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It was the pivotal moment in Much Ado 溏心vlog免费B站 Nothing: Bickering leads Beatrice and Benedick to share their first kiss.

But this night, Shakespeare鈥檚 comedy was careening toward tragedy.

鈥淗is whole face was bloody,鈥� Khoshatefeh recalls. She watched Burnap vainly try to stop the blood flow, which only made more of a mess. Time was up.

鈥淗e came onstage, put his hand over my mouth, and kissed his hand. It went with the show because Beatrice and Benedick spend the whole play bickering. It was such a great moment: beautiful and kind of perfect,鈥� Khoshatefeh says. 鈥淚t showed how well he knew his character.鈥�

Burnap laughs at the memory. 鈥淚 had to do something,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no improvising Shakespeare.

鈥淎nd when something is undeniably real, it sparks new life into the story. The audience is sitting forward and participating in the magic of live performance. I panicked for a moment, but for everyone else, it was a beautiful mess.鈥�

At 27, Andrew Burnap has had more than a few beautiful moments: a stellar undergraduate career at 溏心vlog免费B站, graduating first in his class from Yale School of Drama, making his professional debut as Troilus in Troilus and Cressida in Central Park鈥檚 Delacorte Theater. And now he鈥檚 one of the youngest actors to have starred in Matthew Lopez鈥檚 The Inheritance at the No毛l Coward Theatre in London after a sold-out, critically acclaimed run at the Young Vic.

Andrew Burnap.

Photo by Colby Blanchet 鈥�13

Tony Award-winner Stephen Daldry directed this epic, seven-hour play about gay men living in New York City a generation after the AIDS crisis. Burnap played Toby Darling — a name almost too perfect for those who know him well. They use words like 鈥渋ntoxicating,鈥� 鈥渕agical,鈥� and 鈥渟hiny鈥� to describe him. Friend Sam Gross, who saw him in The Inheritance, has an awed-but-not-surprised response to his success. 鈥�The Inheritance is one of the most emotional things I鈥檝e ever experienced,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople were crying. People were stunned at intermission. It鈥檚 incredible seeing him in the roles he plays and to think that鈥檚 the same guy I grew up with.

鈥淗e fills every stage,鈥� Gross says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 outstanding in every setting.鈥�

Burnap appreciates accolades but, when asked about his idea of success, doesn鈥檛 talk about seeing his name on a Broadway marquee or starring in a Marvel Comics movie. 鈥淭o me, making it is when others in your field come to see your work,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y goal in life is to tell the stories I want to tell, to be with the people I want to be with, to have a life and a family and to walk down the street unnoticed.

鈥淭heater gives me the opportunity to understand what it means to be human — flawed, a walking contradiction,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淚 get to celebrate the beauty and the horrors of this life.

鈥淎nd I鈥檝e learned that love is the greatest thing life has to offer.鈥�

Allison Burnap will tell you her son started performing early.

鈥淲e鈥檇 play this mishmash of Christmas songs and, all of a sudden, he鈥檇 stop in his tracks and this thing took over: He鈥檇 go into a trance,鈥� she recalls, laughing. He was 5, maybe 6. 鈥淭hat Christmas he asked for a top hat and cane.鈥�

Things got serious his sophomore year at 溏心vlog免费B站, Burnap鈥檚 parents say, with Rocky Horror.

鈥淚t was the start of feeling like I could do this,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淒octor Frank-N-Furter came to me surprisingly naturally. It opened up a whole new world within my own person.鈥�

鈥淎蹿迟别谤 Rocky Horror and Singin鈥� in the Rain, I knew that he had the talent to do anything,鈥� says his father, Tim.

Best friend and neighbor Austin Madden remembers the day his mother called to say she鈥檇 seen Burnap walking the neighborhood in 6-inch heels, practicing for the role. While amusing, it wasn鈥檛 surprising. Burnap was always practicing. 鈥淗e鈥檇 always be in the basement playing piano or practicing accents,鈥� Madden recalls.

