By Elise Devlin
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Baltimore native Bryan Terrell Clark, best known for his role as George Washington in the record-breaking Broadway hit Hamilton, describes himself as an example of how fulfillment and success follow when you allow passion to serve as a compass in life.
“When you follow your passions, which are the things that steal your focus and the things that light you up, they tend to guide you to a life of fulfillment rather than a life of existence,” says Clark in a recent virtual interview with The Baltimore Watchdog.
The 6-foot-1, 33-year-old Clark says he has learned through the many seasons of his life that there are three concepts to master to live a passionate and successful life: Discipline, character, and remaining authentic through failures.
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States, as designated by the Maryland Constitution in 1851. Yet Clark, having grown up in Charm City, insists the metropolis can feel like one, tight-knit community. It was in Baltimore where Clark says he got a taste of discipline and learned to carry it with him.
“People from Baltimore are tough,” says Clark in a zoom call from Vancouver, Canada, while shooting for an upcoming show. “We have tough skin, and we work hard. I think that is a major part of my self-discipline.”
In 2019, Clark played the role of George Washington in Hamilton, and stepped away from the show just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread across the world. However, Clark originally made his Broadway debut as Marvin Gaye in Motown: The Musical.
Clark says he acquired a strong work ethic in Baltimore and now recognizes the importance of practicing what you choose to pursue. He graduated from the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, a Baltimore County-wide public magnet school. Then, he attended Temple University in Philadelphia and the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut.
Recently, Clark talked with Towson University students and staff in a program titled “Finding Your Purpose: From Baltimore to Broadway’s Hamilton.” He outlined his journey to stardom during the program but provided greater details in his zoom meeting with the Watchdog.
Clark says he developed his talent and showcased discipline through the amount of training he completed at the various schools. The school experiences provided him places to practice as well as “find himself,” he says. He used Carver School for Arts and Technology as an example.
“Carver allowed me to step into a sense of agency,” Clark says. “There are so many things that define and validate us, and the power of the arts is that it is where you get to express yourself as who you are, on your own terms. We tell our personal truth in these imaginary circumstances.”
Clark preaches that sometimes the issue in any given situation is not always capability or talent, it is in fact character. An individual’s character is the backbone of every aspect of his or her life, and it plays a large role in the outcome of his or her endeavors, he says.
To succeed, Clark suggests that people get to know themselves well. He says people should define what character means to them, and what they hope their character will do for them as individuals and for others.
“Character, and what that means to you personally, is huge,” Clark says. “I know for me, I had to step into a lot of self-love and a lot of authenticity, and that has contributed to success.
“I allowed myself to trust the process and let it go,” he adds. “I am just going to have to be me, and I will just have to get offered the role or not.”
Both Motown and Hamilton, which are now viewed as huge successes for Clark on Broadway, are actually where he learned to fail. Clark says he auditioned multiple times for Motown and heard nothing but silence until asked to audition again.
Before earning the role as George Washington in Hamilton, Clark was asked to audition for two audition sessions, equal to seven total auditions. This resulted in Clark being forced to accept himself for who he was, and stay true to that throughout both audition processes to not be daunted by the possibility of failure.
“Rejection is direction,” Clark says. “Rejection does not mean ‘No,’ it can just mean ‘not this way’ or ‘not right now.’ Once you learn that every decision is not meant to be taken personally, you can grow and learn that some opportunities are just not meant for you.”
Once developing the mindset that rejection simply means it was just not meant for you, Clark says he blossomed as a person and leader. He says he recognized what was meant for him and used his own character as a strength in leading and helping others.
“The best form of leadership that you can be is an example,” Clark says. “There are different forms of helping. You can be in deep waters and you can cling to me like a lifejacket. But I can also be a lighthouse instead. Sometimes being the light in a dark space will guide so many more people to shore, then diving down and trying to get each one by yourself.”
Currently, Clark is working on his passion in writing, directing and producing with Artist Park Productions, but says he also is involved with many new projects. Clark will be seen as the evil stepfather in Sneakerella scheduled to be released this summer on Disney+. Also, he will be making a guest appearance in Inventing Anna on Netflix, as well as continuing to appear in Snowpiercer on TNT.
Clark says he continues to focus on his passions, balancing many of them at once. He says he is the happiest version of himself. By maintaining discipline, being proud of his character, and staying true and authentic no matter what disappointments he faces, he views himself as successful and hopes for others to follow.
“I learned there is so much more value for me personally in living and being my truth, and honoring that, and daring to invite people into that space,” Clark says. “By inviting people into this space, you can inspire people with your life.”