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Saturday July 21, 2012

WILLIAMSTOWN -- Actor Brandon Victor Dixon may be performing at the Williamstown Theatre Festival for the first time, but the Tony Award-nominated actor is no stranger to appearing in musicals adapted from movies or books.

In fact, Dixon's Tony Award-nomination was for his performance as Harpo as part of the original cast of the Broadway musical adaptation of "The Color Purple."

Dixon stars as Raymond Deagan in the festival's latest Main Stage offering, "Far From Heaven," a new musical adaptation of the critically acclaimed 2002 movie of the same name.

"I've been very blessed with the opportunities I've been given," he said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

Billed as a preview production to allow the creative team to make changes during its run, the musical will move to the Off-Broadway Playwright's Horizons 42nd Street theatre next May.

"Last August, I was asked to do a reading [by Playwright's Horizons]. You never know where readings are going to go," he said. "Come the new year, they called and asked if I would come to Williamstown this summer. I had a great time in August and the score of the show is exceptional. I also had a great time with Kelli O'Hara. I'd heard about the festival a number of times from friends who had done it before I'm quite glad I decided to come."

The production, which takes place in 1957 suburban Connecticut, centers around the seemingly picture-perfect wife and mother, Cathy Whitaker

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(O'Hara), whose world begins to unravel. Her world is turned upside down by changes and challenges in her interpersonal relationships -- from the discovery of her husband's homosexuality and the collapse of her marriage to her budding mixed-race relationship with Raymond, a taboo at the time.

Dixon said he was attracted to the role because of the material, along with the professionals attached to it both on and off stage.

"It's a wonderfully told story, specifically with the music," he said. "The relationships between the characters are also very well defined. Every character is very three-dimensional. Because of the time period of the show, it's a great back drop for the relationships between the three [main] characters and their internal conflicts. There's so much to work with. Kelli and Steven Pasquale are wonderful to work with and are amazing interpreters of emotion and character."

Dixon added, "It's always a great opportunity when you can grow and learn from people you work with."

To reach Jennifer Huberdeau, email
jhuberdeau@thetranscript.com.