David Josefsberg (Honeymoon in Vegas, Grease, Altar Boyz) is back on Broadway with a hilarious take on the archangel Michael opposite Sean Hayes' God in the LOL comedy An Act of God.
BroadwayBox caught up with Josefsberg to get his take on five film performances that got God and the Angels right.
Okay, so before I begin, if I do it this way, (with God and Angels) some people are going to be left out. Ahem, Charlton Heston, Whoopi Goldberg…Burning Bush voices….Too bad—you all are great—but I’m playing an Angel so I gots to represent! Okay, first a God or two.
George Burns (Oh, God!, Oh, God! Book II, Oh God! You Devil)
Come on! He looks like God should look. Relaxed, smoking a cigar, 142 years old…AND it was probably the first movie I ever saw of God—which is weird because I wasn’t born when it came out….ahem….yes I was!
Morgan Freeman (Bruce, Evan…All the Almighties)
(Is that how you spell that?) First of all, Morgan Freeman could do anything and I’d love it. And as God….he does not disappoint! Again, I love his look for God….His calm demeanor, his mischievous smile and that voice! Yep, he’s the God I want to hang with!
Alanis Morissette (Dogma)
And I’m not being ironic (hey, oh!) But seriously folks….I think she was funny, and I really loved the seriousness of the film!
John Travolta (Michael)
On to the Angels. I think we all have to agree when we think of Angels, the first person that comes to mind is John Travolta (what?). Not really, BUT, he did play a character being portrayed on The Great White Way by an actor so wonderful, so deeply connected, and SO amazingly talented….of course I speak of the angel Michael. (I can’t remember the actors name playing the role at The Booth theater). Dazeem’s Michael was a boozing, smoking slob still capable of imparting unexpected wisdom…just like me. (quote taken from Roger Ebert) RIP
Al Pacino in the Outfield
For my final choice can I have two. Angels in the Outfield and Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate. I mean, I love baseball, I love Christopher Lloyd, and c’mon….TONY DANZA….Yep, that’s enough for me. And as for Pacino in Devil’s Advocate…first of all, the creepy performances were all awesome (angels, fallen angels, it’s all good, right) Secondly, I am from Long Island so we are required to love Billy Joel and Deborah Gibson...which I do. When I was a kid I got a signed autograph picture of “Debbie”, AND after I met her on the Grease tour, “Deborah” and I went to that movie together! Oh, and my dad used to occasionally bodyguard for Mr. Pacino and I got to meet him too. So, Devil’s Advocate…yeah!
See David Josefsberg opposite Sean Hayes in ‘An Act of God’ at the Booth Theatre through September 4.
