IN CONVERSATION WITH BURKE SWANSON
interview by JANA LETONJA
Burke Swanson will be returning to Broadway as James Hopper, Jr. in ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’, serving as a prequel to award-winning and critically acclaimed Netflix series ‘Stranger Things’. The highly anticipated production is set to open at the Marquis Theatre on 22nd April, with previews beginning on 28th March. He most recently wrapped up the First National Tour of ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ where he starred as George McFly.
You made your Broadway debut in ‘The Rose Tattoo’ right after graduating from SCAD. What was that experience like for a young actor just starting out?
There was a sentiment expressed by one of my professors that “It takes 20 years to make a good actor. That's not a ‘working actor’, that's just a ‘good actor’.” So, when I was handed my diploma, I was at peace with the idea that I may very well not work for like 20 to 40 years. You can imagine my utter surprise when I then booked my very first audition. As a young actor, I had long dreamed about making my Broadway debut, but for it to happen so quickly and for it to be in a Tennessee Williams play? Surreally humbling to say the least.
The cherry on top was getting to work with such unbelievable talent from across the spectrum in terms of age, experience, and style. I mean, we're talking about some of the greats here, like Marisa Tomei, Portia, Tina Benko, Andrea Burns, Cassie Beck, Greg Hildreth, Emun Elliott, upcoming talent like Ella Rubin, Paige Gilbert, and Katerina McCrimmon, and that’s only to name a few. It gave me the space to discover the kind of artist that I want to be within this industry, and so in that regard, it was hugely educational.
You’ve worked in both plays and musicals. How do you approach each type of performance differently?
Whatever the medium, our art form is striving towards the same thing, truth. To do that alongside an audience is a gift no matter what style of theater is evoking it. There's something really magical about finding as much sincerity within a song and dance as within a scene or soliloquy. And, though people may have different temperaments and find themselves drawn to different art forms, certain stories are meant to be performed in a particular way, and I don't think that that diminishes any level of truth within it. It's been really lovely for me to be able to jump between both of those styles of theater, and I look forward to exploring many more, because my hope is to continue to surrender to breath and truth so that I may help be an asset to stories in whatever form and fashion they need to be told.
‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ is such a beloved story. What was it like stepping into the role of George McFly on a national tour?
In case you have been living under a rock for the last 40 odd years, ‘Back to the Future’ is single-handedly one of the most impactful cultural moments that we had in the 20th century. It has resonated with so many people across countries, across time, across generations, in a way that I don't really think I fully understood when I took on the project. But man, traveling around North America, bringing this story and sharing George's heart with folx made it clear to me just how important both the character and the story are even still.
When we were rehearsing for the first national with Tony award winning director John Rando, and the one and only Bob Gale, it was very important for us to highlight George’s spirit within a comedic style that can easily fall into schtick. People may be coming to the show to have a good time and relive some old memories, but what makes people stand up and applaud, what makes grown men, who have never been to a musical before, literally stand up and yell “Hit him, George! Come on, George!” is that beautiful moment when we evoke passion and connection through our work. That comes from heart, that comes from care, that comes from an intimate appreciation for what that character stands for and a sincere authenticity in how it gets expressed. George just wants to love and be loved, and I think that that's a very universal thing. He may not sound or look like us, but we have all certainly felt like George at various points in our life so to be able to help tell that story alongside some of the greatest performers in musical theater was a great honor.
As a Virginia native, do you feel your roots have influenced your journey in the industry?
Oh, absolutely. What a reminder of how vital fostering the arts within local communities is to the betterment of our homes and lives. Without my time in Virginia, particularly with local groups like Stagedoor Productions and Riverside Dinner Theater, my High School Arts Teachers, or the VA Residential Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities, I would not be who I am today. Being close to the nation’s capital gave me access to great art, but it was my family and my community that gave me the confidence to find myself and to follow my dreams. The life lessons and guidance that I received growing up in VA continues to ground me and I will remain forever grateful. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a huge shout out to my High School Drama Teacher, Kelly Cresswell, who will be retiring this year after fostering creativity and passion for the arts within the hearts of almost two decades of students.
‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ was a huge success in London. How does it feel to bring the production to Broadway?
‘Stranger Things’ is one of the biggest IPs of the streaming era so the idea that I would ever be a part of it still doesn’t even compute within my mind. My sister and I have been watching this story from the very beginning, so I'm just trying to revel in every moment that I can right now. When we think about bringing the show from London to Broadway though, it's a similar sensation. I don't think that the fans and the theater community have really fully digested what it is that we are about to do here. This is going to be one of the most entertaining, terrifying, wild, and fun theatergoing experiences that anyone has ever seen on Broadway. And the only way to fully comprehend its scope and grandeur is to come and witness it for yourself.
The show is a prequel to the ‘Stranger Things’ series, but it also stands on its own. How would you describe the play to someone unfamiliar with the show?
