I first met Brian Driscoll when we were on the tennis team together at St. Paul Central. He was good. Me? Not so much. But he also was impressive on stage, winning acclaim in the title role of “Oliver!”
Meet the St. Paul kid who rediscovered the joy of hamming it up after 55
Before Theatre 55, Brian Driscoll hadn’t been on stage since high school.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 6, 2024 at 11:30AM
Fast forward more than four decades. Driscoll, 59, has rediscovered his love of theater through several productions of Theatre 55 — a troupe started in 2018 to give seniors a creative outlet. Driscoll is in the theater’s production of “Cabaret” through the weekend.
Eye met with Driscoll, whose great-great grandfather founded the Pioneer Press and whose late dad, Andy, was a longtime radio host and activist, to learn more about how he rediscovered his passion for theater — and his city — in middle age. This interview was edited for length.
Q: How did you get back into theater?
A: I had no involvement in theater after high school until [my sister] Amy learned about Theatre 55. She was in the ensemble for “Hair” back in 2018. She followed up with me later. She said, “Hey, they’re going to do ‘Rocky Horror [Picture Show]’ next and you’ve got to do it.”
Q: Why “Rocky Horror”?
A: That was what we did on weekends. We went to “Rocky Horror.” We stayed out late, and it was safe, and it was something fun to do. I saw it about 40 times. So, I knew all the lines, I knew all the songs. I said, ”OK, I’ll try out.” I was Riff Raff, a pretty good role right out of the box. That was my first time [in theater] since high school. I did do some singing [after high school]. I was in this group called Kith and Kin, which is a local mixed ensemble that sings pop songs.
Q: How many productions have you done now?
A: I’m on my fourth.
Q: What else are you doing now?
A: I’m semi-employed, or semi-retired. At the same time, I do need some income. So, about five years ago, after I left a corporate gig, I drove Lyft for a couple of years. I don’t know if you can tell, I’m kind of a people person. [laughs] A friend of mine called me up and she said, “Hey, I’m working with this small tour company, and they need people to drive their bus and they also need tour guides. I think you’d be great.” And I’m still doing it. Experience the Twin Cities is the name of the company. And we do food tours, site-seeing tours, breweries, wineries.
Q: I hear you also perform on land for Viking River Cruises on the Mississippi?
A: Experience got the local contract a couple years ago for all of the host services. People fly in and we meet them at the carousels and escort them to the bus. I love it. it’s the best job that I’ve ever had. I step in and talk to a bus full of people. It’s me and a microphone, talking about Minnesota and the Twin Cities. St. Paul gets short shrift a lot in the calculus of tourism in the Twin Cities. But the fact that Viking comes up the river and doesn’t go any farther than St. Paul, and being able to provide some enthusiasm for what St. Paul has to offer, is kind of fun.
Q: What do these opportunities to be in front of people do for you?
A: It allows me to be creative, to be engaged with multiple personalities at one time. With my groups, it’s kind of like social science. If you’re not interested or you’re not paying attention, I’m going to focus on you. I’m going to make you interested. And I get to merge history with the beauty of this city.
Q: You’re not even a little shy?
A: I don’t think so. As long as I’m comfortable with what I’m going to be doing. Some people, it’s the worst thing that they could possibly be asked to do, being in front of a large group of people. That’s not my fear.
Q: What is your strength as a performer?
A: I’m flexible enough to do multiple things. In [”Cabaret”], I play a chorus boy – which is why my nails are painted [black], the owner of the club, who’s an a-hole, and also a Nazi youth.
Q: Three different parts?
A: Yeah. And I’ve been the bad guy in all the shows I’ve been in. I was Pontius Pilate in “Jesus Christ Superstar.” I was Riff Raff. And, in “Rent,” I played Benny, the landlord, who’s just a jerk.
Q: What do you fear on stage?
A: Forgetting lines is something no one wants. Having a wardrobe malfunction. Our bodies aren’t what they were. People are having to be comfortable in their own skin. And some actors are being asked to be more fearless than I am. Being out there with skin that’s not tight anymore. Sags. I’ve got no hair. But I haven’t had hair for a long time.
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