Brahm Taylor has worn many masks during his time in Yelowknife. He played Nanki-Poo in last month's Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Mikado at NACC. He's the lead singer with the rock band Scrapegoat. He's a member of the Yellowknife Theatre Company and a teller at the Toronto Dominion Bank. Now, he's off to Studio 58, a prestigious theatre school in Victoria.
Taylor has been developing his artistic flair for years, getting honorable mention in an American theatre competition in which 1300 plays were entered. He loves comedy and has learned to work the crowd. When he moved to Yellowknife, high school theatre productions became important to him. So it wasn't a big surprise when he was accepted in the drama program at York University in Toronto at the end of his high school years.
University wasn't for Taylor back in 1990, but the theatre scene - especially the Fringe Festival - was. Taylor's part was a sexy, gothic writer who lived in a cafe. "I had the greatest time of my life, hanging out with the theatre crowd, going to parties," Taylor said. but the happy times didn't last. Taylor had to cash his savings bonds so he could eat. "I couldn't find a day job because my hair was long and I couldn't cut my hair because of the play," he explained. He was broke and depressed but eventually landed a job, which turned out to be the worst job of his life - cooking for a travelling carnival. After getting back on his feet - he still can't stand the sight of burgers - he returned to the theatre scene. Taylor's life consisted of acting and sleeping. He volunteered at festivals and theatres, just so he could see shows for free. He worked in a few independent films. He kept auditioning for plays but when 60 actors would show up for 10 roles, he began to wonder exactly what he was doing with his life. Why did actors have it so rough?" he wondered. Was it really for him?
He got disenchanted once again but this time, returned to Yellowknife. By June, 1994, he was stocking shelves at the Co-op - at midnight, so no one would see him and ask why he wasn't a theatrical success. "I wanted to think about life, think about what I wanted to do," said the slight thespian. "I sure wan't going to et involved with the theatre again. I felt like a failure." But the Yellowknife Theatre Company was audtioning and Taylor had the theatre bug again - bad. He got the part of the half-wit son in Opal's Baby, red long johns and all. "I was having a ball again," he said. He realized that the stage was where he wanted to be. "This time I'm energized, I'm taking on the world."
This time, Taylor has options. Not only was he accepted at Studio 58 this year, he was also accepted in the film program at the Emily Carr Institute of Arts and Design. And music is an option. Taylor played guitar in his room for years. "I now have a feeling. I'm not great, but I'm out of my room."
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