The beautiful thing about ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ is that it does not require you to have seen the show to thoroughly enjoy yourself. It is the beginning of our story, how our “big bad” becomes the “big bad”, how our heroes started out all the way back in 1959 as high schoolers. How the sleepy midwestern town of Hawkins, Indiana became the site of some very spooky syfy events. ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ is ‘Scooby-Doo’ meets ‘Chernobyl’, ‘Goonies’ meets ‘Alien’, it’s the adventure of a Steven Speilberg film meets the horror of a John Carpenter film.
And if you have seen the show, then you really should not see Season 5 without seeing ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’. They are irrevocably linked. I've never been a part of a play in which you have the Producers, you have Netflix, you have the Duffer Brothers calling in and saying “Hey, we got to cut that”, or “Hey, we need to find a way to heighten this element in order to understand that moment in Season 5”. I don't think that's ever happened before in theater history, where a show is so tied to a story that is actively being told in a completely different medium.
You play James Hopper, Jr. – a young version of the fan-favorite character Jim Hopper. Did you take any inspiration from David Harbour’s performance in ‘Stranger Things’, or did you try to create something entirely your own?
When you have someone like David Harbour as your source material, it's hard not to want to evoke his spirit within every aspect of your process. I think the beautiful part about acting, and the beautiful part about playing a role that is still being explored by another individual, is how we can each elevate the story that we are collectively telling. With the story being told in the late 50s, we get to see a version of Hop that we've never actually seen before, so what's been really fun for me is to play with just how different he is as a teen and plant the seeds that will grow into the lost man that we meet in Season 1 of the TV show.
Working with the unbelievable Kate Trefry, who has been a writer on the show since Season 2 and is an executive producer, allows us to reference and celebrate the Hopper that we know and love, while also deepening our understanding of his story. To have a writer who is still curious and still determined to excavate all that this character can be is such a gift. She makes my job quite easy actually and I will ever be indebted to her for the care and attention to detail that she has advocated for within this process.
‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ incorporates thrilling stage effects. Without giving too much away, what can audiences expect in terms of the play’s visual experience?
At the risk of being too bold, everything that folks raved about in London has been amped up two to three times. Everything that you have ever been wowed by on stage is within our show and, in case that wasn't enough, this creative team has pushed the very limits of our art form in order to inspire a theater going experience unlike any you have ever imagined. I'm seeing things backstage every day, and I still don't fully comprehend how they are happening. How incredible is it to not only be wowed, but to be wowed again and again and again and again. This is going to be one of those shows in which you're going to want to see multiple times, because the sheer amount of detail that has gone into every aspect of this show is jawdropping, and one go at it simply won’t be enough. You are not going to believe your eyes.
‘Stranger Things’ fans are deeply passionate about the story and characters. How does it feel stepping into such a well-loved universe?
The ‘Stranger Things’ Fans are some of the most passionate out there and I've already been feeling the love since this role got announced. It really elevates the work that you do because it is a constant reminder that there are many people out there who are already looking forward to experiencing this world, and they should be. They've had to sit on the couch and watch it for the last, you know, nine, ten years, and now they get to actively help tell it with us. I’m pumped for these fans to get out here and experience it live, because that's the last piece of the puzzle: we can’t do it without you.
Having performed on both Broadway and in national tours, what’s your favorite aspect of live theater?
It's the ensemble for me. It's the collective storytelling. It's the mutual effort towards bringing to life words and characters who were once on a page and this show is so emblematic of just that. I may be one of the faces of it, but backstage there's a huge swath of people working tirelessly towards making this show happen, and every single one of their efforts is necessary, important, and deserves to be seen and celebrated. Furthermore, we have a cast of 34 people, a literal small town, all stepping out on stage every night to bring the scope of Hawkins to life. I am always thankful when I find myself within an ensemble like this because it’s hard, it takes commitment and respect and communication and patience and kindness and love but when we all are working together towards a mutual aim with compassion, really revolutionary things can start to happen.
With ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ premiering soon, what’s next for you?
Isn’t it groovy? It’s all kicking off so soon. Previews started on 28th March and we open on 22nd April. And now that we’re starting to get the show pumping, I'm excited to be able to explore with some other creative efforts alongside it. I've been getting into voiceover recently. I have my personal art practice that I create alongside an endeavor called JMP! Collective. We're currently working on publishing our second book called ‘postcards i never sent’, which is based on a movement-concert that we wrote, produced, and devised a few years back. I want be more active in supporting intersectional environmentalist causes and play more DND / TTRPGs, I want to celebrate young people exploring the arts and actually learn ASL conversationally, I want to call my family every weekend and read all of those really nice books that have been sitting on my shelf for 5 years and 3 moves. I should have enough time for all that and 8 shows a week, right?
CREDITS:
photography CORINNE LOUIE
