By Jennifer Bill

Ex-Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson is set to dazzle Toronto theatre-goers as the male lead in the hit musical “Chicago.”

Former Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson is getting set to razzle dazzle Toronto in the fourth return of the hit musical Chicago.

Having played hot-shot lawyer Billy Flynn on Broadway in 2002, a run in San Francisco and then in London’s west-end in 2003, Richardson is “getting his chops back” to reignite the lead role at the Princess of Wales Theatre from Nov. 21-Dec. 3.

No stranger to the live stage, Richardson was part of the sensational pop fivesome that broke several records in its continuing 14-year career, including stealing the title of highest-selling boyband of all-time. Named the “Sexiest Pop Star” by People Magazine in 1999, Richardson, 35, will no doubt take on the Bob Fosse choreography and suave Flynn persona in stride.

Q. So Billy will be brought back to life in Toronto. Do you think you’ll be able to settle right back into the role?

A. I gotta get my chops back, I gotta get in rehearsal. I broke out my script and I’ve been working on it. It should come back to me OK, I’m surprised at all the lines I still remember, but when you do that many shows it’s kinda hard to get it out of your system.

Q. Is theatre fun for you?

A. Oh, I love it. I grew up doing theatre … and when I was working in Orlando, Fla., I did some community theatre and dinner theatre down there when I was working in Walt Disney World (as a tour guide) before I joined the Backstreet Boys. I’m honoured to do such an incredibly written show as Chicago. And I rediscovered another part of me that I want to pursue even more.

Q. How did the role in Chicago come about?

A. Well at that point (in 2002), Nick was doing a solo album and A.J. was making sure everything was good with him on his recovery and rehab. We were all just kind of on a hiatus. Brian and his wife had just had a new child so we were all kinda doing our own thing. And Chicago called my agent, asked if I would be interested in … auditioning for Chicago. And I said absolutely. So I went up to New York, auditioned and got to play Billy Flynn on the Broadway stage at the same time the movie came out. So it was really fun to do it. When I was in rehearsals I went and saw the opening night of the movie in New York City, and that was really cool.

Q. What’s it like playing Billy Flynn?

A. It’s a blast. It’s the best entrance of any character on Broadway — you get to come out with all these girls, chanting your name. Billy’s a fun character. He’s slick, he’s smart, he’s in control, and he runs the show. It’s fun to play an attorney, and do cross-examination in the court room.

Q. What is your favourite part about performing live?

A. You get a great satisfaction out of that because of the energy from the audience, the risk factor that you are taking … of remembering your lines and remembering your blocking and also making it real, making it seem like it’s the first time you’ve ever done it. That’s the challenge.

Occasionally, in theatre and occasionally on stage in a concert — not all the time — you’ll just get in a zone where everything’s clicking. And it’s perfect. And those moments are rare but those moments are what you work for.

Q. How is performing as part of the Backstreet Boys different for you from performing in theatre?

A. I think it’s a different kind of satisfaction and fufillment that you get performing in a musical or in a straight play. Getting to become a character, to embody a character, to totally be someone else, to get laughs from your dialogue. I love it. It’s a totally different type of experience, more intimate. You have parts of your personality that you don’t really show much or aren’t really present much, and you try to find them and bring them up into the character.

Q. Do you miss the heartthrob stardom, and screaming girls?

A. The attention is nice, yes, but it’s nice to get quiet attention too.

Q. How did you ultimately make the decision to leave the Backstreet Boys?

A. I just followed my heart. I tried to listen to my own instincts and what my heart and my gut was telling me. And they told me it was time for me to move on. It’s not always easy to listen to your inner voice, especially with record labels and group members and agents and managers and millions of loyal fans who would like … me to still be involved with the group but ultimately I have to do what makes me happy, and what fufils me. There were things in my life that I still wanted to accomplish and it’s really hard for me to dedicate time in other areas of my life with the Backstreet Boys, and our album cycles and our tours take so much time and energy.

Q. Are you still tight with your Backstreet crew?

A. Absolutely. I mean it’s going on 14 years this year since we got together in 1993. And they’re like my little brothers. They’re totally understanding and totally cool with my decision. And they are going to do a record without me. I’m pretty sure they were supposed to try to have a record finished by the end of this year but that didn’t work out so I think they’re shooting for some time in the beginning of the year, so I wish them the best and we’re all good.

Q. What are some of your greatest memories of performing?

A. One of the highlights, one of the greatest moments was playing that huge stadium in Toronto (ACC) a few nights in a row. That was incredible. The amount of people and the amount of energy, it’s amazing. That place is huge! Amazing.

And even last year when we performed out by the water, the Molson(Amphi)theatre. That’s a beautiful setting to perform in. Performing in front of 90,000 in Rio, in a huge soccer stadium, that was incredible. Performing in a tribute to The Temptations, Boyz 2 Men and the Bee Gees on the Grammys … we performed a tribute to all those great vocal acts, that was incredible. Hearing our song for the first time on the radio, that was an incredible memory. A lot of great memories.

Q. So what else has been on your plate as of late?

A. I have a production company (and) I’m developing new artists. Our first project we did was a soundtrack for the dance documentary … Rize, it was picked up at Sundance by LionsGate. It’s kinda a hip hop dance documentary about a dance movement out of south central L.A. A couple of buddies of mine, it was their idea and we all produced the soundtrack together. So that was exciting, it was a nice way to kinda step out of the box of what people would normally think what a Backstreet Boy would do, producing a hip hop soundtrack.

Some other things I really want to pursue - I want to do more charity work (and) more work with the environment. I started my own environmental foundation in 2000. I would love to do more theatre and I would love to do more film and television.

Q. Have you spent much time in Toronto?

A. I’ve been there many times, but have I spent much time there? No. Normally when we’re there it’s for a day or two and we’re working around the clock. This will be the most time I’ve spent there, so I hope to get out and see some of the things that I haven’t experienced. I did get to have dinner one time in that tower, that was really cool. I got to go to Toronto Raptors time, and a Blue Jays game a while back. but I hope to see more of the culture of Toronto this time. I’m really excited to come back.

Q. What’s the next role you aspire to?

A. Another role I’d really like to play is fatherhood. My wife and I are working on that right now. I’m excited to see what that role has to hold.

Source: Canoe - Jam!