“So, growing up around that was quite interesting. Luckily, there were some great community theaters and my mom took me to see productions, like Oklahoma, and put me into acting classes. “I started taking dance classes around age 14, and I went to a musical theater summer camp,” he explained. “That’s when I started looking at it as a potential ca- reer.” And that leads us to the present day, when his agent submitted him for a role in The Big Gay Musical, in which he initially had mixed feelings about partaking. “When they called her to let me know that I was going in for The Big Gay Musical, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! This could be either really hilarious or really terrible.” And, although he didn’t try out for the role of Eddie, it eventually seemed to
be the most logical choice for the performer and the behind-the-scenes players, including co-directors Casper Andreas and Fred M. Caruso. However, the process may have left Dudding feeling a wee bit schizophrenic. “They gave me the scene to read for Scott – who’s the guy that Eddie goes home with at the bar—so it was really a minor sort of role,” he explained. “I had to go in and sing a song for them, and then they said, ‘Read Paul.’ “So, I went out in the hallway and read through the Paul stuff and did a cold read
of that,” Dudding said. “And I felt connected to it, because I feel a little bit more like Paul than I am Eddie. And, right after I read that for them, they said, ‘You know what? Take a look at the other side.’ So, I switched characters and read for Eddie, and I think everyone could just tell it was a little bit better fit. I found out after my second audition that they wanted me to play Eddie.” But, Dudding wasn’t only playing Eddie; he was also portraying Steve in the musical portion of the show, which caused him some consternation about his methodology at first. “I thought about that when I approached the script,” he stated. “I was like,
‘Should I make these characters really different? Should I consciously try to make changes?’ I think the script informed us on how to play these characters, because Steve is similar to Eddie—they’re not radically different characters. “Steve is a little campier than Eddie, he was the musical theater version of him…being Eddie was just me being natural.” Speaking of natural, as is au natural, the part did call for the aforementioned
sex scene, and was definitely made more comfortable two-fold. One portion of the equation is that it is part of his character’s progression, and secondly, it gives new meaning to the term f**k buddy, as Dudding explained. “I think I was more concerned with going to the gym and looking good,” he answered with a chuckle. “The guy that played Scott is Ryan Overberg, and he’s a friend of mine. So, it wasn’t totally awkward to be naked with him. I just went in and they just let us touch and filmed a little bit here and there—so it was very clinical and I wasn’t too nervous.” Something else the 30-year-old wasn’t worried about was what could be
viewed as a potentially hot button issue, with the film’s themes of a religious nature. “I hope it would be controversial,” he proclaimed. “I think it plays it safer, in a good way, and I don’t think it will turn anyone with strong religious convictions off; because ultimately the message is acceptance, tolerance and love, which is the true message of Christianity that is lost in a lot of arguments coming from the religious right these days.” “And being a musical comedy makes it easier to swallow,” he said before asking
for that quote not to be used. Sorry, Joey…you give good copy! He also believes that the celluloid journey serves another purpose, as well, in the
form of a valuable lesson. “Definitely (it’s about) loving oneself,” he summarized. “It’s about two young guys trying to figure out things. Eddie learns it’s okay to be Chris- tian and gay. But, it also shows audiences that they don’t have to deny themselves an opportunity, because they’re afraid they are going to make a bad decision.”
For ticket and schedule information for FilmOut, log onto filmoutsandiego.com
Joey Dudding as Eddie in The Big Gay Musical
APRIL 2010 | RAGE monthly 19
Paul (Daniel Robinson) and Eddie (Joey Dudding) in The Big Gay Musical
Paul (Daniel Robinson) and Eddie (Joey Dudding) in The Big Gay Musical
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