Kevin Armstrong returns to the 2019 Edmonton International Fringe™ Theatre Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and Kelowna Fringe Festival with his new performance of “Tommy’s Amazing Journey”, his solo rendition of The Who’s classic rock opera, in honour of its 50th anniversary. “Tommy” recounts the story of a boy, locked out of his senses by a traumatic experience, who grows up to become an unlikely messiah. Kevin’s performance is a spectacular display of musicianship, dexterity and vocal expression, including foot-operated drums and a massive 8-string acoustic guitar to recreate the sound of an entire band, all while singing every role himself. “Tommy’s Amazing Journey” is a musical experience that is as unorthodox as it is mind-blowing.
About the artist
Kevin Armstrong first performed at the Edmonton Fringe Festival in 2011, and suddenly found himself with a five-star hit on his hands with “Opera for Heathens”. His opera-rock cabaret garnered rave reviews, and put him on the map as a performer to watch. He repeated this success at the Toronto and Vancouver Fringes in following years. He returned to Edmonton in 2012 with “Opera as it Wasn’t Intended”, which also drew enthusiastic crowds and solid reviews.
After completing a M.Mus in opera performance at McGill University, Kevin had a 10-year career performing opera and musicals in German-speaking Europe. His performances include operas in Zürich, Bremen, Flensburg, Frankfurt, Luzern, and many others. He also toured for a season with “Night of the Musicals”, Europe’s longest-running musical revue, singing his way into the hearts of German audiences, earning the nickname “Der Kanadische Holzfäller” (The Canadian Lumberjack).
Kevin currently resides in New Westminster, BC, where he performs regularly with Vancouver Opera, as well as in film, television and commercials. He has been featured in spots for General Mills, Transamerica Insurance, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Cox Communication, and others. His growing list of TV credits include featured appearances on The Flash, Riverdale, Arrow, and Lucifer.