Steve Kimbrough: Entertainer

My Resume (PDF, 118 KB)

As a young and bubbly lad in grammar school I was fortunate enough to hook up with a local explorer scout troop that visited retirement homes and children's hospitals. We performed skits and musical numbers and it was a wonderful creative outlet for me. The acting bug promptly bit with those initial peals of laughter and the ensuing applause.

My first actual play was at Resurrection High School in 1976. It was a musical adaptation of the revolutionary seamstress Betsy Ross called "Betsy". (Not to be confused with the cheesy Harold Robbins’ film adaptation ‘The Betsy’ – though I would love to be in a musical adaptation of that!)

After ‘Betsy’ the dye was cast. In the ensuing years I was constantly in the footlights and greasepaint and more in costume than in street clothes.

I worked with a wide variety of local theater companies in a myriad of stock roles. Among my favorite parts were Matt in ‘The Fantasticks’ (which I played three times!), Curly in ‘ Oklahoma’ (played him twice), and Danny Zuko in ‘Grease’ (ditto - twice).

I briefly attended Northeastern University on a talent scholarship but with stars in his eyes (and I assumed in my future) I never managed to complete my studies. I always wanted to be on stage rather than study the craft. Leaving school I did show upon show upon show such as ‘Godspell’, ‘Damn Yankees’, ‘Gypsy’ (“I’m a pretty girl Mama”), ‘A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum’, ‘Bye Bye Birdie’, ‘Pippin’ (I was the second P in a body stocking!) ‘Sweet Charity’, ‘FiddlerOn The Roof’ (oy!) and ‘South Pacific’…was I a vaudevillian in a previouslife? I just couldn’t get enough. This continued until the mid 1990s when I opted to take a hiatus from theatre and concentrate more upon my music and strengthening my vocal capabilities.

Fast forward to 2002. ‘The Poseidon Adventure’. …And a role I was destined to play since I first saw (and obsessed over) the movie as a boy watching it again and again and again! I’d forgotten how much I missed the theatre until I found myself back on stage in the Hell-in-a-Handbag musical production of everyone’s favorite “hell upside down” disaster flick. In the wildly entertaining show I was cast in the role of Jewish heavyweight swimmer Belle Rosen (the Shelley Winters role). The production was a mega-smash as was my show-stopping solo musical number ‘Underwater I’m a Very Skinny Lady’! The production was repeatedly extended and ran to packed houses for several months. There was even an original cast recording CD. Eventually the company was asked to take part in the 2003 International Fringe Festival in New York City. Paparazzi! Glamour! Glitz! What an unparalleled thrill! I took a bite out of the bigapple! Audiences (as well as the judges) loved our troupe and resulting in the prestigious award for best ensemble. Since then I’ve become a grateful Hell-In-a-Handbag ensemble member.

I shall always have a warm place in my heart for Czarina of Campy Adaptation --- Poseidon author and guiding light David Cerda who shares my “unnatural” obsession for the film. I also owe a great deal to the show’s phenomenal director David Zak, a mentor and friend who has inspired and motivated me to remain upon the stage.

Riding the crest of the Poseidon wave I next did ‘Book of Days’ directed by Brooke Allen for No Waiting Productions and followed that in 2004 with another smash musical, the critically acclaimed and audience pleasing ‘Parade’ at the Bailiwick Theater. In the latter I played John Slaton, the governor of Georgia (and the handsomest man in the state! Seriously!) In addition to the joy of the show itself and the ego boost of playing the most attractive man in Georgia , ‘Parade’ also gave me several wonderful opportunities like singing the National Anthem at a White Sox baseball game and performing a musical number on Fox Morning News. Parade also won the 2204 After Dark Award for best production.

I am currently an ensemble member with two local theater companies. Hell In A Handbag and the new Landscape Theater Ensemble. I am honored to be working with them both.

Theoretically I would like to do one show a year, but the acting bug has bitten me once more so I hesitate to limit myself when it comes to performing. Let’s just say I imagine you will be seeing a lot more of me in the future. Rest assured I shall keep you posted.