Bermudians Abroad Archives - RG Magazines

Sun shining on Green energy’s growth prospects

rbarbosa — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 17:51:33 +0000

Potential for hundreds of new jobs

by Jonathan Kent

The future is green for electricity in Bermuda and that means strong growth ahead for the renewable energy sector.

If there is an industry on the island that could reliably be expected to expand through these challenging times, it is green energy.

Indeed, it is probably the only industry for which growth is mandated. The Integrated Resource Plan, the blueprint for the future of the island’s electricity supply, targets 85 per cent of the island’s power supply coming from renewable sources by 2035.

Realising that vision would entail hundreds of millions of dollars of investment and hun- dreds of jobs. A report by the Rocky Mountain Institute, published this year, concludes that 750 jobs could be created over five years by pursuing 50 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity, or 300 jobs over five years by install- ing 30 megawatts of wind power.

Stuart Kriendler, managing director of Be Solar, a stalwart of the renewable energy in- dustry, said the industry is already generating jobs for locals. “We are training and recruiting more Bermudians in this industry, so while

some organisations have been trying to cut back, we’ve been looking to hire more people. About 60 per cent of our staff are Bermudian and the other 40 per cent spouses of Bermu- dians, so our business does not hold any work permits.”

The approval of the takeover of Ascendant Group Ltd by Canadian firm Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp promises to put wind in the sails of the green energy industry. Algonquin has pledged to invest $300 million in renewables on the island and to work with local companies.

Walter Roban, the home affairs minister, said training programmes for solar installers were being set up at Bermuda College and that a Green Energy and Environmental Justice Fund was planned to encourage more renewables investment.

Mr Kriendler said there were other good economic reasons to go green. “We’re just coming up to our tenth anniversary and we can say that we’ve helped our clients save more than $3.5 million. This is money that otherwise would have been sent off island to pay for fossil fuels.

“An investment in renewable energy keeps more dollars within our Bermudian economy. We’ve seen growing interest over the past six months, with people wanting to invest in clean, renewable energy.

“With people working from home and they see what their Belco bills are like, they seize opportunities to reduce that monthly cash outflow by making this sort of investment.”

The photovoltaic technology in solar panels has evolved over the years and is cheaper and more efficient than it was a decade ago, making return on investment more compelling.

Stratton Hatfield, of Be Solar, said: “De- pending on the property, you’re looking at a seven to eight-year average payback. Once a system pays for itself, you’re looking at 23 years of free electricity. Because solar has no moving parts, that means at the end of its lifespan, it will not stop working – you can get energy beyond that period.”

Mr Hatfield saw a clear path to growth ahead. He said: “Right now we’re under 2 per cent of the island being powered by solar. We’ve a long way to go to achieve the targets set in the IRP.”

Electric vehicles form another part of the picture. Increasing adoption could bring further benefits in terms of cutting pollution and reducing fossil fuel imports still further. Ac- cording to David Gumbs, of the Rocky Mountain Institute, charging up would cost electric car drivers between a fifth and a quarter of what they pay for gas, based on Bermuda’s electricity rates, he said.

Mr Gumbs said: “If you then transition to renewables at a lower power rate, you then get even more savings. You’re talking about another 60 per cent reduction. You’ll feel like you’re driving around for free at that point in time.”

The post Sun shining on Green energy’s growth prospects appeared first on RG Magazines.

Class of 2020 brings economic booster shot

rbarbosa — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:53:31 +0000

Bright year in prospect for Bermuda insurance market

by Jonathan Kent

Devastating catastrophes tend to inspire a new appreciation for the value of insurance. So it has proved this year with the monumental impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, on top of a higher than average incidence of natural disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires.

Rates for insurance and reinsurance were rising before Covid-19 unleashed itself on the western world and most in the industry expect that hard market will last throughout 2021 and beyond.

In the words of Richard Brindle, chief exec- utive officer of Bermudian reinsurer Fidelis, this is the first real hard market since 2002, which followed the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Rates had risen briefly after some of the major losses of recent years, but any nascent rising trend rapidly fizzled out. Some have at- tributed the smoothing out of the reinsurance cycle’s traditional peaks and troughs to the growing insurance-linked securities market. But three years of above-normal catastrophe losses, with loss creep meaning claims from previous events continue to climb, have left much capital “trapped” in ILS – one of several factors driving today’s hard market.

For Bermuda, the insurance pricing spike is a welcome silver lining during tough eco- nomic times. According to Maamoun Rajeh, chairman and chief executive officer of Arch Worldwide Reinsurance Group, the industry has seen inflows of about $12 billion this year, much of it coming to Bermuda.

Most of the new money has been raised by existing companies. The likes of Renais- sanceRe, Fidelis, Arch Capital, Hiscox and Lancashire Group have raised billions be- tween them through sales of debt or equity.

There are also some start-ups in the pipeline. These include the new Class 4 reinsurer being set up by Lloyd’s insurer Chaucer, which is owned by China Re, and Vantage, a start-up headed by former Arch chairman Dinos Iordanou and former Axa XL CEO Greg Hendrick, reportedly with about $1 billion in initial capital.

Then there is Conduit Holdings, which raised $1.1 billion in an initial public offering of shares on the London Stock Exchange with the aim of setting up a new Bermudian reinsurer. Conduit was founded by industry veterans Neil Eckert, who will be the new company’s chairman, and Trevor Carvey, one of the founding underwriters at Arch Re Bermuda, who will be CEO.

Add to that Convex Group, the new re/ insurer set up last year by Stephen Catlin and Paul Brand with $1.7 billion of committed capital, a company that will be moving up the gears towards top speed in the coming months, and it is apparent that the Bermuda marketplace is looking more buoyant than it has done in years.

Bermuda has seen nothing like this since 2005, when companies including Validus Holdings, Flagstone Re and Ariel Re launched in the wake of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. This year’s flurry of activity follows a prolonged period of consolidation for the industry, which has caused the number of standalone companies operating on the island to shrink.

The fact that Bermuda is attracting the lion’s share of the new money is significant in terms of the island’s ongoing status as a global re/insurance hub, according to Mark Chudleigh, lead partner in Bermuda for inter- national law firm Kennedys and an expert in financial services and corporate litigation.

“Despite doubts being expressed earlier this year about whether Bermuda would retain its ‘most favoured’ status for new ventures, it is now clear that Bermuda is still regarded by both incumbent Bermuda insurers and the sponsors of new capital as the place to be, particularly for underwriting US-based risks,” Mr Chudleigh said.

“We are seeing a combination of start-up re/insurers, managing agents who underwrite on behalf of capital providers, as well as established reinsurers who are raising additional capital to expand existing business lines or to branch out into new areas.”

While the influx of capital will give the lo- cal economy a shot in the arm, the number of jobs at the billion-dollar start-ups is unlikely to be what it was in 2005. The Convex model may be the blueprint for the modern re/insurance start-up.

