In a Q&A and Multi-Night Concert Weekend, Ramin Karimloo Connected With Students and Brought Bluegrass to BYU
When Broadway and West End’s Ramin Karimloo visited BYU as part of the BRAVO! Professional Performing Arts Series, theatre students had the opportunity to learn from a seasoned professional. For many, Karimloo was already a familiar face from his roles as the Phantom in the “Phantom of the Opera” 25th anniversary concert at Royal Albert Hall in London; Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” in the 2014 Broadway revival; Nick Arnstein in “Funny Girl” and Gleb in “Anastasia,” both on Broadway.
On the day preceding his concerts in the BYU Music Building, students gathered for a personal Q&A with Karimloo, filling every seat in the BYU West Campus Black Box Theatre.
“He was so impressed with their thoughtful questions about acting, preparation, work/life balance, and so forth, and kept telling me that he wished there had been more time and that he could have seen some of the students’ work,” said BRAVO! Series producer and presenter Lyndsay Keith. “He was gracious and humble in his responses and with his time, greeting and taking photos with students afterward.”
Karimloo shared that as a hockey playing kid growing up in Canada, it was a school trip seeing “Phantom of the Opera” with Colm Wilkinson that helped him get his start in theatre. “Talk about planting seeds,” said Karimloo, now best known for his portrayal of the very same role. “It was my first time feeling a frog in my throat, but I couldn’t cry in front of the team!”
In listening to the novel “Les Miserables” in preparation for the role of Jean Valjean on Broadway, he was inspired by the physical, mental and spiritual strength of the character. “His struggle with spirituality and faith was something I could speak of and to,” said Karimloo. “My walk with God is fairly young, but now it’s just total surrender to Him. I don’t try to control my creative path anymore. I’m going to stay ready and see where He puts me.”
Karimloo encouraged the students to embrace creative collaboration with directors, even if their direction strays a bit from the traditional interpretations of shows and roles, and to lean into the time of preparation before a show opens. “That’s my favorite part of the business,” he said. “The rehearsals, the creative process — letting your imagination run.”
Karimloo’s story helped students feel that a life in such a challenging industry is within their grasp. “The biggest takeaway I got was that the work is achievable,” said acting major Kendall Wright. “Based on his story of how he ended up in the career, it feels like it’s an achievable goal — and worth it.”
After performing the lead role in “Love Never Dies,” the sequel to “Phantom of the Opera,” Karimloo said that people wanted him to do an orchestra tour, but he wasn’t sure at first. It was one night while singing “Music of the Night” with the guitar that a new musical avenue slipped into place for him. “It just made the song fresh again, the lyrics and the storytelling,” said Karimloo. “We weren’t being lost with this beautiful orchestration.”
It was with this inspiration that Ramin and The Broadgrass Band came to fruition. Known for their unique blend of bluegrass and Broadway classics, the band made their Utah debut in a pair of concerts as part of the BRAVO! Series.
At the concerts, Karimloo and The Broadgrass Band performed beloved musical theatre numbers such as “Music of the Night” from “Phantom of the Opera” and “Bring Him Home” from “Les Miserables,” as well as bluegrass classics and faith-based songs.
“A large majority of the students who attended the Q&A also came to one of the concerts, and he gave them a shout out that made them so excited,” said Keith. “I think it was an important educational experience for these students to get to talk with a professional face-to-face about the brass tacks of the industry and then see him in action at a performance — many students told me that they left feeling so inspired.”