By Sherrel Wheeler Stewart | For The Birmingham Times
Aspiring theatre performers and producers at the Alabama School of Fine Arts got a firsthand glimpse of the reality of stage life recently with a visit from Rodney Hicks, a cast member from the original Broadway production of Rent. He was in Birmingham as a special guest for opening night of Rent, being presented by the Virginia Samford Theatre at Caldwell Park.
Hicks was in his early 20s in 1996 when he took the stage as Paul in the original Broadway production of the Tony Award winning play. Rent, a story of love, resilience, community, hit Broadway as America and the world faced an expanding AIDS crisis.
Hicks returned to Rent in 2007 and was cast as Benny in the show’s closing season. He also was in the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar, and Come from Away. He currently stars in the Netflix series Forever.
He said he enjoys talking with developing artists. “Your purpose is not what you do. It’s what happens when you do what you do,” Hicks told the gathering of about two dozen students in a small ASFA theatre.
For him, the dream of being an artist started when he was 5 years old. He began working in the industry at the age of 17 on a show called Dance Party USA. He’s learned valuable lessons since that time.
“When you have leads, honor everyone in your space. Conduct yourself as a leader,” he said. “These are things you are not told in college. You learn as you go. Don’t ever give up on yourself. This is hard. You have to fall, because that is how you learn to stand.”
Hicks was joined at ASFA and at opening night by Birmingham native and veteran New York actor/producer Erich McMillan McCall. The two actors emphasized the importance of community theatre in developing young actors and producers.
“When community theatres and regional theatres across the nation present pieces that are a fabric of our culture, it can help move the needle forward to effective harmony and change,” Hicks said in a follow-up interview. “Attend live theatre. Support live theatre. Talk about live theatre to ensure community engagement.”
The Virginia Samford Theatre will present Rent Thursday – Sunday, February 19-22. For more information visit www.virginiasamfordtheatre.org.
