This week, we are absolutely delighted to be speaking with Curtis Bannister! The 2021 recipient of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award as well as a 2021 Drama League Award nominee, Curtis Bannister is praised by TimeOut Magazine as “radiating with slowly simmering energy” and a “quiet revelation” by the L.A. Times as he continues to establish himself as one of the most dynamic and multi-genre performing artists of his generation in theatre, opera & film.
Bannister begins his 2021/22 season with a return to the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime with Music Theatre Works, makes his U.S. solo recital debut with The Festival of new American Music and debuts with Hearing In Color and WFMT (Classical Chicago Radio) as Carlos in the new chamber opera, Undying Love, inspired by the iconic song of the same name by legendary rapper, Nas. Curtis will also make his anticipated debut with Drury Lane Theatre in the lead role of Jim Hardy in Irving Berlin’s Holiay Inn, and his New York City operatic debut as Florestaan in Fidelio with Heartbeat Opera and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Live Arts; this production of Fidelio will also tour the west coast with performances at The Broad Stage (L.A.) and the Mondavi Center (Davis, C.A.). Bannister ends the season starring as Juba Freeman in the world premiere opera production of Quamino's Map with Chicago Opera Theater. Bannister made his debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in the world premiere feature film “The Conductor” and can be seen as Marquee in season 2 of the Apple TV+ series, Dickinson, as well as as Reimers in NBC’s hit series Chicago Fire.
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This episode was produced on the unceded ancestral territory of the Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen, and Miami. This episode was edited by Emery Lade, with original intro and outro music by Marc Young.
