Interview: Theatre Life With Alex Brightman

Today’s subject Alex Brightman is currently living his theatre life onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) in Comedy of Errors in the role of Dromio of Syracuse. The show plays through October 20th in STC’S Klein Theatre.

Alex was nominated twice for a Tony Award with his work in Beetlejuice (should have won) and School Of Rock (should have won also). Other Broadway credits include Spamalot, The Shark is Broken, Matilda, Big Fish, Wicked, and Glory Days.

He has previously performed in DC at Signature Theatre in Soon and at the National Theatre in the World Premiere tryout of Beetlejuice.

You might remember him from TV’s The Blacklist as Herbie Hambright in the show’s final season.  He Has also appeared on episodes of Law and Order: SVU, Blue Bloods and The Good Fight.

Alex is also an accomplished voiceover artist. His work can be heard in Helluva Boss, Dead End: Paranormal Park, and Hazbin Hotel.

As a writer his Everything is Fine has been developed by Manhattan Theatre Club in an industry reading directed by Cynthia Nixon, as well as a collaboration on the book for a new musical adaptation with composer Drew Gasparini called It’s Kind of a Funny Story.

To say that Alex Brightman is a well-rounded artist would be an understatement. No matter where you see him perform, his work is always superb. Some might say he is a modern day Zero Mostel with his high energy and larger than life personality.

Even if you are not a fan of Shakespeare, I highly urge you to see Comedy of Errors at STC. Alex Brightman and company provide a fantastic experience with the show’s musical numbers and overall performances.

Alex Brightman is truly living his theatre life to the fullest and that my fellow readers is something we all should be aspiring to do.

At what age did you have an idea that you wanted to become a performer?

I was around nine-years old when I knew that I wanted to try performing. But I had been performing in my living room since I could stand.

Where did you receive your training?

I went to NYU (Tisch School of the Arts) for two years. I have also been doing improv since high school (shout out Sanguine Humours at Bellarmine College Prep!) and that is a humongous part of who I am as a performer. I credit Peter Canavese (my high school teacher and improv mentor) for a lot of what I bring to my characters and rehearsal processes. 

What was your first professional job as a performer?

My first PROFESSIONAL job was a play called Wyoming by Barry Gifford. It was a 90-minute two-hander featuring a mother and a son on a road trip. I did a year of independent study during seventh grade so I could do the show. I’ve heard seventh grade is excellent…never been.

Can you please tell us about what makes STC’s version of Comedy of Errors different from other productions of the play?

When we were first concocting the idea of putting Comedy of Errors up with STC, I read it over and over and realized that the play functions very similarly to a sitcom. It’s essentially these fast-paced vignette-like scenes that play out over the course of a day. So, our version is a little more contemporary and a bit more acerbic to highlight the timeless nature of Shakespeare’s scenarios. He was truly our first great sitcom writer.

The other huge thing that separates this version from others is that it is essentially A MUSICAL. There are a load of full songs, numbers, and musical moments throughout that really keep it buoyant and fun. Some of the songs are incredibly meaningful to the plot…some are just wonderful trifles that have been leaving people very tickled.

Is this your first time playing Shakespeare?

I have done Shakespeare twice before this in my life…but it was a very long time ago. I did Twelfth Night in high school where I played Feste. I also did Romeo & Juliet with Theatreworks in California where I played a myriad of young characters (as I was a child). One fun bit of trivia from Romeo & Juliet is our Juliet was played by this outrageously talented young actor named Jessica Chastain. I wonder what happened to her. I hope she’s well.

Can you please tell us something about your character in the show?

One fun thing about my Dromio of Syracuse is his physical way of navigating space. He is typically never looking in the direction he is walking as he is often distracted by just about everything. I liken him to a human Roomba, just walking in directions, bumping into things, and then changing directions. 

The younger generation might find Shakespeare boring and not hip to attend. What do you think is the best way to get young audience members interested in Shakespeare?

To the younger generation who might find Shakespeare boring… I totally get it. I was you. In fact, I’m still a little bit you. I find some of it to be boring and “not hip” as well. But as an actor, or even a lover of theatre, I think it’s important to immerse yourself into every possible piece of theatre there is. Here’s what I find cool about Shakespeare… you don’t have to understand every single word of the text to understand what’s interesting, funny, or important about the story being told.

In fact, I think it’s kind of fun to be a little lost and try and find your way out. The world is so easy for us nowadays. We are spoon fed entertainment and things are getting way less complicated and complex. I have found it a lovely brain-tickling challenge to try and suss out what the hell all of this crazy language means.

And for anyone that needs a real base reason to like Shakespeare…

It will make your life vocabulary so much more romantic.

You played the lead character in Beetlejuice the Musical. The character’s voice had a very distinct gravely sound to it that I imagine took a toll on your vocal chords after a while. How did you maintain your voice eight shows a week playing him?

The thing about the Beetlejuice voice is that I crafted it through the lens of vocal health. It never took a toll on my vocal cords by the time we were up and running. I had done years (literal years) of work and preparation to get the voice right and healthy before taking it out of the garage and out onto the road for a spin. I maintain my voice like I do for every show. I try and hydrate as much as possible. I try not to eat too late. I try not to eat too soon before a show (acid reflux, gross). I warm up before every show and I warm down after every show. My whole business is ME. So, I need to make sure the business is running smoothly.

I also credit the health of my voice (Beetlejuice and otherwise) to a wonderful team that included Deric Rosenblatt (vocal coach), Dr. Lucian Sulica (ENT), and Christine Murphy Estes (vocal pathologist). My voice thanks you.

Besides performing in the theatre, you have worked on a bunch of TV shows. Can you please talk about the differences in working on TV over theatre and do you have a preference as to which is more enjoyable to you as a performer?

As much television as I’ve done in the very recent past, doing anything on a screen is still pretty new to me professionally. I think I’m okay at it. I think I have a long way to go before I feel the confidence I’d like to feel. As a stage actor, it’s my job to make huge choices that audiences can read from the very back row of the theatre. With film/tv, you have to do the literal opposite of that. It’s so small it’s almost not there. And if you’ve seen me in any show in the last ten years, you know that I don’t do “small” well. So, I took some classes and learned how to flex that muscle to keep my performances grounded, small, and nuanced.

I have loved working on television and film recently. It’s a fun change of schedule and a totally new world that I’m hungry to know more about. But my heart will always be on the stage. I don’t know if that will ever change. It’s just a huge part of who I am.

After The Comedy of Errors closes, what is in store for the rest of 2024 and into 2025 for you?

I am doing around 30 Comic Cons all over the United States (and one in London) starting around the end of October. I can’t wait to go around the country and meet all of the amazing fans of Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss, Dead End: Paranormal Park, and of course all of the theatre stuff. I am also going to be doing a lot of writing next year. I have some shows set up at studios and I want to see them come to fruition. I also have a play that I would love to see have a production upcoming. Working on making that a reality now.

But mostly, I am looking forward to some rest. I am going to actively seek rest in 2025. Spend time with my family. Cuddle my dog. Sit in my house. Catch up on some TV shows. Just…be.

Special Thanks to STC's publicist Heather C. Jackson for her assistance in coordinating this interview.

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