Every third Wednesday, a fabulous actor/singer/dancer will fill out my nosey little questionnaire and offer a glimpse of what they look like from a bit closer than the mezzanine. For August, we’re getting real (and reality show) with a headline grabbing man of the month…

Thayne Jasperson. Photo by Kevin Garcia for NEXT Magazine.

Name: Thayne Jasperson

Hometown: Evanston WY/ Springville UT ( I grew up in both so I never know what to say.) I was raised a country boy.

Current Show/Role: Darcy/Jo Jo (short for Jorgelino Josefino De La Guerra)/Newsies.

The best part of the show I’m in now is: It’s about us. So it’s meaty for the Newsie ensemble. We dance hard, sing crazy high and are present the whole show. I love it!

The most challenging job in show business I ever had was: So You Think You Can Dance — you’re always at risk of being sent home. You have to create a new solo every time you’re in the bottom 3. No dance space to rehearse. Pressured for time. Live results show for millions of viewers. Crazy but amazing experience.

If I wasn’t an actor, I would be: choreographer/teacher… Or a traveling gypsy seeing the world piece by piece. I love travel.

Places, Intermission or Curtain Call? Definitely not curtain call; it’s the hardest dancing in our show for me. Probably Places. I have the prologue where I’m alone in the dressing room. I often meditate on life and this fantastic experience, warm up, sing along to “Santa Fe”…

The best pre-show dinner and post-shot cocktail in town are at: I don’t drink, but gimme some thick, rich, store-bought chocolate milk and I’m elated! Food:  sushi or anywhere with a hearty chicken and vegetable spinach salad… And an almost doughy cookie.

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