In 2013, Kieran Macdonald took the stage at Sherwood Park’s Festival Place as Mr. Mistoffelees in Cats. Almost 10 years later, he’s performing the show across the continent.
“There’s really no words for it,” says Macdonald, who is on the Cats Revival National Tour.
Macdonald’s love for the arts began when he was young. When he wasn’t listening to Broadway soundtracks or watching The Wizard of Oz, he was dancing. It wasn’t until he moved to Canada from Scotland at eight and saw The Phantom of the Opera that he knew he wanted to be on stage.
“When I was watching that show, I was like, I want to be on Broadway. I want to be in this business,” says Macdonald.
Macdonald joined musical theatre programs, dance companies and enrolled in an arts-focused high school. There was never a Plan B.
“I’ve just always known that I’m doing this as my career, and I said I’m going to make it happen no matter what,” says Macdonald.
A move to Los Angeles in 2018 scored him gigs on the Emmy Award-winning comedy series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and an appearance in Gucci’s Spring & Summer 2019 Campaign.
In the middle of the pandemic, in July 2020, Macdonald received a call from his agent asking him to send in a self-tape casting video for Cats, Macdonald’s dream show. A year later, he received a callback audition in New York and signed on as a swing. In case another cast member can’t perform, Macdonald is waiting in the wings.
“I love the other side of the table, like the creative and the casting aspect of everything. So, I’m super excited to be dance captain and to be able to make creative choices with the creative and management team, keep the show clean and run rehearsals.”
This article appears in the October 2022 issue of Edify
