George Krissa is used to flexing his theatrical muscles.
Seven years ago, in the Stratford Festival鈥檚 blockbuster production of 鈥淭he Rocky Horror Show,鈥 he received gasps of delight playing the titular body builder in nothing but a pair of gold lam茅 shorts.
And if you鈥檙e among the thousands of people who saw 鈥淣atasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812鈥 鈥 either in its record-breaking run at Crow鈥檚 Theatre or the recent Mirvish Productions remount 鈥 you know he also turned heads.
There鈥檚 a scene 鈥 you know the one 鈥 involving a shirtless Krissa that immediately cranked up the temperature of the historic theatre.
鈥淚t was great fun, especially when we did the show at Crow鈥檚, because I could see everyone鈥檚 faces,鈥 Krissa told me recently. 鈥淎t the Royal Alex, I could see a good portion of the orchestra and some of the balcony, but higher up things got a bit blurry. It felt great to catch people鈥檚 eyes, seeing them look and be excited. Some people tried not to look. But I would make eye contact and wink. What can I say? It鈥檚 a good time.鈥
The good times 鈥 and ravishing tenor notes 鈥 are going to keep coming this season, as Krissa steps into two big roles this fall.
In late September, he plays the romantic lead in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell鈥檚 Tony Award-nominated musical 鈥淏right Star.鈥 And then in December he picks up a quill to strut his stuff as a not-quite-historically-accurate William Shakespeare in the return of the hit jukebox musical 鈥& Juliet.鈥
George Krissa is pictured outside the Royal Alexandra Theatre.听
Nick Lachance/海角社区官网Star鈥淭his isn鈥檛 how things ever turn out,鈥 said Krissa, shortly before 鈥淕reat Comet鈥 finished its run. 鈥淯sually four things happen at the same time, so you can’t do them all. I was thrilled that these all lined up perfectly.鈥
Rehearsals for 鈥& Juliet鈥 will begin during the final two weeks of 鈥淏right Star,鈥 which means he鈥檒l have to wake up extra early to get to the gym to maintain his Men鈥檚 Fitness-cover-ready physique.
鈥淪o what if I have to get up at 6:30 am?鈥 he said. 鈥淭his is living the dream. The overlapping shows are going to be difficult, but this is what I’ve been training for.鈥
In 鈥淏right Star,鈥 which is set in the American South in the 1920s and 鈥40s, he plays Jimmy Ray Dobbs, a small-town kid with big dreams and a big heart.
鈥淢y character meets Alice Murphy, played by Kaylee Harwood, and they hit it off,鈥 Krissa said. 鈥淭he show sort of follows their love story and then jumps ahead 20 years, after some events have taken place. I don’t want to give anything away.鈥
Besides singing, he鈥檒l play piano, guitar, mandolin and percussion.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a ton of time to put it all together and locking into the band side of things while keeping the story alive is going to be a challenge,鈥 he said.
As for 鈥& Juliet,鈥 he can鈥檛 wait to make people laugh at the story 鈥 the book is by David West Read, a writer and executive producer on the TV show 鈥淪chitt鈥檚 Creek鈥 鈥 and groove to Max Martin songs.
鈥淚’m a huge fan of 鈥楽chitt’s Creek鈥 and that humour works so well in this show. It’s fun, cheeky and intelligent without being pretentious,” Krissa said. “I grew up with this music. Every single song has a very specific memory attached to my life as a boy, in my teens, my 20s and now.鈥
And just how does a kid from Lashburn, Saskatchewan, with a population of less than 1,000, go on to star in three of the biggest shows of the year?
He credits his high school music teacher Murray McDonnell, who came from 海角社区官网and provided mentorship.
鈥淢y school was small,鈥 Krissa said. 鈥淭here weren鈥檛 enough students to make a brass band, so we formed a rock band, with piano, bass, drums, guitar and singer. I played the guitar, and Murray taught us how to play together and listen to each other. He was such an inspiration.鈥
George Krissa will appear in “Bright Star” and ”& Juliet” later this year.
Nick Lachance/海角社区官网StarAfter studying music at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Krissa did some regional theatre, paying his rent as a bartender at that city鈥檚 Earls restaurant. A poster seeking people to work at a new location in 海角社区官网got him to the Big Smoke.
And that鈥檚 where he worked when he moved here 鈥 with no connections or agent 鈥 in 2011. The day that 鈥淕reat Comet鈥 opened at the Royal Alex, Krissa posted a heartfelt message about how, as an aspiring actor bartending nearby, he would pass the theatre on the streetcar and dream about performing there one day.
When he wasn鈥檛 pouring out cocktails, he attended what he calls his own triple threat school: separate dance, voice and acting classes.
鈥淚 paid for it all with the money I made at the bar,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hen all my friends were partying and going to the island, I was in classes.鈥
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the openly gay Krissa made the move to TV acting, winning a role in the history-making first LGBTQ-themed Hallmark movie, called 鈥淭he Holiday Sitter.鈥
What would he tell his younger self, the one who was taking that streetcar and hoping to one day act on a big stage?
鈥淪tay the course, buddy,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his industry is hard. It’s hard to get into, it’s hard to stay in. For as many wins as I’ve had, I’ve had just as many punches to the gut.
“Starting out, I always felt like I was trying to jump onto a train that was already moving. I knew I had to be going as fast as the train to jump onto it. You have to be as good as the people who are on the train. That鈥檚 what kept me going.鈥
鈥淏right Star鈥 begins performances Sept. 30 at the CAA Theatre, 651 Yonge St. 鈥& Juliet鈥 begins performances Dec. 3 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W. Visit 听for tickets and more information.听
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