Brandon Billings

Brandon Billings (Eugene)

Fireflies

JANUARY 7 — FEBRUARY 13

What excites you about Fireflies and the role you are playing?

Honestly, being able to work with such incredible artists. Since graduating from Adams State University in 2020, I’ve been eager to work with people with a shared love of theatre again. Along with that, the story is so heartwarming, and character driven that I believe audiences are going to leave feeling a sense of joy and love. I play Officer Eugene Claymire, and the scene that he appears in is so sweet and memorable. I love doing scenes that really dive into human connection.

What’s your process like in preparing for a show like this, and how does that process change (if at all) from other shows?

Well, it depends on the script. If I’m working on a play where it was adapted from a book, I always find the book and read it before the first read through. That just helps me understand everything about the story and the characters. 

What’s your biggest challenge about taking on this role?

The number of performances we’re doing. I’ve never worked in a production where the length of the runs extends a little over a month. Which is a good thing! I’m just filled with excitement to perform this show for audiences every weekend till February 13th. Also, as a new actor in the Denver area, another challenge is performing for a whole new audience. In college I got used to the audiences, I would even know a good amount of people personally, so this is an entirely new experience for me.

How did you get started performing?

I started performing in a class I took in high school called “Media Tech Productions.” This class gave me a creative outlet which then turned into an ambition to pursue a career in theatre and film. I moved out to L.A. for a brief period to learn and experience what thousands of actors experience up there, but it wasn’t for me. When I returned to Colorado, I attended Adams State University to earn a degree in theatre. 

Why do you still perform?

I love every aspect of theatre. I love the shared and imaginative space that theatre gives and also being able to bring projects to fruition. In L.A., I was reduced to a stereotype, which didn’t necessarily make me feel great per say… but when I joined theatre, I was shown what inclusivity looks like and from there, I fell in love with theatre. I honestly can’t see a life without it.

What’s your dream role, and what do you feel you would bring to it?

I’m not sure if I have a dream role as of now, I guess one dream role would be to work on any Tennessee Williams’ script. I’ve always enjoyed his writing and have seen the movie A Streetcar Named Desire about a dozen times. I think other dream roles would be to work in productions that make the audiences think and reflect on either their life, society, government, etc. 

What’s a fun fact people may not know about you?

I love cooking… during the beginning stages of quarantine, I watched so much Gordon Ramsey that made me want to cook and so through dozens of YouTube videos and recipes, I started teaching myself how to cook to occupy my time and I found a hidden passion for it.