A 2010 graduate of The University of Alabama has gone from performing at the Capstone to starring on Broadway in just a few years.
Jake Boyd landed the role of Joey Primo in a Broadway production of “Rock of Ages” last month. Boyd has already been in numerous off-Broadway shows such as “Carrie the Musical” and even had a recurring role on the TBS show “Are We There Yet?” A large portion of Boyd’s success can be attributed to the theatre education he received while studying at the University.
“I had great acting, vocal and dance training there,” Boyd said. “It all helped. UA gave me tons of valuable skills. It all comes together to make up who I am now.”
Boyd was also able to use his curriculum as a means of bettering himself as an actor with an amount of passion that prepared him for the next step in his career.
Seth Panith, associate professor of theatre and director of the MFA and BA acting programs, was impressed with Boyd when he was a student at the University.
“Jake was an extraordinarily driven student — he was not obsessed with results but with his total understanding of the process,” Panitch said. “He was the type of student who understood this was his time, that no one was forcing him to be here, and he drained every class, every course of every sliver of information he could get.”
Panith said Boyd’s rapid success came with no surprise.
“Really a ravenous student, so it’s no surprise that he has proceeded the same way with his career,” he said.
Boyd also tried to go beyond just doing well in his classes and participated in theatre related organizations and shows outside of the University to improve his talent.
“I was involved in everything,” Boyd said. “I did shows at the school and was also involved in Alpha Psi Omega theatre honors fraternity, and sometimes I would go down to Theatre Tuscaloosa.”
Panith said Boyd was able to prepare himself for this kind of success while he trained at the Capstone.
“The competition in NYC is fierce – everyone has trained hard, and everyone at that level is a professional of the highest order,” Panitch said. “To see Jake be cast in this show proves he absolutely belongs in that pool of highly proficient performers.”
