EDGE New York City

For Bobby Steggert, the fresh-scrubbed, irresistibly sexy star of shows as disparate as 110 in the Shade and The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island, Stephen Sondheim’s iconic lyric about show business survival, "Top billing Monday, Tuesday you’re touring in stock...I’m still here" has lately proven to have a ring of truth to it. But this costar of the prematurely shuttered revival of The Kennedy Center’s sensational production of Ragtime-in which he won rave reviews as Mother’s Younger Brother-has rebounded by starring in the upcoming Off-Broadway production of Yank!, which began previews at The York on February 16.

Steggert is effusive about the project, which has been near and dear to his heart since he starred in The Gallery Players’ critically acclaimed Brooklyn production in late 2007. "It’s been an emotional roller-coaster," Steggert said reflectively a few weeks ago on a break from rehearsals. "I tried very hard to get a leave of absence from Ragtime to do Yank!, but they wouldn’t budge; they wouldn’t even consider it," he says laughing. "So I’m poor again but I’m very grateful. I have something to put my heart into and it makes waking up every day really exciting."

A sexy WWII musical that follows a love affair between solders Stu (Steggert) and Mitch (Ivan Hernandez) long before the days of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," Yank! features music by Joseph Zellnik; book and lyrics by his brother, David Zellnik; and direction by Igor Goldin-the same team since Yank! came into being in 2005 and won NYMF’s award for Outstanding New Musical.

In addition to Yank!’s sassy book and melodic score, audiences are consistently struck by the incredible onstage passion between Stu and Mitch. That sentiment pleases Steggert, though he relates it’s a display that comes with risk. "Well, to be honest, it really was scary at first," he says. "Such real and complex intimacy with any actor is scary because you have to put yourself out there in front of a lot of people. [Brooklyn co-star] Maxime de Toledo and I became very good friends, trusted each other and knew we had each other’s back, and that trust translated into real openness onstage. I think we both felt very safe with each other." And what about his new co-star, Hernandez? "The same thing is happening with Ivan. We’re finding real comfort with each other and real respect for one another as performers and people. As long as we have that you’ll find that we have the same intimacy and that their relationship will register just as real."

As to Yank!’s relevance today, Steggert is emphatic. "It’s kind of incredible that 70 years later we’re still struggling with the very simple rights for two people to love and live together. Though it’s set during WWII you could set it now and it’s quite pertinent to what the gay community is struggling with today." No argument here!

Yank opens on February 24, 2010 at The Theater at Saint Peter’s. For more information visit the Yank The Musical website.