Who is Bryce Turgeon?
I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, which I still consider to be my home base. I was brought up in a really open and welcoming environment by my parents and family. I have a really close connection with my family in the south. It’s very southern! I’m southern through and through.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I have a card from Kindergarten where we filled out what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote a fisherman or a French maid. Well, neither of those sufficed. I always knew I wanted to do something theatrical with my life from a really young age, and my parents definitely pushed me towards that life!
Who or what has been influential/inspiring in your life?
Definitely my mother. She passed away when I was a senior in high school. She suffered for a long time on and off with a bad drug dependency problem. I saw her in her best and worst moments. She was always a fighter, and never lost touch of her love for family. She really showed me that no one is perfect, and sometimes you have to keep on fighting even if you’re losing. She was also the one who used to dress me up and let me wear makeup from an early age.
What’s an issue you care passionately about?
Being a strong willed and opinionated gay male, I would have to say I am always fighting for the civil rights of not just every gay individual, but also the civil rights of all human beings. Oh and the civil rights of all animals! I love animals! I am a performance artist, and I often perform under my Drag Persona Florence D’Lee. I am working on bringing Drag to a new level, I like to call it “Drag with a Purpose.”
What interested you about the HECUA program you participated in? What convinced you to apply?
My roommate and good friend Tyler participated in the spring of 2010 in the City Arts Program. He could not stop raving about it, and he assured me that it was right up my alley. I tend to just trust people and go out on a limb, and so I did. Tyler definitely steered me in the right direction.
Where did you intern while participating in your HECUA program? What did you like most about your internship? In what area did you grow the most at your internship site?
I interned at Pangea World Theatre for the semester. It was one of the most beautiful and fulfilling experiences of my life. I was fully enwrapped in all spectrums of Pangea in and out of the office. I was able to work on the current productions that ranged from main stages to small readings, and all of them were fascinating. Pangea really helped me grow as an artist and person, because it focused on the artist as a person and creator.
What were/are your impressions of your HECUA program director and/or other teaching faculty that took part in leading the program?
Bill and Molly are amazing people, and I am so blessed to have them in my life as teachers and as friends. The line between teacher/friend/fellow artist is so loose at HECUA that I really felt that I was in a learning environment fueled by art and filled with mutual respect and enthusiasm from the students and teachers alike.
How did this HECUA program make an impact on your life and how you think about your future?
I cannot begin to put into words what HECUA did for my life. It opened up all that was already inside of me. All it needed was some guidance to get out. I’m excited about all that the future has in store for me.
What’s your post-graduation plan?
After graduating from Viterbo this May, I will begin a contract with Disney Cruise Line as the Assistant Cosmetology Technician aboard ship. That means I make sure all the wigs look pretty all the time!