The Thriller
Meet the director behind Thrill Me
BY CHRIS BERTIAUX
Kevin Thorn was born in Newberry, S.C., but moved to Charleston at age 3 and has lived there ever since. He was raised by his mother and aunt. His mother was a piano teacher and taught him how to play, but it was his aunt who nurtured his love of music.
“She is the one who encouraged me to intensively study the piano and join the choir; she influenced my entire life,” Thorn says. Unfortunately, his aunt passed away when he was 12; however, her encouragement gave him the drive to continue pursuing his passion for music.
The passion Thorn inherited from his aunt will be on display later this month when he revives his show “Thrill Me,” based on the story of Leopold and Loeb. He's just one of the many local artists who will join performers from around the world for the 39th Spoleto Festival USA.
After graduating high school, Thorn went to Lees McRae College in North Carolina earning his BFA in musical theater with an emphasis in music direction. It was during this time where he really found his niche as a pianist and director. In fact, in 2012, he got a role in Eric Whitaker's Carnegie Hall choir concert. “It was a blast, I loved it. It was the highlight of my musical career so far,” Thorn exclaims.
There are many artists that inspire Thorn and his drive for music; however, Beyonce is his idol. Much like Beyonce, he was trained at a young age to be a top notch performer. It is her qualities as a lifelong performer that resonates so well within him. “I identify really well with her, she has some amazing material, and is a very talented musician,” Thorn says.
Thorn has come to develop strong leadership as an artist and director. “I love working with Kevin, he is always upbeat and positive and he leads by example,” Alana Peets, Thorn's co-worker, says. According to him, his best quality is his ability to have fun despite the circumstances. “It was a concept I adopted very early in life, there is nothing I do not enjoy doing simply because I decide to enjoy it. It makes people want to be around me more, and it helps me be successful,” Thorn states.
It is Thorn's ability to have fun with his work that has contributed so heavily to the production of “Thrill Me.” It is the story of Leopold and Loeb, two men in their late teens who grew up in affluent households, were very smart, and decided to commit petty crimes together. The show is based on the story of the romantic relationship these two men shared and the psychology behind the crimes. The performance consists of two actors with Thorn directing and playing the piano. It takes place in a small space at Threshold Repertory Theatre with a haze machine, making the performance very intimate.
“Thrill Me,” debuts for Spoleto on Thursday, May 28 at 7 pm with five more shows over the following week. Witness Thorn's passion for music and theater direction first hand along with performances from countless other artists at this year's Spoleto Festival USA. It is through his devotion to and passion for music that helps him cope with his loss, stress, and daily struggles. “I thoroughly enjoy creating music all together, there is a high I get from it, and there is no drug or drink that does what music does for me,” he says.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF "Thrill Me"
Kevin Thorn