The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Broadway star returns home to Marietta with one-man show
Tyler Hanes doesn’t like boxes. They are too restrictive and confined, so the Marietta native prefers to step outside of them.
“I’m a variety of things, so I don’t like to play it safe,” he said. “I challenge myself, because that’s where the growth really begins.”
His risk-taking attitude has taken him far. Since age 17, he’s professionally whirled and pranced his way across stages all over the United States, starring in Broadway revivals of “Oklahoma!,” “Sweet Charity,” “On the Town” and “Cats.”
It’s now been six years since Hanes, a New York City resident, has performed in Georgia, but he’s ready to tackle something new. The 36-year-old is returning to his roots, and he’s bringing with him a one-night-only, one-man show titled “Broadway’s Tyler Hanes in Concert.”
On Nov. 2 at the Strand Theatre, the entertainer, who wrote, produced and choreographed the musical, will take the audience on his journey to stardom with personal stories told through live song and dance.
“I knew I had to take it down South,” he said. “That’s where I’m from, I grew up there and so many people have been a part of
my journey. So I’m thrilled to be coming home.”
We chatted with Hanes about his creative process and what locals can expect from his upcoming performance: came my way, I looked at it as a new venture, and I’ve been having a good time doing it. It’s very freeing, and it’s a lot of fun. It’s also cool telling my story and reflecting on how I got to this point, because I’m still kind of in disbelief that I’m doing what I love.
Describe your process. Does the writing, music or choreography come first?
I decided to do the music first and build the rest of the show around it. I picked about 70 songs that were a part of my history. We lined them up, and cut them out on pieces of paper. We did process of elimination and narrowed them down to 20. Once we decided on a set list, we started writing from there and added choreography. kid who would not take no for an answer.
What messages do you want to convey?
No matter the industry, people like to put you in boxes. I’ve always wanted more, and I like to challenge myself. I set out on a path that never seemed possible, but anything can happen if you stay open to it. If you do one thing and play it safe, you might not see your potential. But if you think broadly, who knows what’s waiting for you.
What’s been the most difficult part about producing?
As a performer, you just show up. You don’t think about all of the steps. But as a producer, there’s so much work that happens before you even get to day one. It’s a totally separate hat you have to wear in order to make everything happen, and I thrive off of that. It’s a different type of fulfillment.