Theatre News

"Mr. Smith goes to Juilliard!"


(CCCCD Theatre major Brian J. Smith)

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“From Stagehand to the Big City”

Like a superhero on film, a six-foot, dark haired Brian Smith dons ordinary blue jeans and a t-shirt for his job behind the scenes changing light bulbs and sweeping the floor by day. But by night, he is an award-winning actor lighting up the theater stage. Flash forward one year later, and in true theatrical, happily-ever-after fashion, this Collin County Community College District student continues to shine as he enters the next phase of his story at the renowned Juilliard school of performing arts.

An Allen resident, Smith is the third CCCCD student in the last three years to be accepted into Juilliard. Smith spent his days learning about theatre from literally behind the scenes as a theatre technician at the Courtyard Theatre in Plano. While that job does not sound glamorous, according to Smith it has rounded out his perspective of theatre. He holds an insider’s view of set building and lighting, and he has had the opportunity to see rehearsals and shows and discover what actors are really like.  But it is his own ability to bring characters to life that has presented him with the opportunity to train at the nationally renowned school for actors.

According to Kathy Hood, Juilliard Drama Division administrative director, Smith competed against 1,050 applicants for admission to the prestigious performing arts school and was one of only 22 students selected for training with the school’s drama division. 

“It was very clear to the faculty during the audition and interview process that Brian was a very special and talented young actor who possessed strong trainable potential for our program. We eagerly look forward to welcoming Brian into the Juilliard community and to the education, fellowship and artistic collaboration to come in the next four years,” said Hood.

Smith has acted in commercials and performed in a variety of plays including Big Love for the Dallas Theatre Center, The Laramie Project for the WaterTower Theatre and A Clockwork Orange and Titus Andronicus for CCCCD Theatre.

While he received the Dallas Theatre League/Leon Rabin nomination for best supporting actor in 2000, it was his acting for the college that helped him garner the majority of his awards. The Dallas Observer awarded him Best Performance by an actor in 2002 for his lead role in A Clockwork Orange. College theatre patrons echoed the Observer’s award when they selected his performance as the Best Performance by an Actor for the very same play. The play was also ranked number one of the top 10 for theatre events in the Dallas Voice for 2002. In addition, Smith received Irene Ryan scholarship nominations for two plays in the same year (Titus Andronicus and A Clockwork Orange), a feat that only two other CCCCD students have ever achieved.

CCCCD Director of Theatre Brad Baker has been aware of Smith’s acting talent since he entered the college with the CCCCD Most Promising Incoming Theatre Student Scholarship.

“Brian's performance in A Clockwork Orange earned him reviews that professional actors would kill for.  But what impresses me most about him is his humility and kindness.  His talent will open doors for him in the professional theatre, but his kind and giving spirit will ensure a long career,” said Baker.

Smith recalls visiting the college as a high school student to attend performances. According to Smith, he and his classmates were “always blown away by how professional it was and how good the actors were.” Though he attended Allen schools from kindergarten through high school, it was not until his freshman year in high school that he considered theater. For a young Smith, acting was a way of overcoming vulnerability. Though he was frightened opening night, he could escape into a character and through theatre overcome his fear. Years later he can still identify with that fear and he has found that he is not alone.

“As an actor you are supposed to be fearless. It is not true though. Most of the good actors that I know are sensitive and fearful and they need someone to come in and nurture them and say you are OK and you are going to do fine,” said Smith.

The idea of applying to Juilliard was not something that Smith had considered until he was approached by former CCCCD student Michael Urie, a recent Juilliard graduate. Urie and Smith acted together in the play Titus Andronicus, part of the Shakespeare workshop held at the college annually in the summer.

“One time we were hanging out in the green room, and he asked ‘have you interviewed for Juilliard?’, and I said ‘no way’ because it seemed like this impossibility. Very matter of fact he said, ‘I think you should look into it.’ Watching him work in rehearsals is what made me interested in Juilliard. I watched him and thought that is what I want to do as an actor. I looked around and everyone was in awe. I thought if they could help someone get to that level that was a major selling point of the school,” said Smith.

Still, the thought of applying to Juilliard seemed daunting. Smith was not sure that he had the talent the school was looking for, but his professors at the college knew he was Juilliard material.

“If I had not gone to CCCCD, I would not be going to Juilliard. Last year after the first rehearsal of  A Clockwork Orange, Brad told me, ‘this time next year you are going to be at Juilliard. I said , ‘What?!’ I did not believe it, and I had not applied and still he had no doubt. He was adamant about it. He was so positive and encouraging. I would not have had the courage to apply if it were not for Brad,” said Smith.

While he was performing in A Clockwork Orange he sent in his application and received an invitation to audition in Chicago in February. He described the process as grueling. He waited for hours for a turn to perform and then waited yet again to see if his name would appear on the list for an additional performance. Though the competition was steep, even the famous judges did their best to encourage the students to relax.

“Michael Kahn, artistic director for the Shakespeare Theatre and director of the Drama Division of the Juilliard School, gave a speech saying ‘we want to see you at your best, and we do not want you to be scared or intimidated.’ I was so relaxed when he joked that it is all about putting you on the grill and watching you cook,” said Smith.

Smith performed a piece of Shakespeare’s King Henry VI Part Three and acted the part of a person obsessed by someone he sees at a coffee house from the Eros Trilogy by Nicky Silver. His baritone voice also rang with an a cappella performance from Falsettos.

A classical music aficionado, Smith likens his lifetime goal in theatre to Chopin’s music.

“In the end once you boil it all down success in music, acting or athletics, it all comes from this place that we are all capable of tapping into, this place─ this creative superself ─that very few people have ever entered. Chopin is a concrete example of someone who has reached that. You listen to his music, and it is all there; he is really giving you his soul. That makes him the litmus test for what I would like my ultimate achievement to be, even if it only happens once. I think that the ultimate thing is to give you my soul and to show you that our souls are probably very similar,” said Smith.

For more information about the CCCCD Theatre Department, call 972-881-5679. For ticket information, call 972-881-5809.