Interview: Kyle Beltran Discusses New York Premiere of THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE at the Public Theater

Kyle Beltran ("In the Heights," "Ten Things To Do Before I Die") is starring in the New York premiere of The Fortress of Solitude, currently in previews at the Public Theater. With a score by Michael Friedman and a book by Itamar Moses, the musical is conceived and directed by Daniel Aukin. Based on the novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem, The Fortress of Solitude tells the story of an unlikely bond between two boys, Mingus and Dylan, who share a love for comic books, superheroes, and flying.

Beltran (Mingus) took some time out of his busy rehearsal schedule to chat with BroadwayWorld about the role, the journey that the musical has taken to get to this point, and much more. Read the full interview below!

Photo Credit: Karen Almond

How did you first get involved in this project?

I had just graduated from Carnegie Mellon, about five years ago. My agent sent over the script for the very first workshop of "The Fortress of Solitude." It was this thousand-page script in three acts. I was actually doing a play at Second Stage called "Ten Things To Do Before I Die," and I remember being backstage and reading the script and thinking, I don't know what this is...I don't get it, but it is so awesome. I know there's something really magical happening here. And I felt so connected to the part so quickly. I just felt like, I know this kid...I know how to be this kid. And I went in and auditioned, and I got it. And that was the first reading. I haven't really missed a single incarnation of the show since then, which is pretty awesome.

Have you read Jonathan Lethem's novel? How has it helped you with your performance?

I've read the novel twice. What's interesting is I read the book when I first got the show and was so inspired by it. It's so rich and complex and unique and magical. And it's really challenging in an exciting way for a reader. And then we read it again as we were doing our out-of-town at the Dallas Theater Center earlier this year. But what's interesting is that in the beginning it was so full of information and things to filter and layer in and look for. But at the same time, at a certain point, you realize that the show has really become its own thing and that as amazing as the book is and as helpful as it was, you also have to realize now you're doing the show...and I have to play what's on that page and not what's in the source material.

Tell me about your character: Mingus...

He is a really kind of gentle-hearted artist in a pretty tough family situation. He is sort of cool and sort of king of the block in a way. But there's something about that which sort of separates him in the same way that Dylan is separated. His mother has taken off so he lives with a single dad who's doing the best he can to raise him. And then he forms this amazing bond with this boy next door, Dylan. It's this sort of unlikely friendship. They've both been abandoned by their mothers and are both so enamored with superheroes and music. He's just a really interesting guy with a lot of secrets. He seems very tough on the outside and a lot gentler on the inside.

How do you relate to the story?

I think in a lot of ways Mingus is similarly passionate about the things he loves in the same way that I am. He loves comic books and he loves graffiti and music, and I'm similar. I'm a total music junkie, and I get kind of obsessive about the things I fall in love with. And I also lost my mother when I was a teenager. And even though, Mingus's mother hasn't passed away, he's sort of like a motherless boy, and that's something I really identify with. It's so funny, it sounds so silly, but when you work on something like this for so long, it's like the DNA of the character crosses yours. It's such a huge part of me now. It's the first experience I've had being with a character for so long. Sometimes I don't know where he ends and I begin.

What has it been like to be directed by Daniel Aukin?

It's amazing. He is so smart and so passionate and introspective. He's also very quiet and thoughtful, so you know that the things that he brings to you he's really considered. He has no ego in his way. And also he has given me a certain sense of confidence because he really trusts me and believes in me, and that's really empowering for an actor. It lets me be brave and take risks.

You began working on this production earlier this year with the Dallas Theater Center. What is it like traveling with the show to an Off-Broadway venue?

It was amazing to be in Dallas. The Dallas Theater Center was a wonderful place to work, and I really enjoyed it. But at the same time, the piece is so quintessentially New York. It takes place on a Brooklyn block over the course of a decade. It's so uniquely about a New York experience...energy and gentrification, and things that are so New York. So it's amazing to kind of bring it home and perform for the audiences. It's a universal story, I don't want to imply that it's not. But there's nothing like performing in the place where the story takes place.

Have there been a lot of changes from the Dallas run?

It changes constantly. It's really thrilling and also terrifying to sort of be constantly jumping to new material. Sometimes you learn something in the afternoon and you put it in the show that night. That's the adventure of theatre and making a musical. It's changed so many times. I've done a billion incarnations of it.

What are some of the benefits in working with a lot of the same cast?

It's amazing because you build such incredible friendships, the show aside. And people have sort of come and gone and come back, and people play different roles. And people don't talk about how long it takes and how many artists contribute to it over time. There are so many incredible people that have used their own gifts with it, and it's so awesome to meet so many new people and make so many friends that way.

What has the audience reaction been like so far?

It's been awesome. People have been so generous and kind and supportive. I think they're really moved. People are laughing and crying, and that's really all you can hope for.

What has it been like working on the world premiere of this musical, and how does that differ from other work you've done?

I've been really lucky with all of the stuff I've gotten to work on in my career so far. It's all been really challenging and wonderful. I've done a lot of work I'm so grateful to be a part of. But this is a very special thing because I've been with it so long and it's such a passion piece. It's really ambitious, and I really believe in it. And it's socially conscious, and it's sort of a labor of love for me, so I haven't really had anything like this.

What are your hopes for the future of this project?

Honestly, I try not to think ahead like that. I try to take it one day at a time and one show at a time. I try to do the best work I can. At the end of the day, we're in New York, and we're telling the story to our friends and family. That's the best part of it...that's really it. I mean, I hope it's perceived well and has a long, amazing future, but for now, it's like, I have to get up and do it tonight.

What would you like perspective audiences to know about the show?

I just want people to know that this piece is so unique and so original. It's so one of a kind. It has the most amazing score that spans the history of American popular music from the 60s all the way through to the 90s. It's just a really beautiful intimate story that also touches on themes, like American socioeconomic themes, and it's tiny and huge at the same time. I really encourage people to take a leap into it. It's got a weird name, and a lot of people have no idea what to expect, but I promise they'll be challenged and moved, and hopefully inspired.

The Public Theater presents The Fortress of Solitude, a world premiere musical with a book by Itamar Moses, and music and lyrics by Michael Friedman. Conceived and directed by Daniel Aukin, The Fortress of Solitude began performances on September 30 and runs through Sunday, November 2, with an official press opening on Wednesday, October 22.

Single tickets, starting at $80, are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street. The Library at The Public is open nightly for food and drinks, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and Joe's Pub at The Public continues to offer some of the best music in the city.