When students gather for lectures and speeches around the Tufts campus, they are usually gearing up for an afternoon of politics or debate. However, last Friday, Tufts students made their way to the brand new Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center for the visit of Tony Award winner and Broadway stage veteran Brian Stokes Mitchell.
Mitchell, who said he considers himself "the luckiest actor in the world," answered students' questions during an afternoon talk before preparing for his concert that night, which was the main event during the dedication of the new Tufts music center.
Probably best known for his portrayal of Don Quixote in the recent Broadway revival of "Man of La Mancha," the clear-voiced baritone found students at Tufts eager to hear about his part in another Broadway favorite, "Ragtime."
He also received the warmest response for his performance of the "Ragtime" song "Wheels of a Dream" at his concert that night - well, warmest if one doesn't count his phenomenal encore presentation of his signature "The Impossible Dream."
Mitchell lived much of his young life overseas and fell into acting by accident, choosing the stage simply because he wanted to try a new activity at school.
It did not take him long to make a name for himself, and by his freshman year of high school he was working semi-professionally.
The leading man is very appreciative of his career and impressed upon the students that it was important to go where they can get work. "If the door's open, walk through it; if it's closed, look around," Mitchell said. It was through this philosophy that Mitchell made the leap from stage to screen to voiceovers before going back to stage and finally to a career performing concerts.
His transfer to the Broadway stage was seemingly flawless, and he was soon the winner of a number of awards, including a Tony Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for his turn as Fred Graham/Petruchio in 1999 production of "Kiss Me, Kate." However, the amiable performer says that his favorite award is the Theatre World Award, which he received along with 20 other up-and-coming Broadway performers when he was younger.
"I always try to hit perfection," he said modestly. "I don't think I've ever hit it."
As for advice about pursuing a career in acting, Mitchell jokingly shouted "Don't do it! What're you, crazy?" before impressing upon the students that if they truly wanted to be actors, then they needed to study and work hard.
"Look at yourself as a product ... You have to have something worthy of selling people. You have to know what you have in your toolbox ... What do you have? More importantly, how do you use those tools?"
Mitchell said that "luck favors the prepared" is part of his mantra. "I like to believe everyone gets their one big break," he said. "The trick is, you have to be ready."
These days, the performer is happy making a career out of doing concerts. "I've gotten to play all my favorite roles," he said, speaking favorably of his runs as Don Quixote, Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and Sweeney Todd.
He joked that his next dream role is an unwritten role in a yet-to-be written musical.
As to the criteria for choosing that new dream musical, "I'm a big believer in shows that have heart and give people hope," Mitchell said to students.
His dedication concert later that night was filled with inspirational Broadway show-stoppers as well as smooth jazz hits and even a new song by "Ragtime" composers Ahrens and Flaherty.
The impressive acoustics of the new performance space were displayed through several off-microphone songs, which sounded powerful and clear in their raw energy.
Mitchell himself was excited to help dedicate the Granoff Music Center, repeatedly expressing Happy Birthday wishes to the building and even dedicating the song "Make Them Hear You," from "Ragtime," to all of the students who will someday grace the stage of the Distler Performance Hall.
"The best advice I can give you is to listen to your heart and then follow it," Mitchell said to students at the end of the talk. "My heart has never let me down ... You've got to love what you do."
