of all, I love & Juliet, and it does not feel like it has been two years, OMG!!! I always believed in the theatre as a social channel of communication, where many possible situations of a daily life are presented. Many people identify immediately with the characters, others empathize, judge, like, or dislike. But the main purpose is to communicate. Now, to play Lance, a father who struggles with aging, generational conflicts, and acceptance, was something I really wanted to embrace when I got invited to join the family of & Juliet. I knew that the message I would be responsible of delivering every night could impact many kids who identify themselves as many characters in & Juliet. That alone makes me look forward to go to the theatre every night. Also, the feedback from these kids, dads, moms is so rewarding that I believe that it is the biggest motivation to keep it alive and fresh every night. The subjects in & Juliet, they matter.

Paulo Szot and Kelli O'Hara in *South Pacific*. Joan Marcus

Can you share a favorite memory working with Kelli O'Hara in South Pacific?
It is a very difficult task to choose one favorite moment because there were many special moments with Kelli, as I felt I was the luckiest person on Earth to have Kelli as my leading lady.

But here is one memory that made me very touched and happy like never before: After a few months doing the show at LCT, Kelli got pregnant with her first child, but kept performing as she was in incredible shape still dancing all the dances, climbing ladders, and being amazing as Kelli always is. So, during one show, “Some Enchanted Evening,” I look at her and noticed that she looked different, with wide open eyes, a surprised face, but pleasant, so I kept singing: “Never let her go…” When we got off stage, she comes to me and says, “When you started to sing, it was the first time I felt a kick from the baby!” And I didn’t know how to react. From that moment on, little Owen was kicking Mommy Kelli almost every night at the same phrase of the song. Pretty amazing…

Do you have a dream stage role and/or any role you would like to revisit?
I feel very blessed and lucky to have already had so many opportunities, really. As a boy growing up in the suburbs of Brazil, I could never even dare to dream to be on Broadway, to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, or to be awarded with a Tony (handed by Liza Minnelli!). Sometimes, I do have to pinch myself as I am grateful for each opportunity. I still look forward to being able to perform for as long as I can still make people laugh, cry, and feel touched. There are roles that I love and never got to play and there are others that I would love to revisit, yes, but I leave it to the gods of theatre.

Tell me about a time you almost gave up but didn’t.
During the pandemic, it was really hard for everyone, of course. The fear, so many tragedies and fatalities before we got the vaccines, and we didn’t know the full extension of this tragedy; but it was really difficult to have the emotional strength to keep working on your voice and body at home without any perspective of where or when we would go back to the stages. It took almost two years for me…

What do you consider your big break?
South Pacific without any doubt or hesitation. That opportunity changed everything in my life, and I am forever grateful to Andre Bishop, Bart Sher, R&H organizations, and everyone involved with that wonderful revival.

What is the most memorable day job you ever had?
When I got my first contract as a professional singer. I was 18 years old working at the State Polish and Song Company Śląsk. I will never forget that first day.

Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
I do respect and admire everyone in the arts. You practically say goodbye to your loved ones, birthdays, gatherings, no weekends or holidays… For example, as an opera singer, every month you are in a different city, country, where you don’t have friends and family. It gets very lonely. If you don’t absolutely love the theatre, it gets very difficult.

Tell me about a job/opportunity you really wanted but didn’t get. How did you get over that disappointment?
Many jobs, OMG! I started my professional life 35 years ago, so you can imagine the amount of disappointments… But you know what, for every no, you just work harder and harder. I mean, rejection and disappointment are part of this business because when you least expect, after an audition you thought you bombed, that’s when you get the job. I mean, you never know.

What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
Learn more! More instruments, more languages, more coachings, more of everything. But I wouldn’t change a thing. I value every step, every stumble, failures and achievements.

And here’s an advice that comes from a very wise actress, Fernanda Montenegro: “If you question yourself about becoming an artist, don’t become one! Get away, go do something else! But, if while trying to do something else, you realize that you cannot live without the theatre, then come back. Only then you will know where you belong.”

What do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
Hmm…not every party and going crazy as a young person is worth the hangover…

What is your proudest achievement as an actor?
The joy of being able to share the stage with actors, opera singers, directors, and conductors that are committed to honor the theatre as a very special space, as it is. I had the blessing of working with a few of these amazing humans throughout my career, and when that happens, it is a paradise on Earth.