Q: You're currently touring in Spring Awakening. When did you join the tour?
A: The tour just closed on Sunday, May 23 in Orlando after a run that lasted nearly 2 years. I miss it already. I stepped in as "Moritz" about a year ago on July 20, 2009. For those of you who didn't get a chance to see the first national tour, there will be a brand new non-Equity production launching in October and it features a few Elon students as well.
Q: How did you get your role? I think you mentioned sending in a video and then having an interview at the SETC Convention (in Chattanooga). Did you get a callback there? Did they call you later? Walk us through the process.
A: I submitted a video to the official Spring Awakening website during my senior year of high school. The casting director saw my tape and had me record and resubmit myself doing some material from the show. Then, I played the waiting game for a while. The next year, after beginning my training at Elon, I went to SETC and the casting team of the show happened to be in attendance! I sang more songs for them and got invited to callbacks in New York. Then, I played the waiting game again. Finally, after my sophomore year, the same casting director phoned me out of the blue and asked me to come to New York. It was after that round of callbacks that I booked Spring Awakening.
Q: How many years have you auditioned at SETC? Did you get other work through earlier SETC auditions?
A: I visited SETC during my freshman year only. Through those auditions, I got a job doing summer stock in the evening and working as a camp counselor during the daytime at the Lake Dillon Theatre Company in Colorado.
Q: Were SETC auditions helpful to you? How did your SETC auditions help you get to where you are today?
A: VERY helpful. Before SETC, I had never really been paid to act. The job I got through the auditions taught me how to operate in a professional world. Additionally, the auditions themselves informed me as to what regional theatres frequently produce and, therefore, what I need to be able to do.
Q: What is it like to tour in Spring Awakening? What's most fun or challenging for you?
A: Life on tour was a blast and definitely the best artistic experience I have ever had. I think what was most fun AND most challenging was doing the show eight times a week. It required a lot of physical and vocal stamina. I have never sweat so much in my life but I always wanted to work as hard as I possibly could because I think Spring Awakening is one of the greatest musicals in theatre history. Duncan Sheik's authentic rock score juxtaposed with Steven Sater's adaptation of a century-old story, still relevant and extremely important, is breathtaking. And to top it off with direction by Michael Mayer that is bold, daring, even revolutionary? There is nothing else like it.
Q: You took a leave of absence from school to go on tour. Was that a tough decision?
A: I was able to decide almost immediately and not because I wanted to get as far away from school as possible (trust me, Elon is the most wonderful place on earth). I had been auditioning for Spring Awakening for years. It was a show I felt like I HAD to be in. I would have swept the floors just to be involved but, instead, I was offered the Tony Award-winning role. It was too amazing of an opportunity not to take advantage of.
Q: What's your next step after this?
A: Who knows? I hope there is still a spot for me at Elon! For now, I'm in New York getting a feel for what life in "the Big Apple" is like.
Q: Where are you from originally? And what is your age?
A: I am 21 years old and come from Tampa, Florida.