Brian Burger never thought about making a living as an actor until he was on an interview for medical school.
“I was going to be a doctor,” said Burger, 27. “In an interview, this woman asked if I was going to major in theater because I had done a lot of plays already. She said they like it when students from the humanities — acting, English, things like that — go to medical school, because they know how to connect with people. Before that, I didn’t even know you could major in acting.”
He transferred to the University of Portland, continued to act, graduated, got a job as a medical assistant and has kept acting. He’s currently the star of the Oregon Children’s Theater production of “Geronimo Stilton, Mouse in Space,” and he’s performing two shows a day where he’s on stage for practically every second of the 65-minute play. Burger said the only times he’s not on stage are for quick changes.
The Columbia River High School graduate didn’t start acting until he needed a fall extracurricular activity for the International Baccalaureate program.
If You Go: “Geronimo Stilton, Mouse in Space”
What: “Geronimo Stilton, Mouse in Space” follows the reluctant mouse spy as he’s called on to save New Mouse City.
When: 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday until Feb. 14.
Where: Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway, Portland.
Cost: $18 to $32. The show is recommended for children ages 4 and older.
Information: www.octc.org/onstage/geronimo
“My parents told me, ‘You’ve always been a bit of a ham, why don’t you try acting?’ ” Burger said. “I fell in love instantly.”
Burger played Francis Flute in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in that first high school play.
“There was such a vivacious life in it,” he said. “I’ve always been a nerd. I’ve always been into fictional universes. To get to be someone else for two hours is exhilarating.”
Burger, who had played baseball for 11 years to that point, tried to play again in the spring while acting but couldn’t fit both in his schedule and had to give one up. He kept acting, and has continued ever since.
After college, he spent six months on an acting apprenticeship at the Florida Studio Theater, and since returning to the Northwest, he’s acted for a few different troupes and at various theaters around Portland and Vancouver. He used to perform in the Slocum House Theatre and with the Felida Players. Last year was his busiest year as an actor, with rehearsals for shows starting up while he was performing in other plays.
For “Geronimo Stilton,” Burger took five weeks off from work, since the play has afternoon performances. It plays at the Newmark Theater, which has 880 seats and is the biggest theater Burger has performed in.
“To perform in a Broadway-caliber house here in Portland has been an honor,” he said.
In “Geronimo,” which is based on a series of popular children’s books from Italy, Burger plays the title character, Geronimo Stilton, who is the editor of The Rodent’s Gazette, a newspaper in New Mouse City. Stilton, a self-described “scaredy mouse,” must overcome his fears as he is called upon to save his city. The performance, Burger said, is the first major staging of “Geronimo” in the country.
“Mouse in Space” — which uses background from many Stilton books, as well as books in the Stilton shared-universe of characters who have their own series of books — is based on the 52nd entrant in the Stilton series. It follows a villain who sells world leaders on “safety” technology, which he uses to spy on and blackmail them.
“Despite being children’s theater, it was one of the most relevant scripts I have read in a long time,” Burger said. “It deals with issues like privacy versus security, and what are you willing to give up to feel safe? Also, it’s a truly funny script.”
Burger said what he likes about the Stilton books is that they’re grounded and based in actual science. There’s “a sense of realism to this world inhabited by mice,” he said.
As for the future, Burger said he hopes to get to a point where he is a full-time actor, whether on stage, TV or in movies. He said he’d love to be on a single-camera sitcom, like some of his favorites shows ever, “Scrubs” and “30 Rock.”
Until then, he’s happy to keep acting around Portland, where he said there are increasing opportunities to act in fun stage shows. Recently, he performed in the Shakespeare-zombie mash-up “Twelfth Night of the Living Dead” and the campy zombie musical “Bite Me a Little.”
“The opportunities out here are growing,” he said. “The artistic quality of this town is far above its size.”
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