Convex has deployed “horizontal outsourcing”, meaning it uses a single outsourcing firm, an Indian-headquartered company called WNS, for everything, as Mr Catlin explained in an interview with The Royal Gazette last year. The upshot is an absence of back-office jobs in Bermuda, although the island gains many higher value roles.

“Employment costs here are as high as they are anywhere,” Mr Catlin said. “Any people you employ here, or in London, have got to be adding value to the balance sheet. Those servicing the balance sheet can do it from elsewhere.”

Nevertheless, Mr Catlin hoped to have a staff of about 50 working at Convex’s reinsurance arm in Bermuda when it is fully up to speed.

Mr Chudleigh said the scale of the Class of 2020’s impact on the domestic economy was questionable. “Of course, there will be new jobs and new arrivals of reinsurance professionals looking for housing and schools,” Mr Chudleigh said. “But I do not expect to see anything on the scale of 2005 or prior start-up waves.

“The prolonged soft market has forced insurers to focus on expense reductions, which included the increased use of technology and ‘offshoring’ to low-cost jurisdictions like India, developments which tend to reduce opportunities for positions that are typically filled by Bermudians.

“This trend has accelerated as a result of the work-from-home revolution: why have an accounts processor working from home in Bermuda when you can hire one in Halifax or India for much less?”

A significant proportion of the island’s air arrivals traditionally come to the island on business, many of them here to negotiate insurance deals. Their stays tend to generate a lot of hospitality dollars, but the success of remote working this year could deplete that business, Mr Chudleigh fears.

“There has been a virtual cessation of business visitors, including insurance buyers and their brokers who may visit for a full week of meetings with golfing and dining thrown in,” Mr Chudleigh said.

“Will these high spending visitors come back in numbers when things return to ‘nor- mal’ or will remote transactions become the norm? If so, does a reinsurer need a big, prestige office with reception and secretarial staff, a large entertainment budget and an on-call taxi driver to ferry business visitors around?” The more high earners are based in Bermuda, whether they be Bermudian or not, the more benefit there is to the economy, since they are likely to be substantial spenders.

Malika Taylor, managing director, Bermuda, of recruitment firm Expertise, stressed that the island had to be as welcoming to new people as it is to new money in order to maximise economic benefits.

Ms Taylor said: “Bermuda continues to welcome financial capital. Our laws, the BMA and our reputation are all optimal. But on welcoming human capital, we lag other jurisdictions.

“To ensure we maximise every economic opportunity we must continue to look to immigration reform and position Bermuda as a leading place to live and work by 2021.”

Ms Taylor reiterated the view she first expressed In a video roundtable discussion on the economy, hosted by The Royal Gazette in August, when she said: “For Bermuda to be successful in the future and maintain a healthy, economically viable community, it needs to get back to being an excellent host.

“The critical point for Bermuda to recog- nise is that everybody who is working from home in Bermuda does not need to be here. We can successfully host tourists who come to Bermuda — a safe environment in this Covid world. We have to pay just as much attention and be just as great hosts to guest workers and individuals, who right now are choosing to work from Bermuda.”

Not all insurance workers will need to brought in, given that Bermuda has built a strong talent base of its own over the past three decades. More than two-thirds of the entire payroll of members of the Association of Insurers and Reinsurers are either Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians, or permanent residency certificate holders.

Mr Chudleigh said: “We have seen a whole generation of Bermudians working their way up in the insurance industry and now occupy- ing mid-level and senior positions.

“The nature of the business is such that there will always be a need for a large number of skilled guest workers, but there are many more Bermudians occupying skilled posi- tions now than there were when the ‘Class of 2005’ arrived. Arguably, the opportunities for ambitious, educated, young Bermudians have never been better.”

The post Class of 2020 brings economic booster shot appeared first on RG Magazines.

Silver linings amid the gloom for tourism

rbarbosa — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:38:22 +0000

Health and safety a key attraction for Bermuda

by Jonathan Kent

Tourism faces a long and rocky road back to normality. A sector important for the jobs it provides and supports, and the foreign currency it brings in, was chopped off at the knees with the three-month airport closure and the sudden and complete loss of cruise ships.

Hotels and tourism-reliant businesses were shut down, thousands were laid off and many made redundant. Air arrivals have gradually picked up since the airport reopened in July, but a second wave of the virus in the US and Britain has caused the temporary suspension of the British Airways flight.

Cruise ships have been absent from April onwards, causing pain to the taxi and minibus drivers, retailers and tour operators who rely on them. In the last three quarters of 2019, Bermuda welcomed more than half a million cruise visitors, this year there have been none over the same period.

To say it’s been a tough year would be an understatement. But Glenn Jones, interim chief executive officer of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, says the mood in the industry has been lifted by Bermuda’s relative success in controlling the virus.

“Talking to them about where we are versus our competitors gives them a lot of optimism,” Mr Jones said. “Tourism is going to recover. This is a matter of how long does it take and how many tourism businesses can sustain themselves for that length of time.

“Our tourism recovery started in July and hasn’t regressed. Every month has been a positive step forward. Some of our competi- tors still haven’t opened up, or have opened up and had to shut down again.

“The recovery will still be longer than 12 months, for sure, but I think we’re going to get to a period that feels like recovery much faster than our competitors. And I hope that means we will lose a lot fewer businesses along the way.”

Based on what we know today, Mr Jones said a full recovery was unlikely before 2022, although much could change in the mean- time.

The BTA interim CEO said Bermuda’s health and safety record is a “differentiator” that leads the conversation with travellers, and which had produced spin-off benefits already, particularly in sports tourism as organisers seek safe venues.

In October the island hosted sailing events, the Bermuda Gold Cup and a World Match Racing Tour event, rescued by coming to Ber- muda. The Bermuda Championship was the first PGA Tour event to welcome spectators since the onset of the pandemic. And then there was the bonus of the World Tens Series rugby event.

“We were not even on their radar,” Mr Jones said. “We spoke to an organiser who said they had basically searched every con- tinent to find a place where they could hold the event. Bermuda was one of the few places where it was possible to do it safely, so they came here. They had a very good experience and they’re already talking to us about poten- tially coming back next year.”

Among next year’s sporting events will be the World Triathlon Series season-ending event in October and a potential spring US Tennis Foundation event. Also, confirmed only this week, is SailGP’s season-starting in April. The event will feature the same 50ft catamarans used in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda.

Eight teams – Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States – will stay on the island for a four-week training camp ahead of the April 24-25 races on the Great Sound in the Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess.

SailGP will be a huge draw to the big-spending superyacht crowd, a top BTA target. Mr Jones said: “We know this group is attracted to events and when they come, they stay for weeks longer – we saw this during the America’s Cup. This is a thrilling opportunity that not only offers Bermuda significant eco- nomic stimulus and international exposure outside the summer months, but also presents local business opportunities and community engagement benefits for our young people.”

Airlift, crucial to tourism’s success, has gradually been recovering since the airport reopened. Flights to Bermuda in July had only 10 per cent of the seats available for the same month in 2019, 20 per cent in August, 23 per cent in September and 33 per cent in October.

