Kyrus Westcott has changed his focus since appearing in the March 2007 edition of the Hamilton Post.
Editor’s note: In the March 2007 edition of the Hamilton Post, we featured Kyrus Westcott, a 19-year-old Nottingham High School graduate who had started making a name for himself in theater and comedy. He had created the Parental Advisory Comedy Show at Kelsey Theater, and set his sights on movie stardom. Westcott told the Post then, “Acting is my life and will always be my number one thing.” We checked in to see if that’s still true.
By Kyrus Keenan Westcott
Wow, I guess it’s a lot has happened since we last talked in 2007. At that point, I was still a fresh-faced college student at Mercer County Community College. Since then, I have graduated from Rider University with my bachelor’s in fine arts, with a minor in marketing.
At that point in my life, I was under the mindset that “I only want to perform. If that means that I have to spend the rest of my life serving tables and being poor, then so be it!”
If there is anything that I’ve realized since 2007, it’s that I don’t want to do that. When I graduated from college, I was blessed with so many amazing performance opportunities—I spent a summer in Connecticut doing a premiere production of “Rent” at the Sharon Playhouse, I performed in the world premiere of “A River’s Current” at the New York Theatre Workshop, I went on tour with the George Street Playhouse Educational Touring Company, I understudied my first equity show (“Getting the Band Back Together” at George Street Playhouse), and I have been the lead in so many regional musicals around New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. It’s safe to say that I have been more than blessed with performance opportunities.
But during my time with George Street Playhouse, I realized no matter how successful I got, no matter how cool of an opportunity I would have as a performer, not only were my chances incredibly slim to “make it,” but even if I did “make it,” after a project was done, I’d always be right back at the starting line, looking for work. I worked with so many actors and actresses that have been on Broadway and have made films, and I realized that even those who find steady work aren’t exactly sure where they’ll be financially or geographically this time next year. I didn’t want to live like that.
I needed to find a new goal. At that time, I had been cast in the Bristol Riverside Theatre production of “Ragtime” in Pennsylvania. I had also been hired to become the Marketing Coordinator at the Advertising Specialty Institute in Trevose, Pennsylvania. I couldn’t do both. I was at a crossroads.
I took a chance and chose marketing. I spent some time as the marketing coordinator at the Advertising Specialty Institute, and then I was hired at my current position as the marketing communications manager at Inspire Federal Credit Union, right up the street from Bristol Riverside Theatre. I’ve been here ever since, and I’ve never been happier.
The great part is that I have more freedom to follow creative avenues. I still get to perform in regional theatrical productions, as long as it rehearses on nights and weekends. I also have started a personal blog called The KyrusKW Blog on my website, kyruskeenan.com. I touch upon so many different topics, and I think I have over 50,000 followers now; it’s kind of crazy.
On top of that, I have my own production company, K2KEntertainment. We have produced The Kelsey Awards at Mercer County Community College for the past five years, and we will be producing some new cabaret events at some point in late-2015/early-2016. Also, pretty soon, I will be getting into the professional photography business.
I also still enjoy modeling. Modeling is easy and fun, and it’s a great excuse for me to stay in shape. At 28, I feel that I am in the best shape, both mentally and physically, that I have been in my entire life. It’s really a great feeling.
So am I sad that I no longer pursue Hollywood and Broadway? Not really. I love the fact that I have laid foundations for a stable life. To me, stable doesn’t have to mean “boring.” It just means “consistent.” And with consistency, I can continue to venture into so many creative fields and create my own opportunities.
I recently won the 2015 Kelsey Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical for a recent production of “Into the Woods” at Kelsey Theatre, and was nominated for a 2015 NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Choreographer for the same production.
I’m starring as “Mr. Black” in a production of “Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party,” set to premiere in Hamilton Stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center in mid-September. From there, I will be Assistant Directing “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman.
I also started a new hashtag called “#kyseye” where you take a picture of half your face, focusing on your eye. All my friends make fun of me for it, but I keep doing it for some reason.
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