EDGE Interview: Actor Sean Bell Finds Perfect Harmony in his Broadway Debut

In the musical "Harmony," Sean Bell plays Robert "Bobby" Biberti, a business-minded German opera bass who is instrumental to the success of the close harmony musical group, the Comedian Harmonists. While unknown today, in the 1920s and 1930s, this six-man group were the Backstreet Boys of their day, especially in their native Germany.

They were also evenly divided amongst religious affiliations, with three being Jewish and three being gentiles, which becomes an issue in the show's second act when the Nazis target the Jewish members. Prior to that, the musical, with music by Barry Manilow and book and lyrics by his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman in their Broadway debut, presents a breezy overview of the group's rise-to-fame, which brought them to Carnegie Hall and appearances with Josephine Baker. The tension in the second half comes with whether or not the group could continue to exist, and its Jewish members survive under the Nazis. They broke up in 1934, but the members thankfully survived, most living to an old age.

Among them are Bobby (Sean Bell) is the well-connected German gentile whose semi-aristocratic background helps the group escape a jam or two. The musical marks Bell's Broadway debut (along with four other actors who play the group members). While this may be his first time on a Broadway stage, Bell has a crowded resume of musical theater roles in regional theaters, and toured in the musical version of "The Bronx Tale."

EDGE spoke to Bell recently about how "Harmony" came into his life, working with Barry Manilow, and "Harmony" has become speaks to the rising tide of antisemitism in today's world.

EDGE: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Sean Bell: I'm from New Jersey originally and I've been living in New York City for quite a while now. I started acting professionally when I was 20 years old. I started performing in community theater in third grade. I was in the Spring Lake Theatre Co. production of Music Man. I'm a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. I came out in high school when I was 15 years old, which back then felt a little bit early. Kids these days coming out early, which is fantastic. I'm so thrilled and I couldn't be happier to be part of this production.

EDGE: What attracted you to "Harmony?"

Sean Bell: So many things. First, the story. This story is so important. It's a true story about the six men who lived in the 1920s and 1930s and were incredibly famous, successful, and talented. Some of them were Jews and some of them were gentiles. Pretty much all of their material was wiped out by the Nazi regime. Unfortunately, it's a relevant story right now. That's one of the things that drew me to the piece. Also, the role itself is for a young bass-baritone. That's something that you don't really find in musical theater anymore. I'm lucky to perform this material, and Bruce Sussman and Barry Manilow have written some incredible music and they are both incredible. The team is amazing. Warren Carlisle is the best of Broadway and an incredible director.

EDGE: Did you know anything about the story beforehand?

Sean Bell: No, I had not. I don't think most people have. That's one of the good things about the show. I went to Germany this summer, partially for vacation and partially for research. When I was there, I asked around to see if anyone had ever heard of Comedian Harmonists. The older generation said "yes,' but the younger generation said "no." For the most part here in America, nobody knows who they are. So, I knew nothing about the story before auditioning it.

EDGE: Tell us about your role as Bobby.

Sean Bell: Bobby is a prickly character. He's the base of the group. There are six of us and we span from extremely high to extremely low. He's a bit of an antagonist and a perfectionist. He's funny, but he's very dry. He wants what's best for the group, even though sometimes he's a bit of a bear about how he goes around getting it.

EDGE: Playing a real person can be a burden of responsibility. How did you approach the role with authenticity but still be true to yourself?

Sean Bell: That's a great question. I've thought a lot about how these guys have become some of the most important people in our lives. We've never met them, and we never will, but they've made our careers and have become such an integral part of who we are. There's so much material to read and research for these guys and this period. I still keep trying to read and learn even as we're performing so I can incorporate it into the show and my character. Also, as I said, I went to Germany, and I did end up meeting some people who had talked to them and who knew them. I went to the library in Berlin, and I handled some of their original sheet music and got to see their handwritten notes, which was amazing. I visited some of the places they performed and lived. As for integrating ourselves into our roles, all of us do integrate so much of ourselves into these characters. They cast us very well. We're very similar to these guys individually in a lot of ways. I'm sort of the dry-humored curmudgeon of the six of us. We all bring so much of ourselves to these characters on stage, and I think it shows.

EDGE: What have you learned from this role?

Sean Bell: Bobby has a great arc in this story, and he learns to open his heart and not just be business-oriented. He finds an artistic home with this group of guys. I think I'm similar in that way. I can be very focused on work. It's been really lovely to develop a family with this cast. We've all been working together for such a long time now, and we have a shorthand with each other, and we know each other so well. So, it's been nice to open up ourselves in that way. This show is an important message for all. We can never forget all the things that happened in Germany, but this show has driven that message home even more for me. I'm not Jewish, but it is a very Jewish story, and it has made me even more of an ally, I think, than I already was.

EDGE: Manilow describes them as the "Backstreet Boys of their day." Tell me about working with the cast, and how you built synergy.

Sean Bell: It's been great working with them. They're all such incredible musicians and actors. I wouldn't call any of us dancers, but Warren Carlisle pushes us, and we try. Everyone is so committed and focused. We've all been working together now for two years. We did the first workshop of the show back in September of 2021. Some of the things that we learned that first day are still in the show. Just working together for such a long time now we have developed a shorthand with each other where we can look at one another and say, "You're flat or nope, you're not in your mark. Go over there." It's not something you can do with all actors, but the six of us can do it to each other. It's been really lovely working with all five of the other guys. It's a family.

EDGE: What has it been like working with Barry Manilow?

Sean Bell: It's incredible. His ear is amazing and the things he can hear when a whole group of people are singing are incredible. This is an original score. I think people assume this is a jukebox musical. It's not, he wrote this incredible musical theater score, and Bruce Sussman wrote these amazing lyrics and book. They're both so collaborative and they're so open. You would think because Barry is a superstar that he would be a diva. It is the total opposite. He is amazing and kind. I thought it would be scary to work with them, but it is absolutely not. They are both so open, warm, and wonderful.

EDGE: What does the music sound like?

Sean Bell: The music is great. It's a classic musical theater score. A lot of six-part harmony, obviously, but you're going to get to listen to a classic Broadway score. The first act is about their rise and then the second act is about how it all falls apart. With the first act, you're going to get a lot of golden-age era Broadway sounds and with the second act, you're going to get some really beautiful ballads. Sierra Boggess and Julie Benko sing this stunning duet called "Where We Go" and Danny Kornfeld sings "Every Single Day," which is this incredible love ballad. I think it's one of the best Broadway ballads that's been written to date.

EDGE: The musical comes during a moment of increased antisemitic hate. What is it like to tell this story at this time?

Sean Bell: There is a burden of responsibility, at this time, telling this story. I think it's unfortunate that it is so timely. There's so much going on right now in Israel and Palestine, and even beyond that, the rise of antisemitism has been prevalent for many years and that's why it is so important to have Jewish stories on Broadway. We've had great shows like Parade and Leopoldstadt, which were beautiful pieces of theater. I think there should always be a Jewish story being told as often as possible, we need reminders. The new generations need reminders. All the survivors of the Holocaust are unfortunately leaving us. They're very few left. So never forget, never again. We need to remember these stories.

"Harmony" is playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. For more information, click here.