“Having that steady increase is giving us a steady pathway to recovery,” he said. Howev- er, Mr Jones is concerned by the prospects for winter airlift, as a result of the suspension of the BA flight and US airlines focusing on only the most popular routes.

At the end of March next year, BA will switch to Heathrow from Gatwick for its Lon- don-Bermuda service, something that would improve links to Europe, Mr Jones said.

Hotel room inventory will also influence airlift in the year to come. In April, the new St Regis Hotel in St George’s is due to open, the same month as the Rosedon reopens its doors. The new Bermudiana Beach Resort will open in July. Elbow Beach is expected to reopen, but the date has not been determined.

This activity will help to offset the more than 600 rooms that have been lost from the closure of the Fairmont Southampton, the island’s largest hotel, for a $100 million overhaul.

Mr Jones has mixed emotions about that, sad at the hundreds of workers impacted, concerned about the impact on airlift, but excited by the prospect of the refurbished hotel reopening in 2022.

“It’s the number one groups and con- ventions hotel,” Mr Jones said. “Perhaps the best time to take a pause is when groups and conventions are taking a pause. For that to be coming back online in April 2022, around the time the conventions season restarts, would actually be tremendous. Those planners look for new places to go.”

Another consequence of the closure is that smaller properties become more competitive in the absence of the Fairmont. “If you are Cambridge Beaches, The Reefs, or Newstead, the fact that you aren’t, at this moment, com- peting with the Fairmont Southampton, puts you in a stronger position than if you were,” Mr Jones said.

With regard to cruise ships, Mr Jones said the BTA has been working with health offi- cials to work out what the Bermuda standard will be for arriving passengers and he wants the island to remain ahead of the curve. “We should sort out with stakeholders like the Government and Wedco how we should open safely. If we do that now and get finished within the next 60 or 90 days, it puts us in the driver’s seat to tell the cruise industry, this is how Bermuda is going to do it safely, can you meet this standard?”

April 1 “feels right” as a potential re- sumption date, he added. Much depends on adherence to the framework developed by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, under which cruise lines will eventually be able to resume passenger voyages with strict health protocols.

Inspiring residents to take “staycations” was part of the BTA’s “inside-out” marketing strategy to help hotels stay afloat and get their staff back to work.

“The hoteliers tell us that the staycations have been way stronger than they projected when deciding to reopen,” Mr Jones said. “There have been weekends when our hotels have been sold out, with the combination of people doing staycations and visitors.” The Work From Bermuda certificate, al- lowing international remote workers to work from Bermuda for a year has been a boon to tourism, in more ways than one.

Mr Jones said: “We believe this group spends a lot in the tourism economy, more so than the typical resident. They’re more likely to book a jet ski, take a boat trip, play golf and eat out.

“It’s also been the best publicity generator for Bermuda this year, with stories talking about the Bermuda lifestyle that is attractive to visitors. By our count, we’ve seen $2.6 mil- lion in combined media value just from media organisations talking about the Work From Bermuda certificate and more than a billion impressions.”

Vacation rentals have benefited from digi- tal nomads. Hotels have introduced extended stay pricing for this market, while electric car firms are looking at month-long and quarterly rentals.

Traditionally, the leisure travel had been largely a volume play, based on numbers of visitors, Mr Jones said. “Maybe the play now is how long can we get a visitor to stay and how much can we get them to spend per day while they’re here.”

The post Silver linings amid the gloom for tourism appeared first on RG Magazines.

Ready to see the back of 2020

rbarbosa — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:28:51 +0000

Expert sees an uneven economic recovery ahead

by Jonathan Kent

Most of us will be delighted to see the back of 2020, a year that forced fundamental changes to the way we live and plunged us headlong into economic turmoil.

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic brought us shelter-in-place and the closure of our airport for three months, cost many hotel, restaurant and retail workers their jobs and caused thousands more to be laid off or suffer wage cuts. Working from home has become normal, rather than exceptional, while travel plans were scrapped and the tourism indus- try ground to a virtual halt.

In 2019, the sight of someone wearing a face mask entering a bank or service station would have signalled the arrival of a robber: in 2020, it became required attire for us all.

This is all besides the human tragedy of those who died or became seriously ill as a result of the virus.

All eyes are now looking in hopeful antic- ipation to 2021. What will economic recovery look like?

RG Business has spoken with businesspeo- ple from multiple sectors to get their outlook on the coming year. While it was clear that the pandemic has beaten down some indus- tries more than others, many of our inter- viewees viewed 2021 with cautious optimism, displaying the resilience, ability to adapt and

can-do spirit of Bermuda’s business commu- nity.

But there was also an acknowledgement that some sectors, particularly retail, restau- rants and tourism, would need help to survive until better days, from breaks on taxes to lo- cals making an extra effort to patronise their businesses.

While most of us would yearn for a V-shaped recovery, Nathan Kowalski, chief financial officer of Anchor Investment Management and financial columnist for The Royal Gazette, sees the more likely scenario as K-shaped. That means a two-speed recovery, with those in international business doing

well, while many parts of the domestic econo- my continue to struggle.

Mr Kowalski said even though gross do- mestic product figures may not look so bad, that will not tell the story of those who are suffering. “Many jobs in areas like hospitality and restaurants have gone,” he said. “With those positions not available, there will have to be some retooling and retraining so that skill sets can match job options.”

Struggling sectors will inevitably turn to the Government for help, but public finances are also stretched.

The Government said last month it had paid out $56.8 million in financial aid to more than 10,000 people since the start of April.
It has also committed $12 million to support stricken small businesses through the Ber- muda Economic Development Corporation, and millions more in waived taxes, duties
and fees. All this, while revenue from tour- ism-based taxes, on air and cruise arrivals and hotel occupancy, have slumped to minimal amounts.

Faced with a large deficit that will propel its debt burden close to $3 billion, the Government will seek extra revenue from somewhere, but Mr Kow- alski urges Curtis Dickinson, the finance

minister, not to pull the usual levers. “The two major sources of government

revenue are payroll tax and Customs duties,” he said. “But I’m not sure there is any leeway to increase those right now.” For businesses, he said that would be like “punching them as they get up off the floor”.

He added that the Government should
also pursue tens of millions of dollars of unpaid back taxes more aggressively. Allow- ing companies to avoid paying what was due disadvantaged competitors who played by the

rules, he added.
For several years, the Government – both

Progressive Labour Party and One Bermu- da Alliance administrations – have looked at ways of broadening the tax base. In the

Throne Speech this month, the Government signalled an intention to introduce a capital gains tax.

Mr Kowalski said the Government’s debt burden was less of a concern than the health of the economy, given a successful $1.3 billion bond issuance this year that had not only sup- plied projected borrowing needs for the next two to three years, but had also rolled over existing debt, securing a lower interest rate in the process, and extended durations.

