UCI Drama Students Shine in Masterclass with Broadway’s Kerry Butler
Masterclass leads to a surprise duet as Butler invites student Nathan Bravo to perform at her concert.
On Friday, January 24, UC Irvine Drama faculty members Daniel Keeling and Myrona DeLaney accompanied 25 music theatre students to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts for a special masterclass with Broadway star Kerry Butler.
During the session, Butler worked one-on-one with senior BFA music theatre student Nathan Bravo, coaching him on his performance of Larger Than Life. After applauding his talent and training, she asked him to sing a second song. In a thrilling turn of events, Butler then invited Bravo to perform alongside her that evening, joining her in a duet of Suddenly Seymour at her concert.
"Participating in a masterclass with Kerry Butler at the Segerstrom was beyond incredible and I am so grateful and feel so lucky for the opportunity," said Bravo. "It was really nice to be able to represent UCI in a professional setting, as well as, in front of a Broadway veteran. The overall experience was incredibly fulfilling and really affirmed my choice to pursue the arts as a career. I often feel like I am not doing much while training here in school, but this experience felt so easy and so doable — it helped me clearly see that all of these classes, and the lessons I have learned are all exactly what I need for my career."
A celebrated Broadway performer, Butler has earned Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Award nominations. She has appeared in twelve Broadway productions, starring in iconic roles such as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Penny in Hairspray, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, and Kira in Xanadu, which earned her a Tony nomination. Most recently, she appeared in Mean Girls and Beetlejuice.
Beyond Broadway, Butler has also made her mark on film and television, with credits including The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Honor Society, 30 Rock, Gilmore Girls Reunion, Law & Order: SVU, and The Mindy Project.
Butler’s ability to fully command a song — and even an entire set list — was praised by Cape Cod Times, which wrote, “It is always impressive when a singer can take complete ownership of a song, but it is even more impressive when a singer can take complete ownership of an entire set list. Broadway actress Kerry Butler is one of these singers and proves herself worthy of her many Broadway credits.”
