Ben Gold '13, a Music and Theater double major, is now highly involved in the performance scene at Brandeis. He has performed in numerous musicals and is a member of the a cappella group Proscenium. His love for musical theater stems from more humble beginnings.
In an interview with justArts, Gold described his younger self as tone-deaf and somewhat unskilled: "I didn't even know I could act or sing until I was about 12." An audition for a musical the summer after fifth grade changed the course of his dreams.
"I [now] realize how much happier it's made me," Gold said. "I guess I love to sing and act because it's an emotional release. I'm typically a quiet person in real life and don't wear my emotions on my sleeve. ... When I'm onstage singing, acting or both, it's a way to express a part of me that might not get expressed otherwise."
This discovery has led him to performances in numerous musicals through high school, community theaters and college.
Gold recently showcased his talents in a solo voice recital in the Slosberg Recital Hall Sunday evening. His performance was divided into sets of themes that included exotic locations, love, religion and society. The program spanned music from operettas of the late 1800s and continued throughout the history of musicals to include, among others, pieces by Leonard Bernstein, Mel Brooks, Noel Coward, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and Stephen Sondheim.
Accompanied by professional musician Sarah Troxler on piano, Gold expressed a range of emotions throughout his songs, most of which he selected himself. "A lot of them I like just because they are funny," he explained. "Other ones are really powerful, with character and emotion behind them. You can really get into [them]."
One of the most humorous numbers was "Haben Sie Geh?drt Das D?ustche Band" from The Producers, in which Gold played a writer for a fictional musical in production called Springtime for Hitler. He noted that this song is one of his favorites to perform: "What [Brooks] does with his lyrics [is] really brilliant. [They have] clever stuff in them."
During other parts of his recital, Gold showed a sense of drama and poignancy, as with "This is Not Over Yet," from Parade.
Gold also revels in the act of performing itself. "During performances, whether it's straight theater or musical theater, I usually don't feel that nervous," he said. "Sometimes I get jittery before the show, but that usually stops once I go onstage. I definitely respond to the audience's energy. ... If they seem very into the performance, I'll feel more energized. ... Getting a reaction from the audience, whether it's laughter, horror or even just applause, is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, feelings ever."
Presently, Gold has set his sights on continuing performance in his life after college. Though it will take a lot of work, Gold plans to "[keep] practicing, keep working at it and keep growing." He believes "that no matter how good you are, there's always room to get better, ways to improve, and things to do differently. I mean, a lot of it is just working on your craft."
Gold has talked with many performers and actors in New York City to learn the ways of show business. "A lot of being successful is being persistent," he said. "The people who are successful aren't always the most talented, but they're usually the most persistent. They keep working at it. ... and [don't take] any rejection personally."