
Episode #161
The Art of the Character Actor: Nostradamus, Sipos, and Storytelling with Brian Gonzales
A Lifelong Performing Career: Guest Brian Gonzales traces his journey growing up in Dallas and San Antonio, raised by a television crew chief father and a blues singer/director mother, leading to his Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee . Crafting Iconic Character Roles: An inside look at originating Babkak in Aladdin on Broadway and stepping into two distinct 2026 Randall Theater roles at USF: the explosive, comedic seer Nostradamus in Something Rotten and the delicate, pragmatic clerk Ladislav Sipos in She Loves Me . The Interconnected Theater Community: Reflections on lifelong artistic partnerships, working alongside close friends like director Alan Muraoka and actor Blake Henri, and navigating the shifts of regional theater. Connecting with the Audience: A deep dive into how actors read and respond to live audience energy, adjusting timing without losing the grounded emotional truth of a production. Connect with SUU & The Festival: Discover upcoming speaker events at suu.edu/apex Book your tickets to the 65th anniversary season at bard.org *** Eccles APEX Website: https://www.suu.edu/apex

