Featured Artist: Nathan Brisby
This is a series of posts featuring our artists who are making things happen in and around our great borough of Queens. Please check back weekly for new posts.
TitleOccupation
I wear a lot of hats. I’m an actor/singer, but also a writer in the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and the founding producer of Broadway Gives Back.
Which Queens neighborhood do you live in and for how long?
I’m in Astoria (aka “Actoria”) and have been here since 2005. I’ve been in NYC since 2002. I’m old.
How did you get involved in theater?
I was Scrooge in A Christmas Story. I got bit by the bug and never looked back.
What do you love most about Queens?
It’s not a concrete jungle, but it also doesn’t shut down at 9pm. It’s the best of both worlds.
Do you have any “only in Queens” moments you’d like to share?
Well, as you may know, the census said that Astoria is the most diverse neighborhood in the entire US of A. I love taking the train home late at nightwith dozens of languages being slurred by drunk people around me.
So many!! For food, I love Vesta, Sparrow, ordering late night Thai from Bangkok Tasty, and Sugar Freak. Astoria Performing Arts Center regularly puts on shows that are better than most of what happens on Broadway. How they transform their space every show is the stuff of legend. And if you’ve got a dog, like I do, he loves nothing more than a nice walk in Astoria Park.
Current/Upcoming projects?
I just finished a bunch of readings, and have a few coming up. I’m working on a new tween musical with my writing partner, Lizzie Hagstedt, called “Camo Girl,” based on a novel by Kikla Magoon. Broadway Gives Back held a benefit concert recently at Le Poisson Rouge called “Broadway Charity Songs,” and it was a HIT! We are being asked to do it every year. There should be press coming out about it on the theatre websites very soon.
