Ben Scheuer’s one-man musical “The Lion” is heading on its national tour. The show takes audiences on Scheuer’s journey from childhood to the present, exploring his relationships with loved ones and his battle with cancer. The minimalism of “The Lion” draws attention to Scheuer’s clothing, which features asymmetrically cut jackets and differently cut trousers. The clothing plays a key role in paralleling the experience of being vulnerable on stage. 

In an interview with WSN, Scheuer discussed his battle with cancer, the importance of his impeccable attire and its relationship with his work.

WSN: Were you always comfortable dressing as nicely as you do?
BS: When I was doing a show in London in 2010, called “Jihad! The Musical,” I was a young guy to be in charge of a production. Everyday I went to a rehearsal, I’d wear a jacket and tie because people took me more seriously. I’d see the photos from rehearsal and I’d think “Oh, I look nice,” like the classic American songbook guys — Frank Loesser, Cole Porter and George Gershwin.

WSN: How does the way you think about clothing change when on stage?
BS: The clothes that I perform in are cut very specifically for performance. The jackets are cut asymmetrically because when I’m playing guitar, my right arm is in a different position than my left arm. The trousers are cut differently as well. Often times the pockets are sewn shut because I don’t need to put anything in my pockets while I’m performing. The trousers look better if they aren’t open. Also, because I perform sitting down, my trouser legs are longer because when you’re sitting, your trousers come up a bit. My right leg doesn’t move when I’m playing because my guitar sits on my right leg—my left leg is moving around all by itself—and so there’s more room for movement in the left leg of my trousers than in the right leg. These are a few of the tricks of the stage clothes.

WSN: Clothing became even more important to you when you were fighting cancer. Why so?
BS: When I was ill, I was photographed once a week throughout my chemotherapy by Riya Lerner. One of the only things that I could control while I was sick was what I wore. Picking between two pairs of shoes was the only control I had over my day and essentially over my life. There’s a picture of me in Kirk Miller’s shop picking buttons, the simplest little act, and the joy of saying, “Which button would look nice with this?” It’s such a simple thing to do. Presentation and image took on a whole different meaning.

WSN: Why do you think you love clothing so much?
BS: It’s fun to put beautiful things into the world. Beautiful clothes take a long time to make and they’re made by artists, by artisans, who think about every detail. In that way, making an article of clothing and making a song are very similar. I really relate to making clothing because I’m a songwriter. I appreciate the detail and the thought in the crafting of a piece of art that we get to wear every day. We walk around with art.

A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, April 8 print edition. Email Willa Tellekson-Flash at [email protected]