NORTH SYRACUSE — This school year, Brigg Liberman has made the transition from Northstar to off-Broadway star. The seventh-grader at Gillette Road Middle School is performing in “Trevor: The Musical.” Previews for the show began Oct. 25, and “Trevor” officially opened Nov. 10 — the day before Brigg’s 13th birthday. The show runs through April 17, 2022.
Based on an Oscar-winning short film from 1994, “Trevor” is about a 13-year-old boy struggling with acceptance — both from society and himself.
Brigg, whose mother Tracy is a teacher at North Syracuse Junior High School, was cast in the boys ensemble and as the understudy for two major characters: the titular Trevor and his friend, Walter.
Brigg began performing publicly at the age of 7 in local productions and singing the national anthem at area sporting events. He has participated in several productions with Syracuse Children’s Theatre.
“It was a great way to get him acclimated to being in front of a live audience,” Tracy said of Brigg’s SCT tenure.
Brigg’s most recent major credit was as Young Calogero in the 2018-19 national tour of “A Bronx Tale.” Tracy said her son got to meet actor and screenwriter Chazz Palminteri, whose autobiographical one-man show was the basis of the 1993 film and 2016 musical. Brigg also got to meet Robert DeNiro, who acted in the movie and co-directed the original Broadway production.
The road to “Trevor” was a turbulent one, Brigg said. After a “rigorous process” of auditions and dance tryouts, Brigg initially received callbacks for the roles of Trevor and Walter. Then, he learned that he would not be cast after all.
“I was really upset about that because I had put so much time in and connected with the characters,” Brigg said.
In a surprise turn of events, Brigg was called back once again to audition for the boys ensemble and the Trevor/Walter understudy.
“What appealed to me is the message that it sends. It’s such a great and empowering musical. It’s about a boy making his way through junior high, which I’m doing right now,” Brigg said. “It’s so giving to see all the people come up to us at the stage door after the show and say, ‘This show speaks to me — I was Trevor.’”
Brigg moved to New York City to start rehearsals in mid-September. At first, he lived with a host family of fellow actors. When his host parents took on more acting work, Brigg moved to an apartment in Manhattan not far from Stage 42, the theater where “Trevor” is produced.
“He was living with a host family which was a lovely, lovely family he met while he was on tour with ‘A Bronx Tale,’” Tracy said. “Now he’s transitioned to [living with] a chaperone who does this for a living.”
Each morning, Brigg completes his schoolwork through Google Classroom and iTutor before heading to rehearsals and performances. At first, “finding a healthy balance that I can maintain” was a challenge for Brigg.
“I’ve gotten into it now, but in the beginning it was hard. I wouldn’t have as much support as the other kids [at Gillette Road] because they can ask the teachers,” he said. “I’m understudying two lead roles, one of whom is in the entire show and is almost never offstage.”
With more of the theater world opening up after a pandemic hiatus, “It’s an exciting time for New Yorkers,” Tracy said. Brigg is vaccinated against COVID-19 and he and his castmates are tested weekly. When not in their off-Broadway bubble, they make sure to mask up.
“He’s maintaining a strong sense of health and safety,” Tracy said.
Tracy and Ari Liberman have made a few weekend trips to see their son, but juggling their own work schedules with Brigg’s busy days and his three siblings can be difficult.
“It’s like a roller coaster: there’s thrills, there’s excitement, and then there’s moments where your stomach is in knots,” Tracy said.
Brigg said he is making new friends in NYC, but he misses his loved ones back home in Upstate New York.
“I really miss all of my family and my really close friends for sure,” he said. “I’ve never really been too far away from them.”
Now that he’s gotten into the rhythm of NYC life, Brigg is thriving.
“I love New York City. It’s like my favorite place in the whole entire world,” he said. “I’ve become really comfortable at my apartment and walking with my friends to rehearsals and getting dinner between shows. There’s always something to do.”
“Trevor: The Musical” runs daily through April 17, 2022 (except Dec. 24 and 31, 2021), at Stage 42, located at 422 W. 42nd St. in New York. Tickets start at $59 each. To purchase tickets and see the theater’s COVID-19 policies, visit shubert.nyc/theatres/stage-42/.
