Interview: Britt Michael Gordon of ASSASSINS at FreeFall Theatre

I have what I like to call "theatre crushes." These are gender nonspecific affections that occur whenever I see a stage performance that greatly interests or moves me to the point where I want to see everything that actor does for the rest of their career. Matthew McGee, Emily Belvo, Richard Watson, Becca McCoy, J. Elijah Cho, Nikole Williams, and Jack Holloway for example; I am very open about my theatre crushes. "So-and-so's in this play! We need to get tickets like right now. No, seriously - RIGHT NOW," and so on.

It was my penchant for Steven Garland (BACH AT LEIPZIG, anyone?) that brought me to American Stage this summer to see THE PITMEN PAINTERS, a wonderful story about a group of miners who learn to express themselves through art. The cast was pregnant with talent, among them a face I didn't recognize which was odd since I generally feel like I know everyone. According to the program, Britt Michael Gordon (Young Lad/Ben) was "pleased to be appearing in his first show at American Stage." His bio included several other shows, but none in our Bay area.

Post-PITMEN, I returned to American Stage and there was Gordon again; this time as Stevie in GOOD PEOPLE. Last weekend I went to freeFall Theatre to see ASSASSINS, and there he was AGAIN, singing, and killing, and charming as John Wilkes Booth. Who was this guy? Where did he come from? How is he suddenly in every play happening across the Howard Frankland? I sat down with Gordon last week to ask, in an entirely non-creepy fashion, "Where have you been all my theatre-going life?"

It seems Gordon was destined for the arts; born to a mother who's an Equity actor, and a father who's a professor of choral music. The two met while getting their Masters degrees at Florida State University (FSU) when they were both in a production of CAROUSEL. They played Carrie Pipperidge and Enoch Snow. "My mom sings a song called 'When I Marry Mister Snow' in that musical and then she really married Mr. Snow," Gordon told me, chuckling. Can you even handle how adorable that origin story is?

So the theatrical genes were always there. He acted as a youth - coincidentally his first speaking part was the child's role in ASSASSINS. He attended Harrison School for the Arts in Lakeland, FL before going to FSU, majoring in Acting. He sings, plays the guitar, and is a self-described "horrible dancer." This production of ASSASSINS is his first professional musical, and Booth is now one of his favorite roles. Though he feels that Booth's actions were inexcusable, Gordon described Booth as, "Someone who's taken his destiny into his own hands." Having been often cast in less authoritative roles, he relished playing someone a little more assertive.

ASSASSINS is an unusual show; on the surface it's two hours (sans intermission) of unstable people singing about wanting to murder the President. But it's Sondheim, so there's always depth brewing beneath the complicated score. I asked Gordon what he wanted audiences to take away from this production. "I think every one of the Assassins [commits] these deplorable acts...but every one of their reasons for committing that act says something profound about America and certain problems with America... When Booth says that the country is not what it was, I think that echoes certain sentiments that are going around today about what America once was. [The actions of the assassins] say something that we ought to pay attention to. We can't just dismiss it as pure violence and craziness...they come out of real issues that I think we can address."

Despite his sudden onslaught of Bay Area theatre appearances, we won't be able to keep him forever. Gordon aspires to move to New York City. For now you can find him being a bad influence on the freeFall stage until early November, and then at Palm Beach Dramaworks next March in ARCADIA. He's still auditioning; looking for that next role. Keep an eye out for Britt Michael Gordon, and catch him in town before he leaves for the Great White Way.

ASSASSINS is on stage now at freeFall Theatre (6099 Central Ave. St Petersburg, Fl 33710) through November 6. For more information, call their box office: 727.498.5205, or contact them here.

Photo Credit: Thee Photo Ninja