New acting and directing professor to play 'Edna' in Hairspray

Michael McIntosh is the new assistant professor of musical theatre, directing and acting at the River Campus. He is also cast as Edna in Southeast Missouri State University's performance of "Hairspray," which will be featured at the River Campus Oct. 8-12. McIntosh has done all kinds of acting throughout his career and has acted and directed across the globe in places like Florida, New York, Germany and Austria. McIntosh has also taught at different schools around the world as well.

How did you get into acting?

I don't know. I think I was always an actor. I did shows in my garage with my friends for the neighborhood kids, and then at school, we were doing a "Sesame Street" show and I played Oscar the Grouch, which I loved. And then there was community theater and college theater around me, and I auditioned for the "Music Man" at a community college and I was in that and then I just started doing shows. And then I did "Oliver," and I did a bunch of shows when I was a kid and I just loved it, did it all the time -- had great parents who would cart me around.

What previous acting experience do you have?

I got my MFA from Kent State University. I started my first professional job as an actor when I was 15. I worked at Geauga Park in live entertainment, which turned into Six Flags for a while. I was 15, and I lied about my age. I said I was 16 so they'd hire me, and back then there were no computers, so there was no way to check so they just believed I was 16.

I did the country show, the country music show, and then I started doing professional shows. I lived close to the world's largest dinner theater, so I did a bunch of shows there and I got my equity card and my actor's union card there for doing "42nd Street" and then I just started working around town. In my hometown there's a lot of little professional theaters that local actors can work in, so I did that. Then I moved to New York and then lived in New York for 17 years. First I did some shows out there and then I did some tours, and then I started directing when I was out there.

I did the European tour of "Grease" and became the associate director. I caught the directing bug, and I directed while I was out there and I directed some shows, then I was cast in shows. That's what I did. I've done shows in Ohio, Florida, New York, California, Pennsylvania, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Lebanon in the Middle East, which was exciting.

What kinds of things did you do in college?

I did a lot of computer stuff. I'm a big computer geek. Computers were coming out then, when I was in college. I played a lot of nerdy stuff. I played Magic cards, I played Dungeons and Dragons, I played all that stuff.

What made you want to be a teacher?

You know, I'll tell you -- I taught when I was in [graduate] school, which was 18 years ago and I loved it. And then I moved to New York and I coached, I coached a lot in New York.

My alma mater has a grant where they get money to bring in guest directors from New York like they're doing with "King and I" here. So I went back and taught little master classes while I was there and I directed a show and I remembered how much I absolutely loved it. It's just amazing. So I went, actually, that was in 2011, and I went back there and taught there full time for a year and I loved it and now I'm here and I don't know, it makes you feel good, you know? You help people, you see people grow, you work with people, I just love it. I love it so much.

How did you get the part in Hairspray?

It kind of came with the job. When I applied for the job here, Kenn [Stilson] said 'Oh, would you be interested in doing a role in Hairspray?' and I said sure! I got called back for Corny Collins on Broadway a bunch -- never got it, though. He said 'Oh, I don't know, how about Edna?' And I said 'Edna? Oh that'd be weird, I don't know if I can play Edna,' but I thought, 'Yeah, all right, let's do it.' I was a little nervous, but I think it's going OK. I think it'll be good, hopefully. I don't know.

What's it like working with the cast of Hairspray?

They're awesome. Everyone is really excited and dedicated about their work, and I think there's so much talent. They're great singers, and great dancers and great actors, and I think passionate. They're just passionate people, kind of like the faculty. I think the faculty is just passionate. You know, Kenn, and Michelle, and Joe. And Michelle, Michelle Contrino is doing the choreography, and Joe Mason is doing the musical directing and everyone is just so excited and dedicated, it's just wonderful. It's so much fun."

What do you think of Southeast so far?

"I like it. I think it has a fantastic theater program with unparalleled facilities. I mean, this, you don't get this anywhere else. I mean, you've got two fantastic theaters and a wonderful classroom building, a new $30 million building. I think the school is fantastic. I think the acting curriculum is really strong. I think the dance curriculum is really strong. I think the voice curriculum is really strong. I think it's a great place to be. I just, in terms of my job, I love the faculty. Everyone's friendly, everyone's nice, it's a good time, good time."

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

Study -- study for the rest of your life. Work as hard as you can at becoming good at your craft. Because you're constantly learning, everybody, because I think as an actor you constantly have to grow. I think you have to grow as a human being, study everything. Study acting, but also study literature, art, sociology, politics, psychology. I think the more you know about the world, the better an actor you'll be. Because actors who only study acting, you know, make boring actors. Theater people who only know about theater make boring theater. You really have to be a student of the world to be an actor, to do anything with theater. That would be my advice.

What has been your greatest moment in acting?

Oh, I don't know if I have one. It's all fun. I think what's most fulfilling is having an honest, creative moment on stage when you're just really responding to people. I think that's the most fun, when you're not thinking about yourself. You're just responding to the situation kind of like the Meisner exercises back and forth and you're just responding. That's the most fun.