He's a composer, a conductor, an actor, a singer, a musical director...and he's only twenty-five. Plus he offered to get me and my co-worker a glass of water at the fundraiser last night, so that means he's also just a really nice guy.
The mentsch I'm speaking of is Colin Britt, the musical director of our upcoming musical The Last Five Years. I met him yesterday at the Playhouse after he admirably answered my interview questions with the celerity of a theatre major running to see The Glass Menagerie. So I'll stop rambling now and let his words speak for themselves.
Naomi: How did you hear about The Last Five Years at Playhouse on Park?
Colin: Sean, Darlene, and I worked together at WH Summer Arts Festival for three summers. When they had set the season for PoP, Sean contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in doing the show. I'm a big fan of Jason Robert Brown and this show, so it was an easy yes!
Naomi: Have you ever been a music director for a musical before? How is being a music director different from conducting?
Colin: I've been the musical director for more than 10 shows, and about as many revue concerts. Music direction in theater was actually where I got my first stint at conducting (and I was pretty awful).
In the theater, music direction usually has a very broad job description, and can include conducting and playing shows, teaching music to a chorus, being a rehearsal pianist, hiring players for the orchestra, and sometimes even arranging or orchestrating music for a show. Conducting is only a small portion of the responsibilities; very frequently, I don't end up conducting much at all (especially if I'm playing, which in this case I am). Head nods tend to get the message across!
Naomi: How has Connecticut shaped your musical career?
Colin: I've been living in CT since 2003, when I started my undergrad at the Hartt School. I graduated in 2007, worked for a year as an accompanist, and then started my master's at Yale. I just graduated in May; thus, all of my advanced education has been while living in CT. I have been very lucky to have had such amazing opportunities to compose, conduct, play, sing, do theater, and teach. Connecticut is wonderful in that it has a lot of music happening, but it's geographically small enough that it's very feasible to be involved in many groups and places.
Naomi: Where did you grow up and how did music factor into your life before you attended the Hartt School?
Colin: I grew up in Auburn, Maine. I've sung in choirs since I was 7, and I took piano lessons from about 5 on. I started acting in plays and musicals when I was in fifth grade, and I knew very early on that I wanted to work in theater. Later, when I was in high school, I started writing music (including a couple of musicals I co-wrote with my mother, who is quite a gifted playwright); that ended up being the avenue that I pursued in college. The musical direction/conducting side happened a little later, and it was only in college that I decided to pursue a career as a choral conductor.
Naomi: Describe your experience working on the The Last Five Years so far.
Colin: We've only been in rehearsals for a week, but I've really enjoyed delving into the music and the story, especially since it's constructed in such a unique way. The piano part is one of the hardest in the repertoire, so it's taken some work getting my chops up. It's also been a joy working Carey, Jeff, and Kyle, none of whom I had worked with before. Their professionalism, talent, and openness to different ideas are inspiring.
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