鈥淚 saw him in Rocky Horror. To see him in these big roles. Oh, my God. That鈥檚 my best friend playing a transvestite, playing a drag queen. He鈥檚 amazing.鈥�

Andrew Burnap, reclining, as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, with Johnny Sederquist 鈥�11, as Riff Raff, in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 2010 production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rocky Horror required Lady Gaga-esque command of platform heels. Singin鈥� in the Rain called for dancing on a slick stage. Burnap did not come by either skill naturally. Hard work underpinned those seamless performances.

鈥淵ou can practice walking in heels or tap-dancing six hours a day. That鈥檚 muscle memory. By the time you鈥檙e onstage, it doesn鈥檛 feel like effort,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淚n Singin鈥� in the Rain, Gene Kelly鈥檚 dancing is gorgeous because it鈥檚 effortless. And you鈥檙e just as impressed with what he鈥檚 doing as you are with the fact that he makes it look easy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 transcendent,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淎nd you can feel it.鈥�

Paula McGlasson directed him in both shows.

鈥淭he 鈥業t鈥� factor — he had it,鈥� McGlasson says. 鈥淗e exuded sincerity, confidence, great comic timing, and that great thing you can鈥檛 teach: charisma. He was someone you wanted to watch,鈥� she recalls.

溏心vlog免费B站 Theatre Department Chair David Howard was Burnap鈥檚 first-year advisor. 鈥淚t really was Rocky Horror that solidified him in people鈥檚 minds,鈥� Howard says. 鈥淒octor Frank-N-Furter is the exact opposite of how I perceive Andrew. He completely embraced the whimsy and the depravity of the role. It felt mature and knowing.

Andrew Burnap as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

鈥淎ndrew is incredibly reserved, humble, gracious, and inclined to underplay his place in the world,鈥� Howard continues. 鈥淭hat he can transform into a character who is braggadocious and loud and extravagant shows that he has the ability to plumb the depths of a character.鈥�

Tony Estrella 鈥�93, Burnap鈥檚 Shakespeare teacher at 溏心vlog免费B站, smiles to hear of his Much Ado 溏心vlog免费B站 Nothing mishap. 鈥淚t is tough to improvise in iambic pentameter,鈥� he notes. 鈥淎nd you don鈥檛 want to break the bond with the audience. It鈥檚 a testament to his ability, to his investment in the character, and to keeping the story moving forward.鈥�

Estrella is disinclined to take credit for the younger actor鈥檚 success. Burnap entered 溏心vlog免费B站 already almost fully formed as an actor, Estrella says. 鈥淚 saw him in Two Gentlemen of Verona, a jukebox musical version, and there he was playing the trumpet live in front of 4,000 people on the Common in Boston, and I鈥檓 like, 鈥楯esus, what else does he have in his toolbox?鈥欌��

鈥淚鈥檇 prepared four monologues. I was so unbelievably nervous,鈥� Burnap recalls. 鈥淚 entered this room and there was this big bear-like man with a deep voice, Walton Wilson, and a thin, elegant, Fred Astaire-type older man, Ron Van Lieu.

鈥淭hey told us, 鈥楧on鈥檛 worry. We want you to be good. Just do your pieces as you want to do them, and everything will work out.鈥欌��

Burnap first auditioned for Wilson. After each monologue, Wilson said, 鈥淕reat, do you have anything else you鈥檝e prepared for us?鈥�

Then, a return to the waiting room for what seemed hours. Finally, a Yale student bearing the list arrived and said, 鈥淚f your name鈥檚 on the list, stay. If not, thank you; nothing more is required of you,鈥� Burnap recalls. 鈥淚 was always the last person to look at the lists. I sort of gingerly walked over and saw my name and was like, 鈥楬oly shit!鈥� I took a picture. I still have the picture of the list on my phone.鈥�

Burnap鈥檚 name was one of only four. Thirty had auditioned. That year, 1,200 aspiring students would audition for 16 slots.

The second audition came and went. Then there were three. Burnap got the nod for callback weekend, a two-day assessment of getting-to-know-you events and more auditions.

