This February, Kenyon Phillips will make his Pipeline debut as the title character in Jason Craig and Dave Malloy’s Beardo. When he’s not tearing it up with us as our infamous mad monk, he can be found performing at The Box or at Joe’s Pub with his orchestral rock band, Kenyon Phillips and the Ladies in Waiting. Learn more at www.thekenyonphillips.com and in our interview below. And grab those tickets to Beardo quick! Tickets are now available at a high limited pre-sale rate, purchase now and save!
Pipeline Theatre Company: What attracted you to Beardo? What made you want to work on this project?
Kenyon Phillips: The language and the music. Jason Craig plays with language the way Burroughs did in Naked Lunch, which happens to be my favorite book. And Dave Malloy’s songs are split right down the middle between avant garde and pop, which I love. While it’s nothing like the music I write, it’s challenging and energizing to perform. I also love that it’s not a traditional musical. The tone is way more Beckett than Broadway.
PTC: Where do you see yourself in your character?
KP: I see myself in Beardo’s innocent debauchery, his psychological wound, and his desire to communicate through sex. And I aspire to how accepting he is of both darkness and light. He never chooses one over the other — he’s totally cool with having both coexist at all times.
PTC: If you ruled the world, what would you be remembered for?
KP: My efforts to make the world a more compassionate and fashion-conscious place.
PTC: Tell me two truths and a lie.
KP: I worked as a go-go dancer from 2004-2008.
I used to write for Forbes Magazine.
I lost my ability to taste food after sustaining a head injury in 2002.
PTC: If you could create a tagline for this show, what would it be?
KP: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” But that’s from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, so you probably couldn’t use it.
