Billy Porter is a man of many hats. In fact, he was wearing one Friday during rehearsal for two shows this weekend at Hartwood Acres.
He and his band of six were huddled on a small lower-floor stage at Mr. Small’s in Millvale Friday, working on songs from such as “My Romance” and “That’s Why the Lady Is a Tramp” from his new album, “Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers.”
During a break, the Pittsburgh native answered a few questions about some of those hats -— the fashion plate, the director, the writer, the singer, the Tony Award-winning star of “Kinky Boots” ...
“A genius hat ... makes a statement,” he said. He also discussed directing "Topdog/Underdog" in Boston earlier this year, after he had starred in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play for City Theatre in 2004, and the play and TV pilot he has written about “the lost generation of gay men” and the survivors with PTSD from the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and how they navigate life today.
His mood lightened when he talked about a favorite romantic song, one that he has not yet recorded. “Having just got married, one of my favorite songs is ‘A Quiet Thing’ by Kander and Ebb. “I think it is a perfect explanation, description, of what true love is,” Mr. Porter said.
Then, speaking for the camera, he recited some of the lyrics. Before getting back to his music, Mr. Porter answered a few more questions and admitted to being nervous that the free Sunday concert at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater — the biggest venue he has ever played. It is the last stop on a tour of the country with his album, and he is thrilled to finally be bringing his sound home to Pittsburgh.
Sharon Eberson: seberson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1960. Twitter: @SEberson_pg.
First Published: August 25, 2017, 11:19 p.m.
