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TITUSS BURGESS
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Tituss Burgess
Little Mermaids "Sebastian"
Often referred to as a “star in the making”, Tituss Burgess is certainly making his mark! Most recently launching his first solo R & B album entitled “Here’s to You”, while he performs nightly on Broadway in Disney’s The Little Mermaid as Sebastian. Music comes naturally to this Georgia native, who discovered his love for it through church at a young age. Amazingly, his skills and talent grew so quickly that he was conducting the very choir he learned to sing in by the time he was a junior in high school. Today, he writes and produces his own music, incorporating strong classically based skills with a passion for modern music.
| Q: | When did you start performing? What prompted that decision? | | A: | I started performing at a very early age. I suppose I was 5 or so. There was no major decision involved. I didn't know what I was doing was "performing" until I got a little older. It was something that was very natural and I did a lot of it. I didn't realize that everyone else didn’t do it until much later. |
| Q: | Who is the most influential person your career, and why? | | A: | That’s a tough question! I don’t credit just one person with having the most impact. I can say that my music teachers throughout my early schooling were extremely important. My drama teachers were central to my development as well. I was raised in the church and have to be honest that I always prayed I would be able to do the thing I loved the most. So, I suppose my connection with God is truly the most essential in terms of the direction my career has gone. Truth! |
| Q: | What do you find to be the most challenging thing in a career in Theatre? | | A: | The most challenging part is keeping it fresh night after night. Trying to keep the energy up can be tricky. Its hard doing eight shows a week. Every night is not opening night, so it’s not always thrilling. I try to remind myself to remember simple things like "I could be waiting tables" or "someone is seeing a Broadway show for the first time tonight". Those thoughts snap me back into perspective really quickly! |
| Q: | You are currently playing Sebastian in Little Mermaid. How do you go about preparing for auditioning for a unique role like that? | | A: | Preparation for any role is specific to the role you are gong in for. I took this audition seriously. I knew we wouldn't be able to just throw the cartoon on stage. It’s now real. There is a back story and the most important element is that we are HUMANS playing these creatures. Sebastian has a Jamaican accent so I studied the accent before going in. I made a list of all of the similarities I shared with this character. It seemed the natural place to start. All of that coupled with the show's story line gave me a great place to build upon. |
| Q: | How many staple auditions songs do you have in your book? How many do you recommend? | | A: | The truth is I play piano and can arrange music whenever I need to. So I don’t have any staple audition songs. I never have. I was too lazy to just learn stuff just “in case”. I waited until I knew what I was going in for. As for what I recommend, you should know the scores and the roles you are right for that are currently represented on Broadway. It seems obvious, but some people don’t think about it. You should also have a look at upcoming regional theatre seasons and prepare accordingly. In terms of new work, in my opinion, musicals will be one of three things or a combination a all three. It may be really contemporary (i.e. pop/hip-hop R & B, gospel etc), old school (classics), or operatic (Light in the Piazza). So know where you fit and choose material accordingly. |
| Q: | Is your amazing voice a natural gift, or did you have to train very hard to get it to where it is today? Do you think having a brilliant voice is attainable to those that may not have the natural ability to sing? | | A: | Wow! Thanks for the superlative. Let’s see how do I answer this? You either got it or you don’t. Can those who have it improve? Yes! Can those who don’t improve? Yes! Its less and less about how well you dance, how well you sing, how well you act and more about what you as an individual carry that is so unique that no one else can do it but you. |
| Q: | What prompted your solo album? Do you find being a solo artist more challenging than a career in theatre? | | A: | Being a solo artist is a totally different mindset. I had set aside music, that was written and waiting for me to do something with. An album seemed obvious. I didn't set out to do something altogether separate, but needed to communicate to people something that I was not able to in musical theatre. Recording is a very different world that I do not yet understand fully. I would love to explore it more |
| Q: | Do you still study voice? How often to have lessons? Are they classically based? | | A: | I still take voice lessons. I have a fantastic new teacher. Her name is Joan Lader. You name the celebrity and she has probably taught them. She intimidates me. I trust her though. For me that's the biggest thing. She knows the voice inside and out. I have lessons often at the start of a new project. It tapers off once the project is underway. She will come see me perform and give me notes. It’s an ongoing dialogue. |
| Q: | How important do you think a music education is for someone interested in pursuing a singing career on Broadway? | | A: | I can only answer this question based on my experience. There is not a blanket statement for everyone. Music is something I always loved and was able to do naturally. I studied voice at the University of Georgia where I earned my BA. I had a wonderful teacher by the name of Dr. Gregory Broughton. I still keep in touch with him. I learned from him that I will carry these tools with me until the day I die. It has helped me in so many ways. Playing the piano and cutting my own music for auditions has saved me so much money. Sight reading has been key for last minute engagements, so I must say, it has been a huge help. On the other hand, dance lessons help, yet I cant dance to save my life! In the long run, learn what you can and use it all over the place! |
Learn more about Tituss and order his album, entitled “Here’s to You” at www.titussburgess.com
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