I have the unique privilege of calling Chris one of my closest friends at the University of Michigan. I've known him for four years, and he continually inspires me with his endless creativity, talent, INTEGRITY, and authenticity. It's also important to note we're both Libras (born within a day of each other), and that makes for a pretty special bond :) Not only is Chris a phenomenal dancer, singer, and actor, but he is also a fantastic choreographer. He has done mindblowingly amazing choreography during his four years at the University of Michigan, and I've been able to see a lot of it live. Let me tell you, Chris' work is as good as it gets. Doing this interview with Chris reminded me of why I am passionate about what I am passionate about. People like him are the reason that I am in this field and created this site. Please read on to learn more about his journey!
Q: What inspires you?As a choreographer, I draw inspiration a lot from everyday human interaction and the subtext behind simple things. I draw inspiration from fear -- things that really scare us. I think we should embrace those fears.
"No matter where you are on your journey, you’re not ahead of anyone or behind anyone. You’re right where you need to be."
Q: Who are some performers you look up to?Sutton Foster, she’s always so authentic and so herself, and makes everything look effortless. Agnes deMille. Dominique Morrisseau. She's this playwright who talks about things that don’t necessarily relate to her or that aren’t part of her personal narrative, but, somehow, she writes about them in a way that everyone can learn from. We all as actors are learning how to tell someone else’s story without appropriation, and Morrisseau does this so well. I love that her characters aren’t always right, and they aren’t always wrong. They're just honest. Q: What do you hope to be doing in the next five years?I hope to be cultivating my artistic voice, surrounded by people who inspire me and make me work harder. And I hope to be learning! I want to keep learning always. Q: Three ways you stay grounded:
Best piece of advice I’ve ever been given: No matter where you are on your journey, you’re not ahead of anyone or behind anyone. You’re right where you need to be. Solea Pfeiffer [one of our friends who is also brilliant and graduated from our BFA program] told me that!
Giving back, doing outreach, working with kids, & providing artistic opportunities to kids.
Watching old Broadway bootlegs always reminds me of why I do this, of the little down-home boy in his room. Those videos remind me where the dream started and of why I do this.
Q: What makes you proud to be Chris?I think I’m proud to be me because I try & appreciate all forms of art, even things that I don’t agree with or that don’t interest me. I try to appreciate all things & to understand them.I also like that I fully embrace my racial identity & my sexual orientation as a gay man, but I don’t let these things define me. I don’t use them as crutches or as cop-outs. They inspire me. I use them to inform my work. Never apologize, but also: Don’t victimize yourself.
"Don’t limit yourself, because plenty of people will do that for you."
Q: Do you have any advice for young performers of color? Study it all, learn it all, do it all. Be great at all of it, because as artists of color, we have to be! Become proficient in everything -- all styles of music, dance, and theatre. Don’t limit yourself, because plenty of people will do that for you.
Q: What do you feel your responsibility as an artist of color is?To not rely on stereotypes, to push the industry forward & challenge audiences to see people of color in roles they wouldn’t normally be cast in, and also to support other artists of color, in terms of getting them hired, connected, and putting them in positions of power.