However, while Bermuda maintains an A rating from Standard & Poor’s that helps it to secure low borrowing rates, Mr Kowalski said the Government must act to protect it.

“You need to show the rating agencies that you’re fiscally responsible,” Mr Kowalski said. “Reducing government expenses has to be part of the equation.”

Public-sector unions agreed to a 10 per cent pay cut for one year from September 1, as well as a freeze on contributions to social insurance and the Superannuation Pension Fund. Mr Kowalski said more was needed, changes that would reduce the Government’s cost structure, such as a privatisation pro- gramme, as recommended in the Sage Report. Privatisation need not cost any jobs, he point- ed out, and would give government workers the opportunity to become business owners.

The post Ready to see the back of 2020 appeared first on RG Magazines.

Big World: San Francisco

RG Mags Staff — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 15:33:16 +0000

Olympian, outdoor enthusiast, self-confessed techie, Zander Kirkland has been doing plenty with himself since he competed alongside brother Jesse in the 49er class sailing event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

In this issue of Big World he talks to us about start-ups, life in California, and why an art bar is the best night out in San Francisco.

What took you to San Francisco?

Jesse and I trained in SF for months when we were campaigning for the Olympics because of its famous sea breeze. I was blown away by the beauty of the region and the diversity of outdoor activities (snowboarding, surfing, hiking, etc) it supported. I also had heard murmurings of the areas burgeoning tech scene, which was the one green shoot in the tough economy at the time.

It’s a progressive, entrepreneurial atmosphere that looks at existing and new problems with an interesting slant that is positioned well towards the future. It seemed like an amazing place to try out as I restarted my life after the Olympic sailing was over.

I moved to the city six weeks after the Olympics with the plan to immerse myself in the start-up scene. Primarily leveraging my hustle, project management experience and fundraising skills demonstrated over the three year sailing campaign to finagle my way onto a small exciting team working on an interesting problem.

I knew I didn’t want to be a sailor for the rest of my life and that it was exciting to be passionately working on a complex project with other like-minded individuals. Fast forward five years and I have been immersed on four, mostly very small, teams bringing new products to market in a variety of industries. These have ranged from online dating, on-demand retail workers, software QA and presently, personal finance. Some of those companies no longer exist, but I have learnt a tremendous amount as we worked to find a product/market fit in these developing spaces.

What do you like best about living on the West Coast?

California has it all and the scale is massive — Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Mt Shasta, Santa Cruz, Big Sur, RedWoods, Mendocino, Lost Coast, LA, Santa Barbara, and the Central Coast are within striking distance for weekend missions. I have put 40 thousand miles on my car in five years, basically just doing these strike missions. The unique geo-climates are pretty crazy and the surf’s pretty good too.

Are you still sailing?

Yes, I sail regularly with friends in a Knarr (similar to an IOD — 30ft keelboat), but it’s just for fun and is nowhere near the performance sailing we used to do in the 49er. I still love it though and enjoying learning a new class in a tricky venue — SF Bay currents are notoriously difficult to understand. I would love to do more ocean racing, like the race to Hawaii or the race from San Francisco to Santa Barbara. There is nothing like going downwind with the spinnaker up in big waves and good friends!

What are your goals for the future?

This is a tough one! At the highest level to keep learning alongside smart people and hanging out with my favourite people! I would love to grow into a place where I can develop my own business and work for myself. I’m also keen to keep having fun outside with sailing, surfing, snowboarding, hiking/backpacking. I want to keep fostering and acknowledging that spirit of adventure for as long as it burns inside me!

24 hours in San Francisco

1) The places you most like to eat breakfast: Drink my own French Pressed coffee checking the surf at Ocean Beach

2) Favourite hideaways: The trails inside the Presidio and Fort Point — the US Army occupied the area from 1876 to 1994, so they protected it from dense development; much like our South Shore thanks to the British Army. An Army officer in the 1870s and 1880s planted the base with California hardwoods, Eucalyptus, and palm trees, which makes for a mature parklike feel. At 1480 acres, which is ten per cent of the Bermuda, it is a good chunk of SF and is maintained impeccably by well funded a Federal Trust — I used to pay them rent for three years.

3) If you could only eat at one restaurant during a visit: State Bird Provisions — book your reservation when you book your flight.

4) A must-see attraction: The Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands (same trip) — the scale and the views will blow you away.

5) Best place to stay: Inn at the Presidio — beautiful old brick building with modern rooms and great service.

6) City’s best kept secret: The Outer Sunset (Neighbourhood at Ocean Beach) — often in the fog in the summer, but can be glorious in the winter! Cool coffee shops, surf shops, galleries and restaurants are popping up out there.

7) Best place for people watching: The Ferry Building — where Market St meets the Embarcadero, the former navel of the city (when a huge percentage of commuters used to ferry to work every day — before the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges were built.

8) Top night spots: Madrone Art Bar, The Independent, Great American Musical Hall, El Techo, Latin American Club — yup, no shortages of bars and concert venues here.

Photographs courtesy of Zander Kirkland

The post Big World: San Francisco appeared first on RG Magazines.

Making a statement through fashion

Josh Ball — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 21:24:59 +0000

Law student by day, fashion student by night, Tamae Clarke is making a name for herself in college campuses across the United States.

The California State University student has been taking her new Pray for the World clothing line countrywide, and while it is only in the preview stages at the moment, there is enough support to suggest she could go far.

Conscious of the world around her and unwilling to conform to a traditional sense of style, the talented young Bermudian wants to use fashion to fight against the injustice she sees in the 21^st century.

Ms Clarke took some time out from her hectic summer schedule to tell us about her style, her hopes for the future, and why she gets annoyed when one of her creations starts a trend.

When did you start to become interested in fashion?

“For me it wasn’t a when did I become interested in fashion, it was more of a how did I become increased in fashion.

“When I was younger I remember a boy saying to me ‘finally you learned how to dress,’ whatever he meant, I had no idea because I just threw on clothes.

“I didn’t care if I matched; I put on clothes with completely different patterns because I basically dressed how I felt. To this day a lot of these things are still true because I dress based on how I feel, and I go through phases of where I like different themes of clothes, so my closet is very confusing for other people, but it makes perfect sense to me.

“As time progressed my love for fashion evolved out of my love for drawing. To me fashion is the evolution of my creativity.”

What do you consider your style to be?

“My style is fluid. It is always changing, but no matter the theme, whether its hippy, Boho, 90s there is always an edgy unique vibe to my style.

“Those that are close to me know that only I can get away with what I wear and still look good. Though I understand what those around me are saying, I believe that an outfit goes beyond clothes.

“For example, if I am trying to get dressed and my hair looks a mess or my hair does not go with the hairstyle, I change the hairstyle to make it work.

“Dressing for me is easy; however, other people just have to negotiate to make the outfit work or wear it with confidence. Not everyone is going to like or understand how you dress, but you have to embrace you in your clothing.”

Describe your creative process.

