As the omniscient wedding planner Albert, Edward Hibbert brings his signature brand of humor to May's show of the month, the wedding-set musical comedy It Shoulda Been You. It’s the perfect role for the beloved actor known for “Frasier” (food critic Gil Chesterton), Jeffrey, Curtains, Noises Off, Mrs. Warren’s Profession and the bartender who talks Goldie Hawn off a ledge in The First Wives Club. Below, BroadwayBox catches up with Hibbert—who btw is also a literary agent in addition to being an actor—to discuss the fabulous and flamboyant Albert, what books everyone should be reading this summer, and why he owes it all to Dame Maggie Smith.
1. If Albert was given his own wedding planning reality TV show, what would it be called?
It would be a game show called "Marry, Kiss, Kill" in which a prospective bride would date three men, then decide which option to employ on which. The show's twist would be that if Albert disagreed with her choice of who to marry and who to kill, he would dispose of her poorly chosen groom at the altar, uttering his famous catch phrase "Sorry, Bridey—Albert Knows Best!"
2. As a respected literary agent, can you give us three books everyone should read this summer?
My client, the miraculous Chuck Palahniuk will make his graphic novel debut with a sequel to Fight Club to be published by Dark Horse Comics in monthly installments, starting this month. Next month, Doubleday will publish his short story collection, Make Something Up. In turn, uproariously funny, outrageous, poignant and, unforgettable. In September, Viking will publish another client, Brian Kellow's deliciously riveting biography of uber-agent Sue Mengers, Can I Go Now?
3. It’s hard to watch TV in the morning or at night without stumbling across a "Frasier" rerun; when this happens to you, do you watch or keep going?
When I catch a rerun, it's always a nostalgic treat. It affirms what a superb ensemble of actors and writers contributed to the enduring success of this classic.
4. What performance would you credit with inspiring you to become an actor?
Maggie Smith in The Country Wife.
5. What’s your most low-brow/traditionally trashy obsession?
Watching “Intervention” and “Hoarders."
Catch Edward Hibbert as the delicious icing atop the 'It Shoulda Been You' wedding cake at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
