Longtime Atlantans remember him for his lauded performance in 1998 as a psychopath in a Horizon Theatre production of “The Food Chain.”
But in the 13 years since nabbing “best actor” kudos from the local theater community, Glenn Rainey has starred in the Broadway production (and national tour) of “Beauty and the Beast,” provided vocals for Disney’s “Enchanted” and “The Shaggy Dog” films and appeared in numerous shows produced by Theater of the Stars, Alliance Theater Company and the Atlanta Lyric Theatre.
He’s back with his old friends at Theater of the Stars this week for a staging of Frank Loesser’s stalwart musical, “Guys and Dolls,” which features him as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, a role defined by Stubby Kaye in the original 1950 Broadway production and the 1955 film.
Rainey, a native of Newnan. and graduate of University of Georgia and Theater Emory, moved from back to his hometown from New York in 2006 to help care for his mother after she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
The veteran actor, 53, checked in last week to talk about playing the gambler in Loesser’s chestnut and why he’s looking forward to his next role, as a theater critic.
Q: What attracted you to the part of Nicely-Nicely?
A: It's a perfect role for me. I can't believe I've never done the show since most people do it earlier in their career, but I always used to audition with "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat." The vocal parts are high and I'm a high tenor. He's a very funny character, a very sympathetic character. That's pretty much me!
Q: Did you watch anyone else’s performance to prepare?
A: I try never to be influenced by what other people have done. I did see the 1994 revival with Nathan Lane, but that's the only time I've seen [the show]. I did see the film with Stubby Kaye, even though it's a really watered-down version. It's not as physical as the live production.
Q: Where do you think “Guys and Dolls” fits in the pantheon of classic musicals?
A: Really the piece itself, the beauty of Frank's writing, it's just one of those musicals that's classic because the music is so good. You'll walk out of the theater humming and know at least three or four songs since so many of them have become popular. You have some of the most beautiful love songs like "I've Never Been in Love Before."
Q: Aside from Broadway being, well, Broadway, did you prefer that type of stationary production or do you like being on the road?
A: I did the first national tour of "Beauty and the Beast" for a year, a big tour, about six-to-10 weeks in every city. This ["Guys and Dolls"] tour has been great. The producers have really taken care of us and I like the shorter tours because I have a home now. It doesn't allow me to be as much of a vagabond as I used to be.
Q: Are you doing anything music-wise, aside from the show?
A: Every once in awhile I get a call from Michael Kosarin, the music director from "Enchanted" and "Beauty and the Beast." But he's been so busy with "Sister Act" [on Broadway] and [new musical] "Leap of Faith," he hasn't had time for Disney. But you never know.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I'm doing a play at the Aurora Theatre [in Lawrenceville] called "Gray Area" [opening in October]. It's the story of a caustic theater critic whose last radio broadcast slams Civil War re-enactors. I play the critic.
Q: That ought to be fun to be on the other side.
A: It's going to be a very nice turn of events [laughs]. But seriously, critics here have been very, very, very kind to me. I've had a great experience in Atlanta. To come back to it after being gone for eight years ... it was wonderful to be embraced again.
Theater preview
“Guys and Dolls”
8 p.m. Aug. 16-19. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Aug. 20. 1:30 and 7 p.m. Aug. 21. $30-$70. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree Street N.E., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
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