Q&A with Kevin Connor
What have you been up to since you graduated from Boston Conservatory?
A lot has happened since I graduated, but currently, I work for Hal Luftig, the Broadway producer of Kinky Boots, and I’m the company manager of Fuerza Bruta in New York City.
What was the most rewarding experience you had as a student at the Conservatory?
My time as a student at the Conservatory was filled with lots of incredibly rewarding experiences that still influence me every day. To pick a standout (and it's hard to pick!), I would say my experience with Conservatory Connections Cabaret takes the cake. When I was given the opportunity to join "Cab'ret," I was so thrilled to be performing with some really incredible talent at the Conservatory. What I didn't realize at the time was that Conservatory Connections Cabaret isn't about talent—it's about giving the gift of music and theater to people who need it most. I remember one particular Holiday Cabaret concert at the Alzheimer's wing at the Rogerson House in Jamaica Plain. We were singing Christmas carols, and all of the residents were singing along! What was later explained to us was that most of these residents had lost their ability to speak in daily simple conversations. Most of these people hadn't spoken a word in a long time, and we were able to wake up that part of their brains with music. I still get chills thinking about it.
What Conservatory experience most influenced your career?
I don't think there's a particular experience, but the entire school and program have influenced my career. At the Conservatory, I was able to jump headfirst into the performing arts. I was able to take awesome classes, perform in awesome shows, take part in awesome community outreach, join awesome leadership groups, work on campus as a stage manager for more awesome shows, AND live in the awesome city of Boston. Did I mention it was awesome? (If you can't already tell, I miss it.)
My experience as a whole has influenced and continues to influence my career. Being able to create my own opportunities is one of the most valuable skills I learned at the Conservatory—I use it and cultivate it every day.
What was the first year after graduation like?
Exhausting, exciting, difficult, easier than I thought, humbling, inspiring, discouraging . . . It's everything. It's real life. It's only been a year! Come back to me in another year or 20, and I might have a better grasp of it all . . . probably not.
What one piece of advice do you have for a prospective student?
Make opportunities. This is your education, and it's not like your degree will give you a guaranteed job post-graduation. (Sad, but true.) Make projects with your friends and share projects with your friends. After you leave, the friends that you've created projects with could be what gets you your first job. Or, more exciting than that, that project that you created with your friends and shared with your friends could be your first job!
Have your career interests changed since you enrolled at the Conservatory?
HA! Of course. Take a look at what my path has been: I applied to the Conservatory with dreams of being a performer, and now I'm working as the company manager for an off-Broadway show with dreams of producing.
What has been the greatest benefit of attending Boston Conservatory?
The people. That’s a very general statement, but it really is about the people—both the faculty/staff and fellow students. The Conservatory really cultivates a great community of people. It’s incredible how many of these people are working in the New York City community and are willing to help us newbie alumni. I wouldn’t have gotten my job working for Hal Luftig if it wasn’t for Liz Hayes, one of my voice and speech teachers who now lives in New York City. She recommended me for the gig, and now I’ve been there for almost a year.
How do you stay creatively inspired?
By surrounding myself with some really great people.
Four words to describe your typical day?
Long, rewarding, insightful, and surprising.