Nattrass dons bigger, better role

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This article was published 28/11/2017 (3172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the summer of 2016, actor Carson Nattrass was making his larger-than-life presence felt on Kildonan Park’s Rainbow Stage as a singing, dancing ogre in Shrek the Musical.

Nattrass will play an even bigger role at Rainbow this year as its newly-minted artistic director.

Nattrass, 38, wasn’t feeling the slightest bit ogre-like about being the successful candidate to replace former artistic director Ray Hogg, who departed in September. In fact, Nattrass was moved by the new role he is to play.

“It’s actually very emotional,” he said from his new digs at the Rainbow Stage office in the Pantages Playhouse Theatre.

“It’s such an enormous part of our community, but also our family life,” Nattrass said.

“I grew up in North Kildonan and was taken to Wizard of Oz back when I was just wee.”

Nattrass, who graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor of fine arts in drama-acting in 2003, has found abundant work under the dome of the Kildonan Park venue, appearing in 14 of Rainbow Stage’s past 28 productions.

“I have a theory about why the company means so much to so many, and it has to do with the fact it’s rooted in the community and hires the most people from this town, more than anyone else,” he said.

“It has this incredible track record of keeping people here but also celebrating all these Winnipeggers that are on Broadway, as well.

“It’s a pretty spectacular pool of talent that no other city can boast.”

When Hogg left the job in September, Rainbow’s executive director Julie Eccles announced the position would be made part-time instead of full-time, which Nattrass says will allow him to continue appearing onstage. (He is currently working in the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre production of A Christmas Carol until Dec. 16.)

“At the same time I was applying for this, I had applied, was interviewed and got into the Stratford Festival’s directing program this spring and so the half-time position allows me to do both,” he said, allowing that his performing days at Rainbow Stage are likely behind him while he is artistic director.

“Unless there’s a drastic shift, I probably won’t be on the stage for a few years. I am OK with that.”

Nattrass, who is married to award-winning actress Sharon Bajer, says he is honoured to have the job.

“It’s exciting for Sharon and I, as freelancers,” Nattrass said. “There’s not a lot of ladders to climb in the field that we work in. These opportunities don’t come very often, and I’m kind of overwhelmed with good fortune.”

Rainbow Stage’s next productions are the Neil Sedaka jukebox musical Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (July 12-22, 2018) and Beauty and the Beast (Aug. 16-30, 2018).

randall.king@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @FreepKing