A Life in the Theatre: Brian Russell

Forget James Brown, my money's on Brian Russell to take the title as the hardest working man in show business. The Nashville-based actor is always onstage, getting ready to go onstage, recovering from being onstage - well, you get the drift - Brian Russell works a lot. During his tenure in Music City, he's justifiably gained a reputation as one of the city's most talent thespians and he's worked for most of the major companies in town, including Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Nashville Children's Theatre. As versatile as he is busy, with a resume as long as his arm, Russell might have won the most acclaim for his performances in works by the Bard, but he's been lauded just as vociferously for his roles in comedies and musical theatre. He recently took the time to answer questions about his decision to pursue A Life in the Theatre in Music City USA...

Jeffrey Ellis: What was your first "taste" of theatre? Brian Russell: I was Moshe Dayan in a third grade production celebrating the impending marriage of one of LynDon Johnson's daughters. In college, I was one of 12 mostly freshmen tapped to be white body-suited demons in a production called Dracula: Morphia.

What was your first "real job" (or "responsibility") in the theatre?

Straight out of Morehead (Kentucky) State University, I landed a role in The Seven Year Itch at Nashville's Barn Dinner Theatre and touring points east. Unfortunately, I went to one of those points east (Hurricane, West Virginia, to be exact) not realizing that rehearsals took place in Nashville!

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in theatre?

After a production of a fairly wretched original play called Creon (think a modern day go-between of Antigone and Medea), my mom took me aside in a Morehead Pizza Hut and asked, "so, is this what you want to do with the rest of your life?" and without a moment's hesitation, I said, "Yes, I think it is." Mom accepted that answer and proudly supported my decision. Of course, Dad's full acceptance came some 26 years later after watching God's Man in Texas at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

If you could play any role, what would it be and why?

Although I've had to turn down the opportunity to play this role twice, I still long to do Salieri in Amadeus. And then there's Iago, Lear (eventually), Claudius, Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses before my joints begin to creak too much, Willy Loman, the narrator in Our Town... You do realize this particular list can go on for quite awhile, right?

Who would play you in the film version of your life story?

The only actor I know who is homely enough is Steve Buscemi!

What's your favorite play/musical?

Another list that can grow even as i think about it....fave shows include The Elephant Man, Biloxi Blues and Groucho: A Life in Revue; fave Shakespeare plays include Twelfth Night, The Tempest and The Merchant of Venice. My fave theatre experience was the journey that was Das Treffen and the opportunity to work abroad with the amazing Theatremagdeburg in Germany. Fave musicals include The Fantasticks and Kiss Me, Kate...but don't let me think about it longer, because this particular list could be endless.

If you could have dinner with any three figures (living or dead, real or fictional) who are a part of the theatre, who would you choose and why?

Shakespeare, naturally, Sir Laurence Olivier and Moliere - just for the laughs!!

Imagine a young person seeing you onstage or seeing a production in which you played a major role coming up to you and asking you for advice in pursuing their own theatrical dream...what would you say?

If you unquestioningly know in your heart of hearts that there is absolutely nothing else in this wide world that satisfies you like theatre, pursue it with all the passion and dedication and perseverance you can muster. And then go further...

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