It was in 1992 that I saw for the first time Brent Barrett on stage. The place was London. The show was GRAND HOTEL. Tall, handsome, manly, with a nice smile and a strong baritone voice he really grabbed my attention. By that time I knew him from the studio cast of STRIKE UP THE BAND and from the cast recording of GRAND HOTEL.

Several years later, in 1998 New Year's Eve, I saw him again and this time I met him personally. In CHICAGO he was better than I remembered him and in person he was charming and very pleasant.

But this isn't about me and my opinion on Barrett. So let's go for a little (I wasn't able to find much) bit of story about him.

Barrett was born in Quinter, Kansas. There, since an aunt owned a movie theatre, he spent part of his free time watching movies. It was in high school that he sang for the first time in a musical, CALAMITY JANE. Even so, he was thinking in pursing a career as a teacher, but a professor told him he should become an actor instead. Realizing that it was a good idea, he was transferred to the Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he majored in musical theatre.

In his senior year he played Tony in WEST SIDE STORY and later, thanks to Barry Moss, was cast as Diesel (although he eventually played Tony) on a Broadway revival of that show. So there he was in New York, the heart of the musical theatre.

Then he joined the European tour production of WEST SIDE STORY and returned to New York in 1982 to play Whizzer in MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS. One year later he was cast in DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER, a Broadway flop by Charles Strouse and Alan Jay Lerner that closed after one performance. Anyway, a cast album was recorded and Barrett made his debut recording with it. His already strong voice can be heard in the male duet "Why Can't the World Go and Leave Us Alone?".

That musical was followed by a number of different roles in various shows and then by a role on television's soap opera ALL MY CHILDREN, where he stayed for a couple of years.

Next he joined a production of Richard Maltby Jr. & David Shire's STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW, where he met the authors and became part of their new revue that would became known as CLOSER THAN EVER.

The show opened in New York in 1989 and was a hit. It's cast recording gave Barrett the chance to show all his qualities and soon he was chosen to sing the leading roles on the studio cast recordings of two classics, STRIKE UP THE BAND and BRIGADOON.

In 1990 he became the third actor to play Baron von Gaigern on the Broadway production of GRAND HOTEL. He did it on the national tour, recorded the cast album and then did it on London.

In the meanwhile he was invited by John McGlinn to sing in concert versions of SUNNY and VERY WARM FOR MAY, and did a few more studio recordings. Nevertheless, he had to wait several years to record his first solo album, THE KANDER AND EBB ALBUM.

In 1995 he was chosen by Tommy Tune to create the role of Victor Duchest on the Sherman Brothers' new musical BUSKER ALLEY (also known as BUSKERS and STAGE DOOR CHARLEY). Unfortunately Tune broke a foot during an out-of-town performance and the show was cancelled, and so Barrett chances to create a role on Broadway went down the drain. Although it seems everyone knows how talented Barrett is, the truth is that, until know, no one has written a musical role for him and he sure deserves it.

On these last few years he was seen on Broadway in CANDIDE, CHICAGO and ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. For this last two shows he got some of the best reviews of his career. More recently he landed a personal and critical success with the City Center Encores production of THE PAJAME GAME and returned to London, where he got raves for his role as Fred Graham/Petruchio on the revival of KISS ME, KATE.

About him Clive Barnes wrote "… he is one of Broadway's authentic leading men. Barrett boasts a great voice, and the charm and swagger of the Alfred Drakes of yesteryear." And Ben Brantley said "….he recalls an earlier age of leading men". And I couldn't agree more. He deserves all the success he's having and let's hope that somewhere, someone will write a strong new character specially for him.

On a final note, here are a few words by John Kander & Fred Ebb: "Brent has it all - a gorgeous voice, a flawless technique and impeccable musicianship. But, more importantly, he has the one quality that can't be taught - soul."

by Jorge T. Santos (2002)

THE PICTURES

1 - Barrett at an earlier age

2 - Backstage at THE PAJAMA GAME with Karen Ziemba and John Raitt

3 - A publicity shot

4 - With Rebecca Luker at the recording of STRIKE UP THE BAND

5 - At Flee Market

6 - A cover picture from his solo album

7 - With Ruthie Henshall

8 - Backstage at ANNIE GET YOUR GUN