Hometown: Columbia, MD
Education: BS, Business from The University of Delaware
Select Credits: Broadway: OCM Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Regional: Bella: An American Tale, Les Miserables, Guys & Dolls, Beauty and the Beast
Why theater?: Theater has job security, the pay is amazing and there's very little competition. What?...Oh. Well, it beats working a desk job and there is nothing like the process of putting a show together and performing live on stage. Nothing like it in the world.
Who do you play in The Gold?: I play Joseph Cohen, a Jewish-German boxing hopeful for the 1937 Olympics.
Tell us about The Gold: Joseph Cohen, a Jewish-German boxer, finds his 1936 Olympic ambitions crushed as the Nazi’s rise to power. He soon learns that his toughest fight lies outside the ring, as he is separated from the woman he loves and their young son. Set against the backdrop of the Holocaust and the creation of Israel, The Gold is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the journey of self-discovery that each of us takes as we search for purpose in our lives. At least that's what the program says.
What is it like being a part of The Gold?: I've been with this show since 2009 when it was produced for the first time in Houston, TX. Since then it has gone through many iterations. Last year we did a staged reading of an updated script and this year the script has gone through more evolution and we get to perform it full out this time. It's been a wonderful experience watching it grow and evolve.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theater that is truthful no matter if t's a drama comedy or absurd farce. The last show I saw at the time of doing the interview was The Color Purple. I was so truthful and raw. I wept not only for the story but for the magnitude of talent on stage. I'm inspired by my cast mates at Beautiful each of whom are artist sin their own way. I'm also inspired by those people who are told ,"no that can't be done" and figure out a way to do it. Pessimism is the death of art and creativity. but it can also be a powerful motivator.
Any roles you’re dying to play?: In musical theater? Well, I always wanted to play Fanny Brice, but I'm not sure that will happen. I'd love to play Hedwig, Sweeney Todd and Indiana Jones even though that's not a musical. Or maybe the bad guy that Indiana Jones has to fight.
What’s your favorite show tune?: "Stars" from Les Mis has a special meaning to me. It was one of the first songs I heard that I really loved singing in high School and I had the chance to play Javert 3 times since then.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Kevin Spacey
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: A young Jim Carey. "Once Upon This Island"
If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The original Death Trap
What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Color Purple and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Video Games
What’s up next?: After The Gold I'll heading to the Dallas Theater Center to perform in Bella: A New American Musical directing by Robert O'Hara
