Special Reports

Election 2012: The Musical Dream Candidates Brian Stokes “Stobama” Mitchell and Marc “Dopple-Romney” Kudisch React

The stars offer their thoughts on the production.

Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell stars in the imaginary <i>Election 2012: The Musical</i> as newly reelected President Barack Obama.
Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell stars in the imaginary Election 2012: The Musical as newly reelected President Barack Obama.

In the end, it wasn’t even close.

TheaterMania’s (imaginary) Election 2012: The Musical incumbent presidential candidate, Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell (aka “Stobama”), beat Tony nominee Marc “Doppel-Romney” Kudisch by a hefty few thousand or so votes.

We invited the actors to respond to their casting, and the election results themselves, in character. Here’s what they told us.

“I am honored to have gained the popular vote as President Barack Obama in TheaterMania’s imaginary Election 2012: The Musical,” Stobama replied.

Not to be outdone, Doppel-Romney Kudisch had this to say:

“Thank you, thank you free citizens for your support, thank you for even thinking of me; I certainly wasn’t. Thank you for exercising your God-given right to nominate the fella you most believe can lead this great country forward…

Tony nominee Marc Kudisch appears in the company of the imaginary <i>Election 2012: The Musical</i> as newly defeated presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Tony nominee Marc Kudisch appears in the company of the imaginary Election 2012: The Musical as newly defeated presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

I wish it had been me…..

I truly wish it had been me. I’m not completely sure why I wished this, but gosh, I really would have liked to have found out. I’ll bet I would have been good.”

Not surprisingly, the gentlemen politicians are in complete agreement about how the future needs to progress. Stobama added, “A Broadway musical is an impossibly complex collaboration between all kinds of different folks — producers, investors, directors, writers, crew, designers, actors, dancers, and musicians — working together to make something wonderful happen that is much greater than ‘self.’ C’mon, Washington…if WE can do it so can YOU!!!”

Doppel-Romney said, “It’s about working together now, listening to the needs of others, and finding common ground. Wow, I just said that. And you know what, I’m gonna say it again: IT’S TIME TO WORK TOGETHER. Yessir, that felt good! It felt…right. Why didn’t I think of that before?”

A late addition to the company of the imaginary <i>Election 2012: The Musical</i> is Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as political pundit James Carville.
A late addition to the company of the imaginary Election 2012: The Musical is Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as political pundit James Carville.

Meanwhile, political pundit James Carville, played by Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris, (heretofore known as Carbon Copy Carville) weighs in:

“Obviously I am deliriously overjoyed with the performance of Election 2012: The Musical. My sweet wife, conservative pundit Mary Matalin, and I watched the results from our separate bedrooms and, when the furious shrieks from her end of the house finally gave way to mournful sobs, I cautiously knocked on her door. It took a bit of effort to push the door open, mostly because she had stuffed her wedding dress under it to keep the scent of her herbal consolation (go Colorado!) from drifting to the kids’ rooms, but I eventually found her curled on the floor, passed out, her Book of Mormon Original Broadway Cast Recording squawking faintly from her iPod. We spooned til dawn…Geaux Bama!”

Elaine Strich's Stool plays Clint Eastwood's Empty Chair in the imaginary <i>Election 2012: The Musical</i>.
Elaine Strich’s Stool plays Clint Eastwood’s Empty Chair in the imaginary Election 2012: The Musical.

Elaine Stritch’s Stool from the legendary actress’ award-winning Elaine Stritch at Liberty, who portrayed Clint Eastwood’s Empty Chair in Election 2012: The Musical, had three parting words for TheaterMania:

“I’m still heeeeeeerrrrrreeeeeee!”

Click here for more information on Election 2012: The Musical.