Actor Spotlight

Driven Dallas actor has Hamilton — and cooking — in his sights

Year after year, Calvin Scott Roberts has worked on his onstage versatility. And when you look at the Dallas actor's resume, it certainly shows in the variety of roles he's taken on: 1930s musician, protective brother, abusive husband, magical king, and soon-to-be unreliable witness in a landmark murder case.

That last role would be Jim Conley in WaterTower Theatre's concert version of Parade, but before that mounts in March, Roberts is starring as one-fourth of the cast of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change at Theatre Three. This musical journey about dating, love, parenting, and relationships first debuted at Theatre Three 17 years ago, but the yearly production is now is being revitalized by B.J. Cleveland.

Before Roberts ventures down the highway of love (the show plays December 29 through February 12) he took the time to fill out our survey of serious, fun, and sometimes ridiculous questions.

Name: Calvin Scott Roberts

Role in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change: Man 2

Previous work in the DFW area: Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent (Casa Mañana); Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Spunk, Honky, Creep (WaterTower Theatre); Memphis, Crazy For You, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, The Drowsy Chaperone (Theatre Three); Miracle on 34th St., Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters (Dallas Children’s Theater); The Color Purple (Jubilee Theatre); Julius Caesar, Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Dallas); A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center); The Producers (Uptown Players), and more.

Hometown: Dallas

Where you currently reside: Physically, Dallas. Emotionally, NYC.

First theater role: Santa Claus

First stage show you ever saw: Singin' in the Rain

Moment you decided to pursue a career in theater: My senior year in high school, I played the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. During the scene after “King of the Forest,” I found myself on all fours roaring like a lion. I knew then that theater was what I wanted and was supposed to do. I’d always loved performing, but that moment was pretty definitive for me.

Most challenging role you’ve played: Mister in The Color Purple. Discovering what made him abusive was a difficult task. It’s surprising when you realize what can bring out the darkest parts of the human heart.

Special skills: Some accents, cooking, obsessing over TV shows, evil laughing.

Something you’re REALLY bad at: Math. Cutting in a straight line.

Current pop culture obsession: Westworld. Love & Hip Hop. Snapchat. Twitter. (I’m a little late.) Instagram stories.

Last book you read: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Favorite movie(s): Clue, The Goonies, School Daze, Big Trouble in Little China, Coming to America

Favorite musician(s): Mos Def, Sara Bareilles, Emile Sande, Leon Bridges, Beyonce (duh), Michael Jackson, Prince, India Arie, Adele, Ella Fitzgerald, Christophe Willem, Audra McDonald, Frank Ocean

Favorite song: At the moment, “Don’t Hurt Yourself” by Beyonce featuring Jack White.

Dream role: Bobby in Company, Burr and Washington in Hamilton

Favorite play(s): Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, God of Carnage, Fences (all August Wilson), Hamlet, The Tempest, Topdog/Underdog, Laughing Wild, Sexual Perversity in Chicago

Favorite musical(s): Hamilton, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Ain't Misbehavin', Edges, Fly By Night, Evita, Dreamgirls, In The Heights, A Chorus Line, Marie Christine, Ragtime, Gypsy, Kinky Boots, The Wild Party, The Scottsboro Boys

Favorite actors/actresses: Jeffrey Wright, Audra McDonald, Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, James Marsden

Favorite food(s): Pho, Italian, Doritos

Must-see TV show(s): Westworld

Something most people don’t know about you: I used to be a cheerleader.

Place in the world you’d most like to visit: Spain

Pre-show warm-up: Usually some type of annoying vocalizations.

Favorite part about your current role: Getting to play some really fun characters I don’t usually get to play.

Most challenging part about your current project: The costume changes will be tricky.

Most embarrassing onstage mishap: During a Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughter’s performance, I decided to underdress a costume I had never underdressed before in order to save time. Well, of course, I underestimated how tight I should tie the drawstring because during our finale dance number, the top pants fell to my knees in front of a billion kids!

Career you’d have if you weren’t in theater: I’d be a chef.

Favorite post-show spot: My bed.

Most memorable theater moment: Offstage, meeting Audra McDonald. Onstage, the entire run of The Drowsy Chaperone at Theatre Three. To this day it is one of the best — top three — experiences I’ve had.

Dallas actor Calvin Scott Roberts.

Photo courtesy of Theatre Three

Dallas actor Calvin Scott Roberts.

interview qa theater

Drama kings

Dallas theater lures new leaders away from Hollywood and Broadway

Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage

Malcolm Goodwin is an actor, director, and producer familiar for roles in Reacher, iZombie, and The Fall of the House of Usher.

Dallas theater company Lyric Stage has looked to Hollywood and Broadway for new leadership, hiring film and television actor and director Malcolm Goodwin and Broadway veteran Victor Hawks as the theater company's new co-artistic directors.

The appointments mark a new chapter for the company, which was founded in 1993 by Steven Jones, executive director Catherine Carpenter Cox says in a November 2 announcement.

Goodwin and Hawks are the co-founders of Team Vision Entertainment, a production company developing and producing film, television, and theater projects.

Their longstanding creative partnership will now extend to Lyric Stage, where they will work alongside Cox to develop programming, support new works, and strengthen the organization's connections to the broader entertainment industry, a press release says.

Goodwin is an actor, director, and producer best known for roles in Amazon Prime Video's Reacher and The CW's iZombie. Other credits include The Fall of the House of Usher, American Gangster, and Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna.

His new role at Lyric Stage brings him back to the art form that first inspired his career.

"Theater is where I first learned how to tell stories and where I discovered that I loved every part of the creative process, not just performing," Goodwin says in the release. "I was building theaters, working with lighting and sound, and learning how everything comes together to create something special for an audience. Being able to return to that world and help create opportunities for other artists is incredibly meaningful to me."

Hawks brings an extensive Broadway background to his new position, having appeared in the original Broadway company of Urinetown the Musical, the 2006 Broadway revival of Les Misérables, South Pacific at Lincoln Center, and The Producers national tour.

Victor Hawks, Lyric Stage Victor Hawks.Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage

"Musical theater changed the direction of my life," Hawks says in a statement. "I know firsthand what happens when someone gives a young performer an opportunity to learn, grow and be part of something bigger than themselves. That's what makes this next chapter so exciting. Lyric Stage already has an incredible history, and we want to build on that by creating great theater and opening doors for artists who are just beginning their journeys."

Over the past three decades, Lyric Stage has earned a reputation for its professional productions, world premieres, and restoration of classic Broadway works, with a big focus on musicals.

For Cox, the appointments are about bringing together artists who understand the importance of theater while offering the experience and relationships to help the organization grow.

"Steven Jones built something truly special with Lyric Stage, and we have a responsibility to honor what he created while continuing to move the organization forward," Cox says. "Malcolm and Victor have built remarkable careers in entertainment, but what I love most is that theatre is where both of their journeys began. They understand what the stage can mean to an artist, and they share my passion for creating opportunities for the next generation."

Cox also recently moved into a new role as director, making her directorial debut with Lyric Stage's production of the musical Godspell, which finished its run on October 25.

Upcoming Lyric Stage productions include A Very Lyric Christmas, A Chorus Line, Newsies, and Once.

Future planned endeavors for the company include Lyric Stage Academy, an educational program designed to introduce young people to the performing arts, as well as Children's Theatre, Summer Stock, professional training opportunities, a New Works Lab, and master classes.

lyric stage performing-arts theater

Actor Spotlight

Driven Dallas actor has Hamilton — and cooking — in his sights

Dallas actor Calvin Scott Roberts.

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Drama kings

Dallas theater lures new leaders away from Hollywood and Broadway