“The creative process to styling is completely different from the creative process of design; however, they both start in your mind.

“My first opportunity to actually design something was in my Family Food and Nutrition class at The Berkeley Institute, where I had to make a bag. It was the first time I had ever sewn before.

“However, in 2014 I had an opportunity present itself to me at my current school California State University Fresno, and I couldn’t deny it. An on campus club called Fashion Inc allowed its members to participate in a fashion show and gave us the choice to either be a stylist or a designer.

“I wanted a challenge so I chose to design. The theme of the show was dolls, so I decided to do a princess/prince dolls theme. I purchased a sewing machine and by time I got my fabric I had a month to find my models and make my clothes. It was stressful along with school, and my other extra-curricular activities, but I was proud of what I produced for the first time.”

Where have your designs been showcased?

“My designs have mostly been showcased on campus. I am a member of two organizations that provides me with opportunities to showcase my craft. I am vice-president of Fashion Inc and social coordinator of the African Student Association (ASA). For Fashion Inc I have participated in two Annual Spring Fashion Shows. The first time in 2014 I designed, and in 2017 I styled. Fashion Inc has also allowed me to style for multiple other businesses as well. In April of this year a little over a month after my show for Fashion Inc, I designed for ASA a Night in Africa where I released a preview of my brand Pray for the World that I intend to release next year.

“From that point on I’ve found that a lot of opportunities I had never expected to open began to open up thanks to God. Members of UCLA’s Nigerian Student Association invited me to present my line at their school, which was dope. I have also been able to network with fashion bloggers and have other shows lined up for when I return to California in August.”

What are the inspirations behind your designs?

“My brand Pray for the World looks at socio-economic structures and makes an argument with fashion. As a self-taught designer, I found myself questioning how my love for fashion and my distain towards injustice and inequality could co-exist.

“So, I decided to let fashion be my rhetoric, and started developing my brand Pray for the World. The objective of the brand is to look at socio-economic structures, systems of injustice and environment around the world and make an argument through fashion. For the first time during ASA’s Night in Africa I launched a preview to my brand. Two arguments were being made that night.

“The first argument that was being made was the apparent socialization of the female body in relationship to nudity in both eastern and western cultures. In many eastern regions nudity is cultural while in the west it is hyper-sexualized to the point where society must teach our daughters how not to get raped rather than teach our men not to rape.

“The argument looks at the structure of patriarchy. The second argument that the collection was making was with regards to the black/African Diaspora and the enslavement of kings and queens. More importantly the bondage and enslavement that people have and still need to be freed from as a result of colonialism and slavery.”

What are some of your favourite trends and influences?

“I have never been big on trends, and when I find myself engaging in trends is a result of availability or time, which is one of the main reasons I shop online because I can find what I am looking for. On some occasions I would be looking for a particular article and I wouldn’t be able to find it until it is trending; and just as a result of it being trendy I would no longer want it.

“On the flip side I sometimes find myself ahead of the trend, and when it becomes a trend I am almost annoyed, but that’s just me personally.”

Who are your fashion influences?

“I love Rihanna, Teyana Taylor, and Solange Knowles, they are definitely fashion inspirations.”

Where do see yourself in the next five to ten years as far as fashion is concerned?

“In five years from now I see my brand being established on the business side of things, but I still hope to be climbing upwards in the fashion industry.”

What are three words that describe your designs?

“Three words that describe my designs are: fluid, because Pray for the World is making arguments about the world; Fashion Movement; and Fashion Rhetoric.

What are your biggest accomplishments in the fashion industry thus far?

“I would not say I have made it to the industry yet; my brand has only been previewed, not launched, even though I have been travelling with my designs.

“However, at this point, I believe in taking a chance as success and failure has been my greatest accomplishment.

“Even in the moment you [sometimes] question whether what you’re doing is worth it, but it always is when you’re doing something you love. I just love creating at this point and I can’t wait to see it grow.”

What should people expect and look out for with your clothing?

“I want to create an awareness that goes beyond the clothes with my brands. I have other brands in mind that focus on the clothes, but for this one the message is way more important. But the clothes will definitely have to be good as well.

“I really want to push the limit of creativity. As far as right now is concerned, I am just teaching myself the craft before I can do that. I enjoy using different types of fabrics. I’ve used waxed fabrics, linens, and Ankara.

“However, the hardest fabric I’ve had to use was a sheer fabric that was very delicate which had embroidery. I broke seven needles sewing that fabric and had to hand-feed the fabric. But, in my mistakes I have learned so much from working with different fabrics, and that type of frustration or challenge brings me joy. I have learnt that different fabrics require different needles, and some fabrics do not go with some outfits. I hate seams ripping after I make a mistake, but it also helps me to focus a little bit more when I work on my designs.”

The post Making a statement through fashion appeared first on RG Magazines.

Bermuda’s easy riders

Josh Ball — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 14:49:55 +0000

For motorcycle enthusiast Wayne Burgess there is nothing better than hopping on his Harley-Davidson Road King and riding with other Bermudian friends up to New Hampshire for the Laconia Bike Week in the early summer, and then perhaps returning to the area in October to ride through the hills which are ablaze with that state’s famous Fall colours.

Mr Burgess first fell in love with motorcycles in Bermuda with the Triumph Tiger Cubs — those beautiful 150cc bikes from years ago.

Easy rider: Wayne Burgess

“It all started here as we all had Triumph Tiger Cubs. We were all bike enthusiasts to start with,” Mr Burgess said. “Then one year [in the early 1990s] we decided to go to a rally and since it was a quick trip to Boston we went to the Laconia Bike Week. At first we rented a minivan and camped out at Jellystone National Park in New Hampshire — it was five guys in one tent.”

After witnessing the Laconia Bike Week where hundreds of thousands of bikers get together, they were sold on the idea.

“After the first time we went to the Laconia Bike Week we were hooked and then we got our Harleys, but at first it was a bit difficult because none of us had US licenses,” Mr Burgess said. “We had to find a dealer to sell to us and get insurance which we eventually did.”

In the end they based their bikes in Florida “because they were more visitor friendly”.

“Laconia is our main event. We have been going since 1994 and have been riding together since 1997. We all bought Harleys and we have gone up there several times a year. Originally we would do a foliage ride in October, a Spring ride, and guys ride, and a wives’ ride. Now as we have become a bit older we have more wives’ rides — they get on the back and love it!”

Mr Burgess originally had a Harley 1200 Sportster and now he has a Harley Road King — a monster of a bike with 107hp.

“I just got a new one two weeks ago,” he said. “The last one was totalled. I was up there in Massachusetts in December and had taken the bike in for its 10,000 mile service. I went to pick it up so I could put it away for the winter and was riding along and a deer came across the road and hit me — completely wiped me out! Luckily nothing serious happened to me, scratches and bruises but the accident wrote my bike off.”

