We met MSU Theater student Justin Harmon at Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing, MI following a rehearsal for Particle, a coming-of-age esports musical. It’s a new theater production chosen by ĭmáGen, a collaboration between Wharton Center Institute for Arts & Creativity and MSU College of Arts and Letters.
We watched an early performance of Particle, which was excellent. It made us laugh, cry, and curious about its further creative development.
During THIS INTERVIEW with Justin, he told us about the character he plays, his favorite jazz and R&B artists, and his expectations for the musical. THIS is for YOU!
Justin, tell us what character you play in Particle.
I play Butter but I’m also understudying the Afternoon Assassin for the equity actor that’s going come to the show.
Do you have a gaming background?
Gaming? No! [Laughs] I have none! I have an older brother that games but that was jus not my thing when I was younger. I was always into theater. It interesting doing a show that’s all about gaming.
Okay, so other than the ImaGen program, what drew you to this production?
I think it was the style of music. Doing the audition, they told us what type of music to listen to. And it was a type of music I don’t usually listen to. It was more challenging for me trying to listen to songs and find the right songs to audition. It was very challenging, but it gave me the courage to listen to, like, techno music. It was an eyeopener.
Thinking about the music you enjoy, what did you find to be the most complicated aspect of what you were listening to?
It would probably be the tempo. I’m more into R&B and Jazz, which can be nice and slow, and smooth. This music is very upbeat, and I’m not used to the instruments and the electronics of it. The tempo really gets me. I’m just trying to find that beat and get it.
Who are some of the R&B and Jazz artists you enjoy, the ones that you had to stay away from as you learned this new style of music?
For Jazz I’d say Billie Holiday. Her voice and the music that she played is just so raw. With R&B, it would be Mario or Toni Braxton or Jennifer Hudson. I like really old R&B too, the kind I was raised on by my parents. And now R&B can be a bit more Poppy-ish. I have to tell my voice not to go in that genre on certain things because you don’t want to switch the genre of the show.
Knowing that you enjoy R&B, I wish we could have met and had this conversation awhile ago. We did an interview with Brian McKnight and used questions from fans.
REALLY??!!!
Yes! I’m bet you would have come up with a good question for him.
I would have loved that!
What are you hoping the results of this production will be?
Honestly, I’m really hoping the audience gets the story. And I think they will. It’s a really good story and it’s not the typical love-interest type of story. It’s about siblings who love each other. I hope the audience really enjoys the story, I hope that they have a good time, and be connected with us.
Justin, how can this musical help you and others build a greater connection with a sibling?
The character of the brother is the one who makes a sacrifice because he’s the one that’s into the game. But the sister, she’s the one goes off and does good at it. The story shows the love and not so much the jealousy, even everyone gets mad and gets upset. You’ll fight, you’ll bicker and all that stuff, but you can’t stay mad at your siblings. It shows that your siblings always have your back no matter what. It’s your brother, it’s your sister, and you always want each other to thrive and do well. You want to be proud of one another. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
