All Things Prince with Colin McCaslin
Everyone loves a prince – and PBT Soloist Colin McCaslin has played his fair share of them onstage. We asked him what it is like to portray the Prince in Jayne Smeulders’ U. S. Premiere of Cinderella.
You can see Colin as the Prince at The Benedum Center during the evening performances of Cinderella with the PBT Orchestra on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m.
If you weren’t the prince, what other character would you like to be in Cinderella?
“If I weren’t portraying Prince Charming, I think I’d really like to be one of the birds. I like the story behind them and how they relate to the values Cinderella was taught as a child.”
What makes the Cinderella prince role stand out?
“I think something that stands out about Jayne Smeulders’ interpretation of Cinderella and Prince Charming to me is the way that their relationship and chemistry really builds from the first moment they meet all the way up until the curtain comes down on the final pas de duex.”
Have you performed as any other princes/prince-like characters?
“I’ve now performed as a number of princes including Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Prince Desiré in The Sleeping Beauty, and Sugar Plum Cavalier in The Nutcracker. I cannot wait to add Jayne Smeulders’ Prince Charming, It’s definitely one of my favorites so far!”
If you had to choose a fairy tale Prince, who would be your favorite? Do you have a favorite princess as well?
“I think if I were to choose a favorite fairy tale couple I would have to choose Cinderella and Prince Charming. I find that despite being drawn to each other from seemingly opposite lifestyles their love and compatibility is very wholesome.”
Would you like to be a real-life prince or do you think their burdens are too much to bear?
“I’m sure there would be various ups and downs to being a real-life prince, as there are in all walks of life. I think given the burdens and responsibilities I would prefer just portraying on stage”
Colin McCaslin, of Vineland, New Jersey, joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 2018
from the PBT School Pre-Professional Division. Before joining PBT School, McCaslin trained with the Atlantic City Ballet School under Phyllis Papa and in Miami City Ballet School’s summer intensive. He has performed with PBT in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Beauty and the Beast and West Side Story Suite and with Atlantic City Ballet in Carmen and Swan Lake. His repertoire also includes Giselle, La Sylphide and Don Quixote, among others.
Artists: Colin McCaslin and Tommie Lin O’Hanlon | Photography: Anita Buzzy Prentiss, Michael Henninger, Aviana Adams