Rich history: the gathering began in 1916

Laconia Bike Week began in 1916 with a “Gypsy Tour” sanctioned by the Federation of American Motorcyclists, with Laconia being the destination for a weekend of hill climbs, tours and races. By 1935 it was a weeklong event and stayed that way for another 30 years.

In the “olden” days it could get out of hand with some riots between bikers and police, raunchiness and public drinking. Now it is much more of a family affair, attracting hundreds of thousands of bikers and plenty of money to New Hampshire.

Mr Burgess said: “Bike week used to be pretty wild years ago — now it is a bit tamer with more families going. We go in June every year and then do the foliage ride in October which is just awesome — fantastic.

“We have made many friends over the years and link up with them over there. In a week we sometimes ride 1,500 miles. There is great camaraderie with our local and American friends. Since we have been going to Laconia we have always been welcomed and shared some fantastic times together. I highly recommend it — it’s good for the soul.”

Gone — at least from public view — are the coolers of beer, women flashing breasts, motorcycle gang turf wars and campers lining Route 106 that pours into the Lakes Region.

“Route 106 used to be decadence, debauchery and mayhem,” said David “Hoop” Hooper of Plymouth, New Hampshire. “It was just a big old party.”

Chris Adams, the Laconia Police Chief, makes no apologies for what he describes as a “drastic change” in the culture of what many dub “bike week.”

Years ago, he said, they would have up to 200 arrests in one night. Not any more, although there is the odd arrest.

The year of 1965 changed everything and bike week suffered a serious setback. Bikers flipped and torched a car and a riot ensued. The National Guard was called in. So were police in tactical gear. Photographs of the mêlée made front pages of newspapers throughout the Northeast, including The New York Times.

After that it reverted to a weekend rally the following year, in part because most activities were cancelled.

Attendance at bike week peaked in 2004 at 430,000 people — substantially swelling Laconia’s year-round population of 20,000.

Bermudians abroad: Wayne Burgess and crew in New Hampshire

Today bikes come from all over, and not just the United States. There are bike enthusiasts from Europe . . . and of course Bermuda.

The infusion of cash into the state’s economy is spread among gas stations, restaurants, motels and retail shops, but it’s rooted in Weir’s Beach, where hundreds of vendors set up shop.

Mr Burgess said the Bermuda riders take to the highways sometimes and at other times to the pretty winding country roads. He said: “To get from A to B we use the highways and once we get to where we are going we use the country roads. For instance in the morning we all have breakfast together and go for a nice country ride which tends to be along the back roads and the scenic routes.

“We do that every day when we are up there. The first part of bike week we ride a lot more and towards the end it gets too busy. We have ridden up Mount Washington and have gone to Bethlehem.”

Bethlehem is a hillside town in Grafton County and is a picturesque, historic village in the heart of the White Mountains. “There is a certain peace riding through the area,” Mr Burgess said. “New Hampshire has everything. It is a great feeling to ride between the mountains. You look up and see all that granite.”

Mr Burgess, 53, said the Bermuda group of riders which includes Ronald Cooper, George Pacheco and Reggie Cabral, rode for ten years in the US before deciding it might be a good idea to take a rider’s safety course.

“We took that in Florida. We decided to do the course because Bermudians tend to think they know everything. We couldn’t believe how much we learnt on that course!

“Now we know we have been fortunate to have no accidents. Some of the things we used to do on bikes in Bermuda growing up we did up there — like riding side by side — except we were doing it at 75mph with one hand on the twist [gas] and one tucked into the pocket. We don’t do that anymore.

“After taking the course we ride a lot safer — we exercise a lot more caution and watch out for others.”

Fall colours: riding in October brings a change of scenery

The touring on bikes up in the US northeast takes away all the stress, said Mr Burgess.

“It’s a nice break from work. We all like good food and we eat very well. We love having our barbecues and a nice drink — a nice party.”

But there is no drinking and driving with this group.

“We ride early in the morning when we are nice and fresh. We stop for a good lunch and only drink water or soda and then when we get back we go to a friend’s trailer and hang out, and that’s when we have a bit of a party and then walk back to where we are staying.”

Now accommodation is not longer five to a tent!

“We have knocked it up a notch especially when we have our wives with us. We have been staying at the Summit Resort for a number of years. It is very comfortable and the people are nice and the wives love it. However a lot of bikers still camp out.”

All the Bermuda riders have Harley-Davidsons. “One has a Harley Fat Boy but after I test road the Road King that was it for me,” said Mr Burgess.

And of course they all have the required leathers, boots, helmets and proper equipment.

Luckily they have never run into any mechanical problems.

“Touch wood, these bikes have been very dependable,” Mr Burgess said. “There have been a few small repairs needed but nothing major. We always have some kind of contact with people who can help us if needed. Also the people of New Hampshire are very friendly and will always lend a hand.”

In the winter they store their bikes in a big shed. They get them serviced and plug in their batteries and spray some lube on the bikes. “When we go back we fire them up and wash them off and we are ready to go,” said Mr Burgess.

Weirs Beach is where the many bike riders congregate during bike week.

“There are many [bike] builders there and of course there are concerts. Once we went to this concert [in the early days] and saw Steppenwolf. Bike week is a real boost to the New Hampshire economy.”

And of course they have seen a number of riders on the famous choppers made popular by the movie Easy Rider.

“You still see guys who have them — they like posing on them. I must admit when I was young I was always fascinated by choppers,” Mr Burgess said. “I would go to Baxter’s Book Store in the 1970s and I was fascinated with the Hells Angels — the Easy Rider kind of bike. I was hooked on the pictures in the magazines.”

This article first appeared in Motor Express in May, 2017.

The post Bermuda’s easy riders appeared first on RG Magazines.

Our home away from home

Josh Ball — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 12:26:44 +0000

Well it’s not really my New Hampshire of course, it’s definitely theirs, but that’s just the thing, they welcome you like a native as long as you bring your manners.

Their license plates say Live Free or Die; however, I might suggest it say Live Free or Don’t Give up so Easily.

It is quintessentially New England; calm, reserved, with a dash of practicality and humility. Bermudians say it is reminiscent of genteel Bermuda of the 1950s.

Bermudians say that because there’s so many of them in and among the lakes and hills. Maybe 30 families I know of. We only see each other at Hannafords supermarket pushing overflowing carts for reasons only a Bermudian appreciates.

I learnt to ski on King Ridge 30-odd years ago. I was fortunate to have a friend and neighbour with a house on Pleasant Lake and visited enough to form an attachment. King Ridge is now condos.

New London is our home away from home, perched 500 feet above Pleasant Lake with a 20-mile view. It was purchased during the economic meltdown of 2008 from a Boston Red Sox pitcher for half price. Ten acres of woods surround us with a 1,000 more of state owned forest, replete with turkeys, deer, chipmunks, snakes and a black bear which we thought was a St Bernard until it saw us and ran. We were too shocked to run.

New Hampshire is where the Presidential hopefuls come to gauge the considered opinions of right-thinking folk. It is a state that eschews sales tax. We like that.

