Ryan
Downey
Ryan
Downey
ABOUT
ME!
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
"Unquestionably the performance of the night belonged to Ryan Downey as Frollo. My goodness, what a presence this guy has on the stage. Those deep dulcet tones! He was eminently watchable and I can only assume that he has a massive career ahead of him. The character’s many conflicts of the mind and heart and his mis-placed devotion to the Lord were laid bare, the actor truly tapping into this most complex of characters with real skill." (Jamie Rees. www.fywcardiff.co.uk)
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Othello
"Downey [...] guided the audience through Iago’s duplicitous schemes, seemed to relish his own cleverness in a fun and believable manner. This is really important in any production of Othello, and Downey dealt commendably with a difficult role. His strongest scenes were those when he was on stage with Roderigo, with whom his chemistry was most evident and the audience had the pleasure of watching some seriously comedic timing." (Wes Babcock. www.newottawacritics.com)
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Maple syrup, hockey and Tim Hortons are just three of the things that only begin to describe Ryan. A Canadian actor and singer, Ryan has immersed himself into many different roles spanning from some of Shakespeare’s finest roles to rivalling contemporaries.
Just before beginning his studies, he was lucky enough to be involved with a director who saw that his passion and drive had no end. He was then encouraged to follow his dreams and that’s where the idea of a career in theatre started to take off. Ryan’s BFA took place at Concordia University where he had 4 years of various diverse techniques and styles of theatre thrust upon him (Favourites being: improv, clown, singing, Estill and collective creation). He got to practice and apply his skills in some wonderful shows like God of Carnage (Yasmina Reza), If We Were Birds (Erin Sheilds), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare), etc.
After these 4 years, he noticed there was something missing. He wanted to make more connections, round himself out as a performer, and make an impression on the world. That opportunity was provided when Ryan joined the 2019 year of Royal Welsh College’s MA Musical Theatre course. This one year program has brought out a sense of vocal control, confidence and stage presence. His newfound skills were then applied as Harry in Company (Stephen Sondheim), directed by Rupert Hands, and as Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Menken and Schwartz), directed by Graham Gill.
While offstage, Ryan spends his time watching the many intricacies of Steve Carrell’s character in The Office. It’s gotten out of hand. He also enjoys keeping in shape, staying healthy and connecting with friends.
