Asked about his gig in The City today, appearing with Scott Nevins for the first time, Wilson Cruz laughs.
“By the time we get there, we will either have something really brilliant, or we’ll have baked cookies for the audience and we can all sit there, eat and have a big love fest,” Cruz said in a recent interview.
Cruz and Nevins share the bill at the Rrazz Room tonight in a unique teaming that could spawn future similar ventures from the two eclectic performers.
Cruz, who has solidified himself as a stellar actor (“My So Called Life,” “Noah’s Arc,” “Party Monster”), will sing — he has a brilliant voice.
Nevins, who generated buzz on truTV’s “The Smoking Gun” and has been described as “a young, sexy, gayer Kathy Griffin,” opens the show with comedy and storytelling.
So, how did these two guys manage to hook up onstage?
“We were kidding around about performing together but finally came up with this concept,” Nevins says. “It’s really an excuse for me not to be alone on tour and really, if it had to be somebody, at least it’s somebody as beautiful as Wilson to at least give me something to look at if I forget what I am talking about.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Cruz jokes.
In addition to each individual’s “set,” look for a sit-down interview between the two reminiscent of “The Judy Garland Show.”
“I promise you, it will be very funny, with lots of juicy stories,” Nevins says.
While the duo’s banter is infectious, at the core, each performer exhibits a deep desire to make an impact.
“I love being an actor,” Cruz says, “but what I enjoy the most is when I feel like I am being used in a way that helps convey what our experience is today as gay and lesbian people. I feel like that’s when I have been of the most use.”
Nevins appreciates reaching a wider audience on television but says, “There’s nothing like a live audience; the people in front of you.”
“There’s an energy that goes back and forth. The thing I love about Wilson is that he’s been an openly gay performer for years. And when I started performing, I made the decision to be openly gay. I think honesty sets you free. With truth and honesty come the great stories.”
IF YOU GO
Wilson Cruz and Scott Nevins
Where: Rrazz Room, Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St., San Francisco
When: 8 p.m. today
Tickets: $30
Contact: (800) 901-7173, www.therrazzroom.com
artsentertainmentOther ArtsRrazz RoomSan Francisco
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