Interview: Daniel Gorham of RAGTIME - THE MUSICAL at Wolf Trap

From Thursday, June 9 to Saturday, June 11, Washington DC Metro Area audiences will get to experience the magic of Ragtime - The Musical at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia. Making this production even more special to the DC Metro Area, one of the cast members, Daniel Gorham, is a native to Baltimore, Maryland. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Gorham comes from a background in opera and vocal performance and has been making the transition to musical theater. Ragtime - The Musical is Gorham's first national tour, and he is part of the show's ensemble and has also covered the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. I recently spoke with Daniel about his shift to musical theater, the Ragtime experience, and his future career plans.

What attracted you to a career in theater?

I was always interested in singing, especially classical singing. I was classically trained at University of Maryland for opera and vocal performance, but my heart really wasn't in it. I graduated from college in 2009, worked for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield for about 1.5 years and then switched over to Johns Hopkins for another 1.5 years. I realized that although I do love healthcare, I really wanted to do a career in musical theater. I did a three-day workshop with the Berklee School of Music at a local summer music summit. I did the musical theater section, and I fell in love with the genre, especially its style of singing and how it focuses on "telling the story." I got some songs, like Ragtime's "Make Them Hear you," and sang it at the final showcase, where I was told to go audition at Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. That was my first audition back in August 2012, and I got booked!

Were you involved in the Baltimore theater scene?

I was actually more involved in the community opera scene. One of my first professional opera jobs was at the Musical Opera Company of Baltimore. I did a few operas with them, including Carmen. I worked at another opera company in Baltimore, called the Baltimore Vocal Arts Foundation, where we did other smaller performances.

What are some shows you've done before Ragtime?

One of the first roles that I claimed is one I did in high school, but I loved the role of the Pirate King in the Pirates of Penzance. That was kind of where I found my love for the stage even though I performed a lot before then and since then. That was the first role where I was able to go up there and just have fun. Another cool role was when I played the King of Ashurdan in Jonah at Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was my first taste of professional theater and I did that for almost three years.

What attracted you to Ragtime?

For me, Ragtime is a transitional musical theater piece from opera. I was attracted to how you could sing loud and with vibrato and kind of let loose with its musical theater format. Also, of course the story attracted me, which centers around an African American man. I don't see that a lot, but there is more and more of that happening now, as seen with The Color Purple and Shuffle Along in New York. But Ragtime tells a great story about three different people: the immigrant, the mother, and Coalhouse Walker Jr., who is a dynamic force on stage, especially in the second act when he and Sarah have their hopes and dreams, and once they're crushed, it divulges into a deep, dark place. It's cool to see the transition and sing the really powerful music, especially "Make Them Hear You," which I was learning when I was 15 years old.

Can you talk about your experience as an actor in Ragtime?

This is my first national tour, and Ragtime has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. I've learned how to really collaborate with other artists, especially our director, our choreographer, other ensemble members, and primary characters, to make the best show possible. Especially when we were in New York, the creation and the collaboration process was really incredible to watch. It was really cool to see the artistic process for people who have been in the business for years and years. I've wanted to make sure that I take everything in. It's been a big learning experience. I've also had the chance of doing Coalhouse Walker Jr about 10 times during the tour. It's just been a dream come true. That was my dream role when I first started doing musical theater. I fell in love with the Coalhouse role, and now I can hopefully do this role for years and years to come, which is an awesome thing to say!

What can audiences expect in this tour of Ragtime?

You'll see some powerhouse performances from our characters on stage and hear some magical singing as well. This is the last leg of the tour and we're going to leave it all on the stage. You'll see a lot of genuine tears on stage, a lot of genuine happy moments, a lot of genuine angry moments. All of the characters are very well developed. We have a fantastic musical conductor for our show as well. We really have a great group of people dedicated to the art of storytelling.

How's the audience response been to the show?

We've had standing ovations every night, and that's been awesome. The smaller markets have been especially responsive to the show. They say that they're very grateful to get good theater and that they're genuinely moved by the show. Many people have told us that the show has made them think about a lot of things, made them have discussions at home about the show's topics. Ragtime is kind of a heavy show that sparks discussions, and anytime you do that through theater, you just feel like you're doing the world a good service.

If given the chance, what other roles would you like to play in the future?

I love the role of Phantom, in Phantom of the Opera. When Norm Luis played it in New York I was very inspired. I really admire and try to emulate the baritone sound that he carries. I also like to emulate Brian Stokes Mitchell and Joshua Henry to spice things up. But I'd love to do the Phantom role, I think it'd be a fun role and fit well with my voice. Of course, I want to do Coalhouse Walker Jr in Ragtime as the primary actor. I'd also like to do Smokey Joe's Cafe. I think Adrian would be a great role. He sings one of my favorite songs, "Love Me." I'm a huge Elvis fan!

After the Ragtime tour, what's next for you?

I'm moving to New York to start a new life there. I'll be taking some acting and dance classes and trying to pursue another contract somewhere, so we'll have to see. Hopefully this credit will get me in some places and get me considered for some more opportunities that I really want to do!

Ragtime - The Musical will be at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Road, Vienna, VA 22182) from Thursday, June 9 to Saturday, June 11. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone (1-877-965-3872).

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