Interview: The Transcendent Kevin Fenderson

Kevin Fenderson's voice, dynamic presence and charm blew me away earlier this year in Brelby's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

An Arizona resident since 2001, Kevin took nearly 15 years to return to the theatre. He's doing his best to make up for it now. Currently diving into his first role behind the scenes as stage manager for the world premiere of Brian Maticic's Depend on Me at Brelby, Kevin shows no signs of stopping. He can be seen this weekend in A Midsummer Night's Dream and later this fall in the world premiere of Elf Academy, both at Brelby. He will then appear in Scottsdale at the Musical Theatre's upcoming production of Annie starring Bronson Pinchot, Kaitlin Hopkins, and Heather Morris.

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Kevin. You're so versatile and changeable, it's hard for me to get a sense of your age - can you share that with us? And what brought you to the Phoenix Metro?

I'm 34, and moved to the Valley after realizing I didn't belong in Kansas in any capacity. My family had moved out here a few months prior.

When did you start singing, and what's your whole music background?

I've been singing since...before I could talk, probably! My entire family is very musically inclined, so that has always been a huge part of my life. My dad was a music pastor for the first 26 years of my life, so that most definitely played a role in my wanting to sing. All. The. Time.

Where did you come from, and what's your theatre experience before moving here?

With my dad's job, we moved around a LOT when I was a kid. The first 12 or so years of my life we're spent all up and down the west coast, before moving to Kansas. It was there, oddly enough, that I discovered the theatre. I was cast as Linus in my high school's production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, the only freshman cast in one of the lead roles. My love for the theatre was born the second I set foot on that stage. From there, I went on to do more musicals in church and high school (Oliver, Will Roger's Follies), as well as community theatre (Grease). Will Roger's Follies was my last show in Kansas, and I didn't do another audition until 2015.

Okay, well, you're just impossibly talented. What are your dream roles?

I have been fortunate enough to cross a dream role off my bucket list when I was cast as Mitch Mahoney in Spelling Bee. Others are Hedwig (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Edna Turnblad (Hairspray), Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Angel, Mark, or Mimi (RENT), Miss Hannigan (Annie), Matron "Mama" Morton (Chicago), Audrey 2 (Little Shop) and Elder Cunningham (Book of Mormon) are currently on my Dream Role list.

Can you talk about the why of Hedwig, specifically, for you, Ursula, Edna, etc? With those roles, built in, is the knowledge by the audience that you're a man playing a woman. So that part of our disbelief is never fully suspended. We have been watching men play women since Thespis stepped out of the chorus. Rarely have women played men, though. So there's some kind of built in magic there that keeps us engaged. Can you speak to that? And to what it feels like, as a male, to play female characters?

Ursula was my first introduction to drag queens, before I even knew what a drag queen was. Sure, she was voiced by a woman, and is typically played by one in productions, but she's a drag queen. The art of drag has fascinated me since I was a kid because of her. I think that's why so many of my dream roles are female, wanting to explore drag in some way. And to speak on the women playing men part, I would LOVE to see this happen!

What is your process? How do you work?

My process really depends on the show. A majority of the time, I dig into my character by creating a playlist of songs I think define them. Music is always going to play a role in my process.

What do you do with the playlist? Do you listen to it as you work on your lines, or...? And then is the bulk of the work you do in rehearsal with the company?

The playlist is designed to help me create the basics of the character, and is used while working lines and driving to rehearsals. The bulk of the work is done in rehearsals, definitely.

What do you want to do, as an artist? Where do you want to go, artistically?

As an artist, I always want to grow. That's part of why I took on the challenge of stage managing Depend on Me. It's given me a much broader perspective of theatre as a whole, and I'm SO grateful for that opportunity. As far as where I'd like to go artistically? Well, I can't do that alone. I love an artistic challenge, the chance to take a risk. I would love for more theatre companies to do the same. Specifically? Cast me as someone you wouldn't expect, given my size and/or gender. Give me a chance to blow a few minds. That's my dream.

What do you mean by your size and/or gender?

I'm a bigger guy. I have been most of my adult life. Granted, I've gotten a lot smaller over the last few years, but that's another story.

I saw you do Mitch Mahoney, and you were amazing. Off-type, and transcendent. Why do you think that is? Why is your acting so untypical? So surprising and capricious?

Thank you so much! That show really was one of the greatest acting experiences I've had thus far. I like to surprise people. I don't look anything like what you would expect Mitch to, and that's part of what I loved about that role. I got to give people something different.

Do you want to make your living as a performer?

Ideally? Yes. I have always wanted to make a living as a performer, be it in theatre or as a rock star. I remember as a kindergartener, filling out that "What do you want to be when you grow up?" question with a drawing of me holding a microphone and wearing sunglasses!

When you played Mitch, and then the others you represented in Spelling Bee, your voice flowed out of you so seemingly effortlessly - for me, as a member of the audience, it never felt set up, as most numbers do when they come out the mouths of most performers in musicals. Each time you sang in that piece, it felt as if you were channeling the heart of the moment, in the most purely distilled form. What does that feel like, on your end?

I'm a pretty emotional person, honestly. I have always been able to channel those emotions into my voice, be it for the theatre, karaoke, or when my band (Owning November) has a gig. Because music is such a huge part of my life, when I'm performing, I want people to feel whatever emotions I'm feeling in that moment, if that makes sense.

Performing is my "sportsball". The way some view football, basketball, soccer, etc., that's how I view performing. It's rhythmic, beautiful, and heartbreaking, all wrapped up in a song or story. Performing is cheaper than therapy. It gives me the opportunity to do what I love, while at the same time, to leave everything on the stage. It's cathartic.

Why is performance necessary? Beyond the joy of being appreciated for talent and skill, what is the deeper payoff for the artist, and how do the performing arts make the world better?

I believe we make the world better by allowing them the chance to forget about all the nonsense and terrible things happening in the world. Even if it's only for an hour or two.

What are the most wonderful things about being a performing artist in the Phoenix Metro area today?

The most wonderful thing about being a performing artist in Phoenix is working with the other amazing and talented artists I know. Additionally, watching the younger generation perfecting their craft has proven to be pretty great to see. And if I get to throw out a riff now and then? I won't complain.

Thank you for this, Kevin. All the best, and I look forward to seeing you on Valley stages for years to come.

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