Meet Kailin Brown

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kailin Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kailin, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
The most difficult decision I ever had to make was leaving to go to Pace University in New York City after my mom was diagnosed with a brain cancer called Glioblastoma. She was diagnosed while I was auditioning for Musical Theatre programs in the United States and before going into my freshman year I wanted to stay home to spend as much time with her as I possibly could. At that time, I had no idea what type of cancer she had or how many months she had to live, but there was still a part of me that knew I should’ve stayed home to support her and my family. When I had to come back home at the beginning of Covid in 2020 she deteriorated quickly and passed away in June of that year. I missed out on almost an entire year of memories with my mom and hated myself for a very long time for leaving instead of staying home. She was the one who pushed me to go to Pace and supported my dreams from the very beginning, and I am eternally grateful to her for making sure I was in New York City pursuing what I loved to do. She never wanted me stay at home with her, but had I known what little time we had left I would’ve fought harder to make sure I had every single moment possible with her.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My grandparents used to sit me down to watch old Hollywood movie musicals, my favourite being Singin’ in the Rain, and I always looked forward to going back to their house so I could watch it again. I was hooked from the second Donald O’Connor began “Make ‘Em Laugh,” and immediately knew that all I wanted to do in life was entertain others the way he entertained me. I started in dance and vocal lessons when I was two and never looked back. I have devoted my entire life to training in dance and theatre and I have encountered many challenges along the way. My first community theatre director passed away very suddenly while I was in the middle of a show at my high school, and then a few months before I graduated high school the head of our musical theatre program and one of my best friends and mentors had a heart attack on a day his entire show choir, myself included, were celebrating our Show Choir Canada win. The next year after my first year at Pace University my mom passed away from brain cancer. I have suffered a great deal of loss throughout my life, all of which were the most influential and supportive people of my dreams and career goals. While I wish all of these people were still in my life, I’ve learned that life is too short to be afraid of who you are and what you truly want, and that each moment is treasured and precious. After my mom passed I had the courage to admit to myself that I am a trans-masc non-binary person. I made my transition and started using they/them pronouns around the end of my sophomore year at Pace; for the first time in my life I finally felt like I was living life as my true and authentic self. But of course along with my transition came a plethora of new hurdles to face. Whether it was the constant misgendering or still only being seen for female-identifying roles, OR only being seen for non-binary roles for which there are very few, I had to learn how to portray traditionally female roles without letting my gender identity slip away from me. This was especially true when I played Velma Kelly on the Chicago Broadway national tour this past year. I was fresh out of university and terrified of the “real world” and how I would be perceived in the industry. I didn’t know when I was cast how difficult it would be for me to separate myself as Velma from who I am as Kailin, and it was very scary feeling less and less like myself as the months went by playing a woman every night. What I found on this journey is that playing a woman as a non-binary person gives me a unique and personal perspective on any role that I play whatever the gender of the character is. Being non-binary has pushed my artistry to a completely different level as both a performer and as a choreographer, because I strive for my art to have no limitations when it comes to gender. Especially since the dance and theatre industries are so gendered, I want to create art and performance for the people who don’t feel seen or don’t have the opportunities to see themselves in theatre and dance.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve lived in the city for five years now, and I’m still discovering new places to go out. If I had a week long trip with my bestie I would definitely have to take them to Avant Garden, Lady Bird, and V Spot. They are the absolute best vegan food places in the city, especially V Spot in Park Slope. I order from there more than I would like to admit. We would also have to go to Bathhouse in Flatiron. I’ve been gatekeeping this spot because it’s so nice when it’s not busy, but being able to take a day to hit up the steam rooms and the saunas and hang out in the pools, cold plunges, and hot tubs all day is the best feeling of relaxation I’ve experienced in the city. Also as a dancer it’s amazing for my aching muscles. We would have to stop at Harlem Shake for the best frosé in the city and Ginger’s, one of my favourite lesbian bars in Brooklyn. Of course, there would have to be at least one Broadway show excursion. I don’t even care which one, but I love being able to see a Broadway show and recreate the magic for myself that I felt my first time coming to NYC when I was eleven.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my incredibl.e grandparents, my dad, and my sisters for their continued support in everything I do, my teachers Helen and Aikins who gave me the tools to fly, my partner Grace for everything she does for me, and my mom for being my angel along my journey.

Website: https://www.kailinbrown.com/

Instagram: @kailinbrownn

Image Credits
Leilani P Carr Jeremy Daniel Garrett Hoy Monte Photeaux KAMeraShoots