Baker Mukasa is a musical theatre performer …
He is known for his role in the acclaimed musical Standing At The Sky’s Edge’ and will now star in the Royal Exchange Theatres Brief Encounter as Alec.
Set in a busy railway station, where everyone is simply passing through, Laura and Alec find each other. Falling passionately and wildly in love in a few stolen moments they live and breathe a lifetime of epic emotions, reawakening everything they buried deep inside. Together they find themselves in a bittersweet, hopelessly romantic, elegantly awkward love affair …
Please introduce yourself …
Hi, my name is Baker Mukasa, I am an actor and a singer, born and bred in South London but I am also of Ugandan heritage.
Describe your life right now in a word or one sentence …
Beautifully surprising.
What started you on this particular career path?
This is a career that chooses you, you don’t choose it. As a kid my first love was singing, I always had lots of performance energy and I grew up in a family where if you went to a party you were expected to dance. However, when I was a young kid I didn’t think of acting as a career path it was just something I enjoyed doing. But as I got older I went to a secondary school with amazing performance-based extra-curricular activities and amazingly supportive staff. The more I got involved the more things I did outside of school, like concerts and theatre clubs and the more time I spent doing that the more I realised that I’d be happy to do this as a career because I enjoyed it so much. So, after many clubs and lots of kindness here I am.
Tell us about Brief Encounter and working with director Sarah Frankcom …
It’s brilliant! Sarah is a very generous director who gives you a lot of space to explore, but also has a keen attention to detail. She has managed to bring together a group of ridiculously talented individuals who all have a massive heart and who all have the best interests of the story in mind. There is a feeling of safety when working in her room and that is reflected in the confidence of the work. I’m very grateful to be telling this story, with these people, at this time.
How did you feel when you got the part of Alec?
I was ecstatic when I got the part. I admittedly didn’t know the story very well at the start, however after watching the film and reading the play fell in love with it. The part also came at a time when I was in between jobs, so getting the call whilst I was on a break during a waiting shift really made the day go faster.
GETTING TO KNOW …
What’s your current plan B?
Refer to plan A
What’s made you Sad, Mad, Glad this week?
There are many things that have made me mad and sad this week, there is a lot of suffering in the world right now and it feels like all the people in charge have their political standing at the forefront of all their decisions instead of basic humanity- that makes me very sad and mad.
What made me glad this week, is a glorious bowl of ramen I ate at a restaurant that’s a stones throw away from the theatre!
What are you watching right now?
Modern Family
What are you reading right now?
The Citadel by A.J. Cronin
What are you listening to right now?
Janelle Monae – The Age of Pleasure
The last thing you saw on stage?
Hamilton
What’s on your bucket list?
Many things – to spend a lengthy period of time learning salsa and Spanish in Cuba and to do a concert with an American gospel choir.
Where’s your happy place?
Anywhere that serves a really good flat white.
Celebrate someone else …
Matthew Malone our fantastic MD who is a genius but leads with such love.
Celebrate yourself … (make us proud of you)
I’m proud to be working at the Royal Exchange Theatre. I’m proud to have my first leading role. And I’m proud to have been able to stay joyful even though the world isn’t always.
Whose footsteps are you following in?
My favourite quote is ‘I come as 1 but I stand as 10,000’ so I guess I’m following in the footsteps of all the people who have paved the way for me to get to where I am / my mum!
What’s Next?
I’m doing Standing At The Sky’s Edge next year.
Where can we find you?
Insta @bakertm / X @bakertyson
Where can we see you next?
Baker Mukasa stars in Brief Encounter at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, runs from 2 Dec – 13 Jan 2024.
For more information visit the Royal Exchange