We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bryan Keith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Bryan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
It was in college after studying to be a physical therapist. I had been doing some small market modeling in malls, feeling like I was “acting” like a model the whole time and got curious about this acting thing. Plus I didn’t like pictures all that much. I took an Acting 1 class at a community college to see if I liked it. Suddenly I had gotten cast in a 2 person show during the summer program. It was my first time acting onstage. I loved it. That applause secured the addiction. I received positive reviews and community encouragement that I should consider pursuing the acting track more seriously than I had been. I had quite a bit of catching up to do because I was just beginning, So I literally learned every facet, every position. I stage managed and Asst. directed when I wasn’t cast until it got to the point where I was getting cast more often than not. I thought maybe I should try this thing professionally. I started auditioning for professional companies and was fortunate to get hired and earned my Equity card. It was because of all that happening pretty quickly that I felt that it was something I could pursue. I loved it. I finally found the thing that made me feel like I belonged. I felt at home.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was born and raised in St. Louis. I was a shy kid for a long time. A loner some would say. I kept a lot inside and it affected me in ways I won’t get into here. Another time, another story. I was never the best student in school but I loved learning things that I was passionate about. I’m voracious in that way. I will obsessively learn everything I can about something when I’m passionate about it, So when I found acting, or rather it found me…I worked very hard to develop myself in this craft. I jumped headfirst into the professional community. I got an agent so I could go on commercial auditions, did as much theatre as I could. I did a couple short films and decided after a friends suggestion, to move to Los Angeles…so I packed up and moved. I hit the ground running. I got representation quickly and got on TV in my first speaking role on Days of Our Lives in just a few months after landing. I’ll never forget that line I got to say. It was a proud moment for me. I of course blew it off and wanted more and was later reminded by my mentor to celebrate small wins. Took me a long time to do that and to some degree I still struggle to do that. Another story for another time, One of my proudest moments was playing the title role in Hamlet. I needed that show more than I ever thought I did. It got me through a rough time and it also solidified that I was meant to do this. That I was given a gift to protect but share enormously.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
As an artist or creative, the most rewarding aspect for me is the opportunity to express myself freely and authentically. Being able to bring my ideas, emotions, and perspectives to life allows me to connect with people on a deep level and evoke emotions that words alone, sometimes cannot convey. The process of creating something and watching it resonate or affect people, is incredibly fulfilling and brings me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. As a director you get to develop more elements of the experience to have an impact on your audience and I quite enjoy that too. I have a lot to say sometimes (surprise) and when I’m not acting I like to speak through a piece of writing with hopes of maybe the audience leaves with a little more to think about, than what they came in with. As an artist I feel like I’m constantly learning, and growing into a better man, and a better human being. The journey of self-expression and the impact it can have on both myself and others is truly invaluable and makes being an artist or creative an incredibly rewarding experience.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience. I love this word. Maybe until this time I hadn’t been tested to see if I was at all resilient in my craft. I had auditioned for the ABC Diversity Showcase one year and I didn’t get in. Not going to lie it crushed me a bit. My manager at the time told me to do it again the next year. I didn’t know if I wanted to face that rejection again. or if I had the gumption. I said f–k it and tried again when I really didn’t want to. To my surprise, they had remembered me from before and I ended up being selected for the 2008 class. It was such a great feeling, I’ll never forget that experience. The unfortunate part of the story of what was to be a life changing year of mentorship and development got squashed because it was the year 2007-08 when the writers strike happened. It changed the landscape and with that my mentorship/development year fizzled. It was a hard pill to swallow let me tell you. I felt like quitting. Instead of doing that I co-founded a non-profit theatre company and we went on to produce a lot of work for 7 years. And I did eventually get back on the horse and worked again. It was a pivotal moment. I realized that when things don’t go the way you thought they would, you can let it keep you down or you pick yourself up, and get back to the work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: thebryankeith
- Other: imdb.me/bryankeith
Image Credits
PhotosbyJamaal Lauren Plaxco