The last interview had the feeling of the final scene in Flashdance: Burnap alone with a panel of five judges. He joked with them, got a few laughs. 鈥淚 was self-deprecating, made fun of myself and Yale. I left happy, on the lighter side of things,鈥� he recalls.

The three actors who followed Burnap left the interview crying. 鈥淭hen I thought, I should have cried. Why did I tell stupid jokes? What was I thinking?

鈥淚n short, I had a meaningless freak-out.鈥�

Ron Van Lieu laughs at Burnap鈥檚 recollection. 鈥淲hen they enter the room, you try to diffuse their anxiety, tension, and stress,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hat they don鈥檛 realize is that the person on the other side of the desk wants the same outcome they do.鈥�

鈥淗e had a charismatic presence that is not teachable,鈥� Van Lieu says of Burnap. 鈥淓valuating students you鈥檙e thinking, do you really want to watch him? Do you miss him when he leaves the stage? How capable is he of holding your attention?鈥�

Yes. Yes. And yes, thought Van Lieu, watching the younger man audition. The professor saw some other things, too. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 know the difference between performing and acting. His auditions were a little show-offy. You know, though, that that鈥檚 just a cover for his anxiety.鈥�

Andrew Burnap as Casey in The Legend of Georgia McBride, as Chorus in The Orestia, and as Kewpie in Paradise Lost

Van Lieu鈥檚 assessment was spot-on. Anxiety and depression nearly derailed Burnap in his first semester at Yale.

鈥淢y family has a very strong line of depression running through it,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淚 started to battle depression at an early age, and it took ahold of me and became full-on depression in my freshman year at college. I started taking medication.

鈥淎nd at that point, I had no interest in understanding it. It wasn鈥檛 until I got to Yale that I wanted to understand this part of me,鈥� he continues. 鈥淚 started to see it as a connection to a part of my life.鈥�

With his parents鈥� and Yale鈥檚 knowledge, Burnap weaned off of his medication. 鈥淚 felt medication didn鈥檛 let me feel the emotional lows or the emotional highs. I wanted to be in that emotional place that a character has no choice but to be in.

鈥淎t 溏心vlog免费B站, I felt I had this remarkable thing inside of me, a sense of confidence and knowledge. At Yale, I lost the feeling of being remarkable and it allowed me to work from a place of humility. I was watching classmates do incredible work and feeling less than. I knew I had a lot more to learn. I wanted to feel like I deserved to be there.鈥�

He did. In 2017, Burnap graduated first in his class and landed the male lead in Shakespeare in the Park鈥檚 Troilus and Cressida. He鈥檚 been working steadily since. He seems a little awed by it. And deeply grateful. 鈥淗e is my soulful kid; he thinks deeply and feels deeply,鈥� says Burnap鈥檚 mother, Allison. 鈥淗e鈥檚 actually shy.鈥�

鈥淗e鈥檚 a regular guy, much more regular than you think,鈥� Burnap鈥檚 father, Tim, says.

Allison nods and adds, 鈥淗e knows just how lucky he is.鈥�

Andrew Burnap was not supposed to be cast in The Inheritance, a contemporary play spanning three years — 2015 to the present — with flashbacks to the Reagan era, a turbulent time for gay men in America. Playwright Matthew Lopez had only asked Burnap to do a three-day workshop for it (Burnap had starred in Lopez鈥檚 2017 sensation The Legend of Georgia McBride). For The Inheritance workshop, Burnap would read the part of Toby Darling — but with the understanding that he would not be cast in the role. He was too young, Lopez said.

鈥淎nd I did the three-day workshop, and there was John Lithgow and Cory Michael Smith and they were so wonderful,鈥� Burnap recalls. 鈥淎nd I remember telling my manager I would pay to be a stage prop in any production of the play. But my manager said unless it鈥檚 a big part, we don鈥檛 see you doing it.鈥�

Burnap was called for a second, weeklong workshop when Lopez couldn鈥檛 find anyone he wanted to read the part of Toby Darling. 鈥淏y the end of the week, I鈥檇 fallen in love with Toby Darling, but Matthew Lopez said, 鈥榊ou鈥檒l never play it in a production.鈥欌��

But this time Burnap had workshopped the play in the presence of Stephen Daldry, two-time Tony Award-winning director. 鈥淎nd Matthew called and said, 鈥楧aldry hasn鈥檛 stopped talking about you. You鈥檙e on his short list.鈥� And the day before Thanksgiving last year I got the call saying, 鈥楬ey you have the role.鈥欌��

Andrew Burnap as Toby Darling in The Inheritance.

