'Yuge' role for local actor in Trump-inspired musical

A singing and dancing 'Donald Trump' takes the stage in St. John's this fall in Trummp the Musical, and the role of the braggadocious, reality-TV-star-turned-real-life president has a hometown feel.

Local actor Taylor Aucoin went to the casting call never expecting to be offered the role of 'The Donald' himself.

"I sang this lovely little upbeat, comedic song about falling in love with a girl something I know nothing about," Aucoin told CBC Radio'sSt. John'sMorning Show.

So when the audition panel asked Aucoin if he would read for Trump, he was stunned.

"I kind of looked at Peter and was like 'what'," saidAucoin.

Peter MacDonald Sr. is the director of the new, original play billed as a comical commentary on the U.S. president, with numbers like "Make America Great Again" and "Fake News."

"It's classic musical theatre, but there's a message," MacDonald said, and both he and the show's writers hope that message will inspire citizens to think more about politics.

"We are members of these democracies," MacDonald said. "We have a responsibility ... to keep our leaders in check."

"We elected these people. We have to think about this."

A Trump-ing presence

About 140 people showed up to audition, four of them vying for the huge role of Trump.

Aucoin wasn't one of them, but the panel thought he was tremendous.

"When he walked in, he just had the presence that we were looking for," said MacDonald.

The two writers, Peter MacDonald Jr. and Spencer Fitzgerald, both scrawled 'Trump' on pieces of paper and passed them to each other during Aucoin's audition.

After pitching the idea to Aucoin, MacDonald handed him the Trump material and told him to go out and try.

"He went out and came back a totally different person," said MacDonald.

Getting in gear

Unlike the real Donald Trump, Aucoin was apprehensive at first.

"It's always a challenge going into a new musical," he said, "but then my family was like 'this is what you went to school for, get it in gear.'"

Now, Aucoin is fully committed.

"I wanted to do this because I wanted to shed some light on how much of a buffoon he is," he said.

To prepare for his upcoming role, Aucoin watched enough videosto master the president's facial expression and voice, and says he now has to tune out Trump's words.

"'Cause it just makes me so angry," said Aucoin. "I'm watching it not just as an actor learning a character, but I'm watching it as a person, and it's hurting me to see what he's doing."

But as a dedicated performer, Aucoin is prepared to get fully into the character.

"The backwards raccoon I like to call it: dark and then the white eyes that's what I'll be doing," said Aucoin. "And blended Cheetos. That's how I'm going to get my look."

Meanwhile, casting is done, actors are rehearsing, and there's a public reading of Trummp the Musical on Wednesday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the lecture room of Gower Street United Church.

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