鈥淚t鈥檚 so hard to talk when you want to kill yourself.鈥� So goes the opening line of the new in-the-works Alex Brightman/Drew Gasparini musical It鈥檚 Kind of a Funny Story, which debuted March 20 at Feinstein鈥檚/54 Below. An adaptation of the movie by the same name, based on the novel by Ned Vezzini, that jarring start comes from the mouth of 17-year-old Craig Gilner, and鈥攁t one time鈥攎ight have been considered too grim for a musical. But one glance at the theatrical landscape (one specific blockbuster this season, in particular) and you鈥檒l see that this kind of dialogue isn鈥檛 out of place.
Just ask Colton Ryan, who鈥檚 currently pulling double duty as the standby for the titular role in the Broadway smash Dear Evan Hansen, while鈥攕ince January鈥攈elping to develop the role of Craig in Funny Story.
A senior at Baldwin-Wallace University (currently on leave and receiving internship credit for his Broadway work), Ryan joined Evan Hansen in December 2016, following a series of meetings with Tara Rubin Casting (鈥淚 was put on a list of people who could sing high and looked kind of weird,鈥� he laughs). Shortly thereafter, the Funny Story casting crew sought him out to play their leading man, a character who鈥攄espite obvious differences from Evan鈥攊s, in his own way, 鈥渙n the outside, always looking in.鈥�
鈥淐olton is a f****ing star!鈥� shouts Gasparini. Adds Brightman: 鈥淸In his audition], he raised one eyebrow鈥攈e didn鈥檛 even have to say anything鈥攁nd we knew that was our guy. He drives this show. It comes from his soul, and it鈥檚 incredible to watch.鈥�
As for comparisons to Evan Hansen, the writing team鈥檚 not worried; in fact, they鈥檙e grateful. 鈥淭heatre helps breed new theatre,鈥� says Brightman. 鈥淚 mean, where would Dear Evan Hansen be without Next to Normal? Where would Next to Normal be without shows like Rent? You can take it to the bank that we bow at the reverence of Dear Evan Hansen.鈥�
And to say Evan Hansen has informed Ryan鈥檚 work on Funny Story would be an understatement. He revels in the fact that, with Funny Story, he gets to explore 鈥渁 different side of the spectrum and [see] how far it can go,鈥� because while Evan deals with crippling social anxiety, Craig tackles depression 鈥渉ead-on鈥� and checks into a mental hospital.
The singing actor鈥檚 true pride lies in addressing such a hot-button issue, and reaching children and teens on local and global scales. 鈥淚鈥檝e become so much more aware of the mental health community and the outreach programs since joining Dear Evan Hansen,鈥� he shares, detailing that production鈥檚 partnerships with such organizations as the JED Foundation and the Global Mental Health Program at Columbia University. 鈥淭hey do a lot of great work over there [raising awareness].鈥�
鈥淲e talk about it very openly [in Funny Story],鈥� notes Ryan. "It鈥檚 so important to talk about it, because every person鈥攅ven those people who feel fine [on the surface]鈥攅veryone deals with their own mental issues at their own pace and the severity [may vary], but ultimately, medicine can only do so much. The only way to combat these issues is to be open about them. I think that鈥檚 what these shows can teach kids.鈥�
The show, commissioned by Universal Theatrical Group, is still in development, but Gasparini and Brightman anticipate big things to come.
And while Ryan expresses 鈥渃omplete interest鈥� in continuing with the show through its next stages, he鈥檚 happy, for now, just taking it one day鈥攁nd one show鈥攁t a time. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e both dope,鈥� he says, of his experiences. 鈥淎t the end of the day, I鈥檓 just happy to be a part of it all. That鈥檚 that. No questions asked.鈥�
Watch the opening number from the show at Feinstein鈥檚/54 Below:
