INTERVIEW: Max Crumm is a kid again in ‘That Parenting Musical’
Photo: Max Crumm stars in That Parenting Musical at Theatre Row. Photo courtesy of Maria Baranova / Provided by KSA PR with permission.
Max Crumm, the accomplished actor who has graced stages all around New York City and beyond, is currently tackling a role they started preparing for as a child. That’s right, Crumm can be seen multiple times per week playing a toddler, certainly one of their most unique characters to date. They are currently appearing in That Parenting Musical, which is receiving its New York premiere at Theatre Row, Theatre 3, courtesy of Ember Productions. Performances are on sale through January 2025.
In the show, Mom and Dad are trying their best to stay awake, but the new toddler in the house is keeping them up at ungodly hours during the night. Crumm is that toddler, officially known as “Child 1.” Throughout the telling of this tale, audiences laugh along to jokes about the absurdities of parenthood, everything from the juggling act of responsibilities to yoga pants to the dangers that seem to be around every corner. The musical was created by the self-described “Mom and Dad” team of Graham Fuller and Kristina Fuller, while Jen Wineman directs and choreographs, according to press notes.
“It’s been going great,” Crumm said in a recent phone interview. “We’re just now finding our groove, getting our audiences, growing the peeps through word of mouth, and it’s going great.”
Crumm, who appeared on Broadway in Disaster! and Grease, connected to this project back in April of 2023. The actor was brought on by a casting company and signed on the dotted line because Crumm and Wineman worked together on another off-Broadway show approximately 10 years ago.
“I knew it would be a good time, so I said, ‘Of course, I’d love to,'” Crumm said. “So I’ve just been fortunate enough to be apart of all the readings and workshops since then and then got to be in the production, so we did a workshop last April and then another one in October of last year where we really ramped up and created a little more of what it is. And then now we’re here, which is insane.”
Crumm said they love the Fullers’ music, describing the songs as one banger after another, so they were jumping at the chance to bring these tunes to life. Also, the actor appreciated that the emphasis is more on a libretto than a traditional book. “The show is kind of a song cycle strung together,” Crumm said. “I love that sort of magical, whimsical [quality], but still in a one story structure. And also playing a toddler, that’s a dream role. It’s what everybody wants. … I do play lots of silly characters, and I’m kind of known for physical comedy a bit. But now in my older years, I’m like, please no physical comedy. [laughs] But I think I’m a very authentically childlike person in general. I grew up with a family that kind of heralded fun and whimsicality and music over most things, so this has kind of been in a way a departure from roles that had been harder for me, which is like playing normal people. I kind of get to relax and put on a onesie and show people how really weird I am.”
Preparation for this role came to Crumm early in their life. After all, everyone has been a child at one point, so the actor relied on those early experiences to better inform their character of Child 1.
“You don’t have to have a kid to have an experience with the show itself, and the way it’s presented is almost like, it’s not as stark as if aliens were to be studying humans to show what it’s like to be a parent,” they said. “It’s sort of parents from their own point of view. … That’s where I think the comedy lies. It’s very self-aware. It’s very referential. There’s never really been a space like this. There’s never really been a show like this that’s just dedicated to parents, to kids, to raising humans, to what it means to be a family unit, grow and that sort of thing, which I think is pretty unique. Obviously there are a lot of Broadway shows and plays that are about family units and what it’s like to grow, but this is specifically about random things, like trying to travel with your kids and how it’s terrible, or your best friend who doesn’t have kids and hates kids, and you ask her to babysit. What’s that like? Things like that.”
Crumm added: “Graham and Kristina are pretty great about collaboration. In my experience with them, it’s been excellent. They have changed certain things here and there. They wrote a song for me, which is really cool. There’s a new song in the show, which I love. It’s called ‘A Little Bit of Space.’ … So the thing has been flowing and changing. They were totally down to put different songs in different places and workshop it. They’ve been doing it so much, and I think they wanted this version to be the tightest, fastest, funniest version. And I think that’s what we’re giving, I hope.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
That Parenting Musical, featuring Max Crumm, continues at Theatre Row, Theatre 3, courtesy of Ember Productions. Click here for more information and tickets.
