When people find out I wrote Hamlet, their first question is always “which came first, the music or the lyrics?” The traditional answer is, of course, to slap that person in the face. But in all seriousness, I am very proud of the songs in that show, and the variety of genres they represent. Whether it’s Gertrude’s wistful “How Are Things in Hedehusene-Fløng?,” or the toe-tapping “Luck Be Laertes Tonight,” or Ophelia’s rollicking “I Could Have Drowned All Night,” there's just something magical about watching a character sing their feelings. Frankly, if the final words uttered by Hamlet – “I stab you now” – weren’t set to music, they would sound borderline ridiculous.
Is it true that in an earlier version, you featured the entire ensemble eating nachos and singing, "How are things with guacamole"?
That's correct. We eventually replaced that number with "There is Nothing Like a Dane."