Actor | Scholar
A Colorado native with Texas roots, Troy is currently a Ph.D. student at the University at Buffalo SUNY in Theatre & Performance. He holds an MA in Theatre & Performance Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BFA from Colorado State University. Troy also completed The Second City Training Center Conservatory Program in his adopted hometown of Chicago. He toured the country, falling down a lot with The National Theatre for Children, was repeatedly killed with the brilliantly irreverent Defiant Theatre (RIP), and overcame any vestige of modesty with the fabulously campy Hell in a Handbag Productions.
Experienced and trained in stage combat, he has enjoyed serving as Fight Captain for Foothills Theatre Company in Colorado for their Shakespeare in the Park productions. Favorite roles include Marcus in The Book of Will (Colorado Shakespeare Festival), Stephano in The Tempest (Foothills Theatre Company), Eglamour in Two Gentlemen of Verona (Colorado Shakespeare Festival), and Laertes in Hamlet (Foothills Theatre Company). Troy is a proud AEA and SAG/AFTRA member and is grateful for these unions’ work to provide safer working conditions.
From his first-ever role at CSU in Extremities, he has tended to play the more horrible characters. With an arsenal of scumbags, ne’er-do-wells, and frequent stage deaths (as many as 5x in a single show - twice), Troy has developed a strong interest in bad-guy roles. At CU Boulder, Troy had the chance to take this experience and affinity for the characters we love to hate and make it the focus of his research - villains and performer wellness. Specifically, he is looking at the methodology of playing villains to discover the impact of roles that inflict unjustified physical or emotional harm on others to understand better how to prioritize safety and mental health for the performers on and off stage. In short, he will develop approaches to playing villains that avoid creating genuine villainous experiences.
Outside the theatrical realm, Troy is an accomplished distance runner (mainly marathons), quiet vegan, and animal activist. He loves nothing more than a good rainstorm, a hot cup of coffee, and doting heavily with his wife on their Westie, Maggie Mayhem.
Publications:
"The Uncoupling of Humanity Aboard the Pullman Car Hiawatha"
Thornton Wilder Journal (2023) 4 (2): 200–222.
Acting Spotlight:
Theatre
The Book of Will
By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Rodney Lizcano
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Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Boulder, Colorado
Role: Marcus
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"Not of an age, but for all time." So reads the posthumous tribute to Shakespeare in the First Folio, the first-ever published compilation of the playwright's work. An evocative love letter to one of theatre's greats, "The Book of Will" tells the heartfelt and hilarious true story of the artists and friends who undertook the herculean effort to publish the Bard's plays in the wake of his death.
Costume design: Meghan Anderson Doyle
Sound design: Jason Ducat
Lighting design: Shannon McKinney
Set design: David J Castellano
Projection design: Garrett Thompson
Photographer: Jennifer Koskinen
Beyond the Stage
As a runner, vegan, and animal activist who's also pursuing a Ph.D. in theatre arts. I believe strongly in wellness and balance. I hope to be a voice of change, promoting a healthy and ethical lifestyle that encourages people to stay fit and focused. I will happily come to cheer you on in any race at any pace.
Recently, I've been collaborating with renowned running brands like UnTapped, Nuun, RADrabbit, League of Garmin, and Picky Bars to help promote active living and sustainable practices. I am also proud to be a sponsored athlete by Vander Jacket, a maker of incredible and environmental running gear. Follow me on the socials and let's make the world a bit of a better place.