Time to go: Fall in New Hampshire brings an explosion of colour

It is a mere 45-minutes from Logan Airport to the first toll booth and three more minutes to the highway state-controlled liquor supermarket. They come from all surrounding states to enjoy those tax free offerings.

New London and Lake Sunapee are only an hour and a half from Logan so you can be in the hills witnessing the fall leaf change only four hours after leaving the Rock. The first ten days of October are the best bet for maximum colour.

The higher you live, the more you get to see. There are drives further north that offer a great show of fall foliage, such as the Kancamagus Highway running along Route 112 just west of the lakes region. There are hundreds of varying size lakes, populated by hundreds of varying size boats. Premium location is always lakeside unless you are Bermudian. We prefer the higher elevations with a view since that lake water can’t hold a candle to Bermuda blue and we went up there to get away right? Not have a flotilla parade by all day!

Meredith is a relaxing lakeside town worth a visit in summer, boasting some tasty lobster restaurants, craft markets and fairs.

Numerous prep schools dot the New Hampshire landscape and are a favourite of Bermudians who have mortgaged their homes to pay the tuition and board. There are antique stores in most towns although not antique to us, more along the lines of vintage 19th century but if you really like that sort of thing, cross the state line up route 89 North and take exit one towards Quechee, Vermont. Halfway, there is a two-storey antique mall which is very impressive.

Cheese and wine: Cabot’s is the place to go for a little snack

The Cabot cheese store is next door, ideal if you are hungry and have no money. The samples are numerous along with chips, dips and special popcorn.

You can even sample some sparkling wine produced nearby, as we do after all that free cheese.

If you are a fan of rock band Aerosmith, Steve Tyler is often seen in New London and nearby music bars. If you’re not a fan then don’t expect to see Kim Kardashian!

There are nights that are so quiet you can hear the squirrels’ nails as they tunnel through the attic or wherever they crawl hiding the acorns.

New Yorkers can’t handle that level of quiet as I have found when they visit. It is also pitch black at night, so dark you can see remnants of the Big Bang.

Farm fresh produce can be found at Spring Ledge Farm along with homemade butter, real milk with cream in old style milk bottles. Fresh corn? How about four ears for a dollar?

Giant heirloom tomatoes, Bison steaks, micro greens and some of the best homemade chocolate chip cookies we should not be eating.

Restaurants worth trying are Peter Christians, The Flying Goose with 17 types of handcrafted beer, The Millstone and Elixir (White River Junction).

The cars stop for you to cross even when there is no crosswalk. It’s embarrassing when they stop because you “look like” you want to cross when you really don’t.

Bermudians are known to pay their bills and local plumbers will beat a path to your door anytime to haul up that 525-foot deep water pump that silted up.

So that’s my New Hampshire.

The post Our home away from home appeared first on RG Magazines.

A brand the world wants a piece of

Josh Ball — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 20:36:01 +0000

My grandfather was from Brooklyn. He married my grandmother, a Bermudian. They lived in Sunset Park with my mother. However back then you worked to get away from the city. He would eventually retire and move out to Long Island.

My Brooklyn began in the late 1990s while I was still in art school. We would drive in on the weekends to attend rooftop parties in the derelict neighbourhoods of D.U.M.B.O. and Williamsburg.

A lot has changed since the Nineties. These days Brooklyn is a brand that the entire world wants a piece of. I could easily write a book on Things to do as a Bermudian in Brooklyn but for now here’s a great, compressed weekend tour.

Eat here: make sure to get the chicken

Friday

Start in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and walk over the Williamsburg Bridge. This bridge doesn’t get as much love as the landmark Brooklyn Bridge. However as a fan of industrialism, I think the bridge is beautiful.

For dinner get the Brick Chicken at Marlow & Sons. This dish is world renowned and for good reason. Then hit up Japanese vintage fashions at About Glamour, where you’ll find everything from 1970s shades to crazy scratch and sniff stickers. There’s an art gallery underneath too that has incredible and affordable work from local artists.

If you need a place to crash I’d stay at The Wythe Hotel. It’s right next to Output which boasts the loudest sound system in the city. For those of you that recall Fright Night at Fort Hamilton, the same DJ Phil Moffa aka “The Butcha” is a resident at Output. Though his usual slot is a 2am start.

Party in the park: Prospect Park is well worth a visit

Saturday

Start off with a coffee from Verb in Greenpoint. Ask for Cisco and tell him where you are from. He’s the most authentic Brooklynite you will ever meet and makes the best cappuccino in town.

Then hop in a taxi and take the kids to the Brooklyn Museum. It’s a world class facility at the north side of Prospect Park. The park is a must, too. It doesn’t get as much love in the media as Central Park. However: “It’s widely understood among landscape architects that Central Park was a mere practice run, and Prospect Park the true masterpiece — like God making man before woman.” – Elizabeth Giddens, writer.

In the summer, the park hosts free concerts under the banner ‘Celebrate Brooklyn’.

For dinner hit up Walter Foods in Fort Greene and make sure one person from the party gets the Fried Chicken. My last visit to Walter’s was with a Republican Senator from Rhode Island and Uzimon. Of course, the heated debate was the legalisation of weed. Our neighbour, actor Michael Cera, and his date were not impressed.

Sunday

Start off slow. Get a copy of the Sunday New York Times and have breakfast at Egg. Then head over to the best daytime dance party that’s also kid friendly. Mr Sundays, run by Eamon Harkin from Dublin, happens every Sunday when the weather is warm. Great music, good BBQ in a reclaimed outdoor space on the border of Bushwick and Ridgewood. It’s a diverse mix of locals and Europeans dancing in the afternoon sunshine. From here you’re only a 15-minute ride to JFK so you can maximise your time before the 5.25pm AA flight back home.

Bermudian artist, producer, designer, and music promoter Jon Legere is the head of digital production at Anomaly, an advertising agency in New York City. He lives in Brooklyn with wife Olivia and their son Sebastian.

The post A brand the world wants a piece of appeared first on RG Magazines.

In Profile: Nicholas Christopher

Josh Ball — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 14:12:27 +0000

Bermudian actor, singer and dancer Nicholas Christopher is currently appearing in Hamilton, the hottest show on Broadway.

Nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards and winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama, the hip-hop, R&B-inflected musical tells the story of US statesman Alexander Hamilton, who was killed in an 1804 duel with vice president Aaron Burr. Mr Christopher joined the cast of Hamilton in April. He is a stand-by for the parts of Aaron Burr and George Washington.

Mr Christopher, 25, is the son of Corporation of Hamilton Town Crier Ed Christopher and his wife, Theresa. His brother, Jonathan, is an opera singer based in Europe. He got his start singing with his family and acting out ‘story nights’ along with Jonathan and their sister, Vanessa.

He attended Harrington Sound primary school, and graduated from Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts after his family moved to Boston. Mr Christopher then attended The Boston Conservatory for a year before transferring to New York’s famed Julliard School.