Photo by Marc Brenner.

鈥淚 remember pulling over to the side of the road in L.A. and thinking, my life would change forever,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淎nd it has.鈥�

Burnap speaks of The Inheritance with reverence. 鈥淪ix hundred pages. I started reading it at 9:45 p.m. and read until 3 a.m., trying to stay quiet as I wept through the pages.鈥�

The anecdote underscores one of Burnap鈥檚 favorite observations: 鈥淵ou have to go to the emotional space where the character has no choice but to be.鈥�

It raises a question: Technique and practice as they apply to singing and dancing are concepts easily grasped. But what does it take to enter the interior world of a character? A teacher once told Burnap, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to convince us that you are that person, you just have to convince us that you understand the experience.鈥�

As a cisgender man playing a gay man in The Inheritance or a transgender alien from Transylvania in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Burnap notes that the characters are signifiers meant to highlight some aspect of a shared human experience. 鈥淢y job is to show you that I understand the experience,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what it is to be a young, ostracized, gay man grappling with his sexuality, but I do know what it is to be viewed as 鈥榦ther,鈥� viewed as weird or not normal.鈥�

And that鈥檚 an understanding requiring a lifetime of training.

鈥淵ou have to become a keen observer of life. I was born with this wonderful and cruel capacity to feel,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淎cting makes you want to not only learn more about yourself, but, more importantly, about others. I get to forget my own complications, my own troubles and step into those of another.

鈥淎nd every time I perform, I feel my soul and sense of humanity expanding more and more. Oh, my God, when you鈥檙e in the trenches of a thing but then float above yourself and say, 鈥楬oly shit, this is where I am!鈥� I am never tired of this, this gift of being able to create.鈥�

Andrew Burnap as Toby Darling in The Inheritance.

Photo by Marc Brenner.

Burnap recites a line from his favorite novel, James Joyce鈥檚 A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: 鈥淲elcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.鈥�

To those who aspire to a similar path, Burnap鈥檚 advice is a variation on Hamlet鈥檚 exhortation, 鈥淭o thine own self be true鈥�:
鈥淐elebrate your oddities and your quirkiness: The things that make you remarkable are often your missteps, your perceived flaws, the things you hide,鈥� Burnaps says. 鈥淭hose are the things to celebrate, highlight, and foster.鈥�

And his flaws?

鈥淭he things I鈥檓 trying to run away from,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淭he things that are buried deep are truths everyone has, and the minute you grapple with those things — doors suddenly fly open. In the mission of revealing truth, in doing this soul-spelunking, you see what鈥檚 there.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned that when I grapple with uncomfortable truths within myself that more opportunities arise.鈥�

One uncomfortable industry truth, the surety of rejection, prompts a second bit of advice and a circling back to Joyce鈥檚 A Portrait of the Artist: 鈥淚f someone tells you, 鈥楴o,鈥� ask, 鈥榃hy not?鈥� Doubt is a useful thing, but it shouldn’t rule you. It should inform and maybe affect some of your decisions, but it should not be the resounding voice in your soul,鈥� Burnap says. 鈥淭hen ask, 鈥榃ell, what else can I do?鈥� Because this quest isn鈥檛 easy, and it is filled with people telling you, 鈥楴o.鈥� But if, in the smithy of your soul you feel you cannot do anything other than this, then do it — but know it requires that next level of dedication,鈥� he says.

鈥淎nd if you can start to understand that those things you didn鈥檛 get weren鈥檛 supposed to happen for you, you can understand the challenges of this business and go on.鈥�

鈥擬arybeth Reilly-McGreen