Actor Jordan Patrick. (Photograph courtesy of the artist)
By any stretch of the creativeness, actor Jordan Patrick has completed rather a lot on Atlanta phases since shifting right here in 2017. He at present seems within the Alliance Theatre’s younger viewers manufacturing of Milo Imagines the World, working by way of July 27, as one of many members of the Imagi-Nation.
Milo excites Patrick as a result of it’s directed by Suzi Bass Award winner Dell Howlett and encompasses a guide, music and lyrics by Terry Visitor, Christian Magby and Christian Albright. Although it premiered in Chicago, most of the present’s roots are in Atlanta.
“It’s very regionally grown,” Patrick mentioned in a latest interview. “The creativeness began right here. The artistic group is all from Atlanta. Christian Magby mentioned earlier than that he’s enthusiastic about doing it with household. And Dell is unimaginable. I can’t sing his praises sufficient.”
The present — based mostly upon a youngsters’s guide by Matt De La Pena — ought to spark creativity amongst its younger audiences.
“It’s all about Milo’s drawings, and people drawings come to life onstage, whether or not it’s by way of projections or it’s manifested within the characters that I’m taking part in alongside Sweet McLellan, Kendra Nicole Johnson and Ben Ohnemus,” Patrick mentioned. “It’s enjoyable for me as a result of it’s for younger folks. It’s actually goofy in nature and really bodily, which I like. I’m excited to indicate this to them and feed off their laughter.”
Patrick is an adept improv comic, performing everywhere in the world, and Milo permits him to faucet into these expertise in addition to his musical aspect.
“What I like about what the artistic group has achieved is that they took nice supply materials from the unique guide and made an entire new world round it,” he mentioned.
The performer has appeared at a lot of the metropolis’s skilled theaters, typically taking part in main roles in large-scale musicals.
He mentioned he’s most acknowledged in Atlanta for enjoying the scoundrel Anatole in Horizon Theatre’s hit manufacturing of Natasha, Pierre and the Nice Comet of 1812, which ran for 100 performances from 2023 to 2025.
“I’m so grateful to have been part of it,” he mentioned. “The particular factor about [Great Comet] was that it had actual coronary heart to it, nevertheless it was additionally a celebration. Once we pulled viewers members up on the bar throughout it, you by no means knew how folks would react. It stored you current. I really feel like I used a whole lot of improv in that present, too.”
Amongst different elements, Patrick performed JD in Heathers at Actor’s Specific, Lee Harvey Oswald in Assassins and Moritz in Spring Awakening at Jennie T. Anderson Theatre; Bruce Suldano in Summer season: The Donna Summer season Musical at Aurora Theatre; and Nino in Amelie at Horizon Theatre.
An internship and common roles on the now-defunct Serenbe Playhouse is what initially introduced Patrick down from Milwaukee, the place he started performing as a toddler.
“My first present was Tom Sawyer once I was 9, and I performed Tom Sawyer’s little brother,” he mentioned. “I wore just a little sailor go well with. I had 5 strains, however I liked it.”
Patrick mentioned his Serenbe expertise was powerful, although the exhibits produced have been typically exceptional.
“I’m grateful that chance introduced me to Georgia,” he mentioned. “I bought to find that Atlanta is an unimaginable, welcoming metropolis.”
Concerning his future, Patrick is engaged to marry Samantha Binkerd within the fall, and he continues to audition for stage, movie and TV roles. He additionally needs to develop new artistic work with folks he is aware of from the neighborhood, together with producing quick movies.
“I’m open, and the cool factor is that yearly may be very completely different,” he mentioned. “You’re going out and auditioning as a lot as you may. No matter sticks sticks, and I am going from there.”
The place & When
Jordan Patrick stars in Milo Imagines the World on the Hertz stage on the Alliance Theatre by way of July 27. Tickets begin at $20 for adults.
1280 Peachtree St. NE.
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Benjamin Carr is an ArtsATL editor-at-large who has contributed to the publication since 2019 and is a member of the American Theatre Critics Affiliation, the Dramatists Guild, the Atlanta Press Membership and the Horror Writers Affiliation. His writing has been featured in podcasts for iHeartMedia, onstage as a part of the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Quick Play Competition and on-line in The Guardian. His debut novel, Impacted, was revealed by The Story Plant.