At this point, Johnny Lloyd is just making excuses for why he’s not on Glee. He can sing and he can act, but the last time he was almost on television, things didn’t go so well. A member of Mortar Board, an a cappella superstar in Counterparts and a staple in Penn’s theatre world, he’s producing The Mousetrap, an iNtuitons play opening tonight.
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Street: If you were in a reality show, which would it be? Johnny Lloyd: Intervention, because of my addiction to Intervention.
Street: What will you miss most about Penn? JL: The Starbucks under Commons. My life will be so much worse when I can’t bursar mediocre coffee.
Street: Favorite Disney Channel Original Movie? JL: Smart House, if only for the dance sequences.
Street: There are two types of people at Penn… JL: People who have been to Crown Fried Chicken and people who have never truly experienced happiness.
Street: My PennCard looks like I’m… JL: A completely normal, well adjusted person. Clearly not an accurate representation of me.
Street: What is the weirdest dream you’ve ever had? JL: My grandmother is a zombie and the only way for me to escape is for me to blow my house up. I run into the woods where I have a great conversation with a bear, and then I wake up.
Street: If you taught at class at Penn, what would it be? JL: MUSC 287 — Experimenting with Jin Jos.
Street: You’re this week’s ego. Who’s your alter–ego? JL: J. Grimes. J. Grimes is excellent at flip cup and has fantastic hand–eye coordination despite his astigmatism, awkwardly long limbs and utter lack of athletic skills.
Street: What don’t people know about you? JL: When I was in the fourth grade I was in a television pilot for PBS. The show was called “Wendy Wonderland.” In the pilot, Wendy and her two closest friends (including me) traveled in a spaceship to visit the planets and teach children about science while we sang and danced with a French mad scientist. It didn’t get picked up, which ruined my dreams of being the next Tahj Mowry.
Street: What is the best thing about theatre? JL: Meeting crazy people. Making it rain on stage — literally. Character exploration. Watching your friends become prisoners and clowns and grandparents through makeup and movement. Hiding bananas in the show poster.
Street: What idea is most important to you? JL: Take big risks. Especially artistically — there’s no way of knowing if the craziest idea is going to work unless you try it and dedicate yourself to it fully.
Street: You sing and you act, any reason you’re not on Glee? JL: I’d like to say it’s because I don’t fit a stereotype like the characters on the show, but it’s really because they haven’t answered any of my calls, e–mails or letters with my resume and headshot. You know where to find me, Ryan Murphy.
Street: On that note, if you could spontaneously burst into a musical number, what song would it be and where would you do it? JL: “Sleazy” by Ke$ha, anywhere and everywhere.
Street: What’s your dream role? JL: Justin Bieber in the stage interpretation of Never Say Never.