He also attended Stagedoor Manor, a performing arts training centre in New York’s Catskill Mountains for three summers. Stagedoor’s alumni include Natalie Portman, Jon Cryer, Mandy Moore and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Mr Christopher left Julliard after a year when he was recruited for the professional stage production of In the Heights, which featured the same creative team as current hit Hamilton.

Since then, he has appeared in Motown the Musical both on Broadway and on its US tour, and off-Broadway in Rent, Hurt Village, Whorl Inside a Loop and Lazarus.

He has also appeared in the Shakespeare in the Park production of The Tempest – and in April was one of 15 performers invited to sing at the acclaimed annual concert series Broadway Sings. This year, the series featured the music of Whitney

Houston; Mr Christopher sang Saving All My Love for You, putting a jazzy spin on Ms Houston’s Grammy Award-winning and Billboard-topping hit – and then did so again in May at New York’s Highline Ballroom when the show was reprised due to popular demand.

In addition to his involvement with Hamilton, Mr Christopher is in rehearsals for an anticipated Broadway run of Whorl Inside a Loop in 2017. Emmy-nominated actress Christina Hendricks, most recently seen in Mad Men, is to feature.

RG Summer spoke to Mr Christopher about his upbringing, his artistic education – and his career on the stage.

Nick Christopher, right, with the cast of Rent

The whole Christopher family is musical. What was it like growing up in an environment where the arts were valued?

I can’t even imagine another way of growing up. We were constantly making up songs and harmonising with each other in corny Brady Bunch style. We would always watch movies. Anything from the Disney catalogue to Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal to Shirley Temple were on repeat all day long. I remember taking my sister’s tap shoes and stomping around on the kitchen floor just to hear the noise the taps made re-enacting the Bojangles and Shirley Temple dance scene perfectly in my mind. It probably sounded more like pots and pans falling down stairs than a choreographed dance but instead of telling me to stop my mother would encourage me to keep going.

Although my mother has never been in the spotlight she is a huge reason we kept at it. She was constantly making us costumes and props as well as being the perfect audience and nurturer. It’s easy to point to my father to understand why we love the spotlight so much but that is not all we got from him. At home he was very quiet and would sit and (don’t tell him I told you) work on needlepoint for hours. Attention to detail and how he observes people and his surroundings even when you think he isn’t is a huge lesson he taught us by example. Our parents set up a safe place where we could journey to ourselves and have compassion for others as they journey to themselves. Us kids are so lucky to have them both within us.

Moving from school to the professional stage, what was the biggest adjustment for you?

I was fortunate enough to go to some of the best acting schools in the US. I learned so much about art and myself as an artist while in attendance. One of the things that was the biggest adjustment for me crossing over into the professional world was the eight show a week schedule. Other than actually doing it I’m not sure if any programme can prepare you for the discipline and stamina it takes to give the same quality of performance eight times a week. Eight times A WEEK. Whew.

The beauty of live performance is that we are all experiencing this story together. For one night this thing lives and breathes and then will never exist again

Your lead role as Smokey Robinson in the US tour of Motown the Musical came after a meeting with the man himself. Can you tell us about that meeting and the role itself?

I was in Dallas working on a new musical when the deal was finalised for me to play Smokey Robinson. I had met Smokey a couple times before while I was a part of the original Broadway cast of the show, but I never really had much time with him. I knew him to be very nice and warm. When we learned he would be performing in Dallas while I was there I was given two tickets and backstage passes to see him. I was floored. I went to the concert with a friend and was very surprised. This smiley teddy bear in person became a smooth sexy SANGIN god on stage having men and women losing their minds in the audience. When the concert ended I went backstage and was met with a huge hug from Smokey and a signed copy of his biography. That thoughtfulness, selflessness and smoothness is really what I tried to highlight when I portrayed him on stage.

Nick Christopher with the cast of Motown the Musical

Recently, you appeared in Lazarus, a musical that one-time Bermuda resident David Bowie co-wrote featuring songs from his catalogue. How did his death affect you and the production?

Working with the late great star man himself was truly out of this world. I’ve been lucky enough to meet and work with a lot of celebrities and people who are masters at their craft, but never have I ever met a person who is so grounded and yet also gives themselves permission to let their imagination run wild; who came into the rehearsal room knowing everyone’s name and who pushed us all to be better not only by challenging us but showing us by example. I found out Mr Bowie passed on my way to a recording studio to work with him and my fellow cast members of Lazarus. It still doesn’t seem real. We kept going to the theatre and did our jobs to serve David’s vision just like he would want us to, but each word had a little more weight, a little more importance. Rest easy DB.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day for me starts at around 7.30am. I go to the gym then eat a good breakfast (bacon, egg and cheese is my JAM!). Then I go home and shave the stubble off this bald head and shower. I pick out a good outfit. Normally the outfit is something practical for rehearsal, but still looks good in case I end up going out after. I ride the subway to Times Square to the theatre for rehearsal. Rehearsal is normally on stage in regular clothes with the associate director, associate choreographer and rehearsal pianist. For about four hours (give or take) we run the show and go over trouble spots with choreography and I ask a million questions that I have been thinking about since our last rehearsal.

On my dinner break I run across the street and get pizza or sushi. After I have had a very healthy meal I run over to get a slice of pie or a cookie from my favourite dessert places. I then roll back to the theatre just in time to sign in half an hour before the show starts. I set up in “The Gym” where I meet understudies, swings and standbys for what we call “Swing sing!” We all then pick a part and sing through the whole show. After about two and a half hours of learning and relearning parts we break for the night. I am normally hungry again so I will meet up with other friends in other shows and we pick a place to eat. I then get on the subway back home to dive into bed to do it all over again the next day.

You have spoken about how, as consumers of culture, we live in an age when we spend a great deal of time passively watching television and movies that don’t require us to react or interact. How is theatre different for audience members and performers?

I think the goal is to not have any difference between audience members and performers. The beauty of live performance is that we are all experiencing this story together. For one night this thing lives and breathes and then will never exist again. It’s special and we are all a part of it. We, the performers, trying new things and you, the audience, reacting at different times for different reasons and we feed off of each other. I feel television and film do more talking at the audience and in theatre it is more of a conversation.

Bermudian Rebecca Faulkenberry (Rock of Ages, Spider-Man Turn off the Dark) has also appeared on Broadway. Have your paths crossed in New York?

Rebecca is one of my best friends in NYC although we rarely see each other because of our busy schedules. A normal hang out will consist of either ginger tea or Dark ‘N’ Stormys while we catch up on what we have been up to.

What has been your favourite role to date, and why?

Picking your favourite role is like picking your favourite child! That’s crazy — I couldn’t pick.

Is there a role that you have your eyes on to play?

It’s a dream of mine to come back to Bermy and do a Pantomime at City Hall with my family. No specific role though.

What is next for you?

Top secret endeavours.

This article was first published in the 2016 RG Summer magazine.

The post In Profile: Nicholas Christopher appeared first on RG Magazines.