Quotes from Brian Stokes Mitchell

I kind of feel the career chose me. My motto has always been, 'Go where I'm wanted.'

I can count on one hand the number of conductors-composers-arrangers that I enjoy working with, and at the top of that list is Mack Wilberg. I feel like I've known Mack forever. I'm just nuts for him.

Something is guiding my career; I don't know what it is. When I look back at my career, I call myself the most lucky actor in the world. It is all I have ever done. I do master classes, and I tell people not to use me as an example. I do not know anyone like me - not to brag - it is just very unusual.

I'm a fan of odd meters. For example, I've decided to sing 'No Business Like Show Business,' but I'll be doing it in constantly changing 5/4, 7/4 and 11/4 time signatures. I've found a way to make that work.

People in the performing arts have a lot of other skills they don't realize they can utilize, and part of what the Actors Fund program is there to do is wake their head up to realize there are other things they can do.

Music is liquid. It's meant to be messed with and played with and stretched and pulled and pushed, I think.

I think the problem is when people hear 'arts education,' they think, 'I don't want my son to be some painter that's going to be hanging in some museum after he dies. I don't want my daughter to be a struggling artist making no money.' People don't realize it's more than that. It's beautiful. It brings beauty to our lives.

The Actors Fund is a human services organization, so our focus has been on caring for the entire human as opposed to dealing with the disease.

If anything, when I was young, I wanted to be an orchestra.

When I was 6 years old, I asked my parents for an organ. I don't have any idea why I wanted an organ.

For a while, I couldn't get arrested in television because everybody thought of me as that guy on 'Trapper John.' So I thought, 'Great, I'll come out here to New York and do some theater, and when they get tired of me, I'll do something else.'

I love being outside, and I love the fresh air.

Variety is the key to not being bored.

I think I just had it by osmosis: an appreciation of Duke Ellington before I really even knew who he was.

Artists make our lives livable and enjoyable.