Pelham Bay youth lands TV series role; plans local show
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
Devin Trey Campbell, a
10-year-old from Pelham Bay,
got his start in local community
theater and dance school,
and is now appearing on a national
television show after
performing in a Broadway
hit.
Campbell is a cast member
of ABC’s Single Parents, a sitcom
that chronicles the lives
of an ensemble cast of single
parents and their children.
This role followed two and
a half years on Broadway in
the hit Kinky Boots, where he
played the character of Young
Lola, a drag queen.
Campbell tells the Bronx
Times that he was drawn to
theater and acting when he
was three-years-old and saw
The Lion King on Broadway.
“I automatically fell in love
with it, and I immediately
wanted to be on Broadway,”
Campbell said. “It is such a
good feeling to make people
smile and laugh.”
He came home from the
show so enthused that his parents
brought him to a local
theater company, Rising Stars
Performing Arts and he took
dance classes at Dreamakers
Performing Arts in Throggs
Neck.
Eventually he got an agent
and manager, and said he was
over the moon when he landed
a role in the Broadway company
of Kinky Boots.
He said that he enjoyed
playing Young Lola, who is
one of two main characters in
Kinky Boots, and especially
enjoyed the singing and dancing,
as well as a part of the play
where the young man tries on
high heels for the fi rst time.
After doing some ‘background
work’ on television in
commercials and on a popular
show, he auditioned for Single
Parents, and landed the role of
Rory.
Through 23 television episodes
this season, Campbell
said that he enjoyed playing
Rory, especially since the
character is a fashion forward
young man. Campbell especially
likes the wardrobe they
have for him to wear on the
TV show.
Campbell did televised interviews
with celebrities earlier
this year on the red carpet
for Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice
Awards, he said.
One of the people he was
excited to meet was Brandon
Urie, lead singer in Panic! at
the Disco.
BRONX TIMES R 28 EPORTER, MAY 10-16, 2019 BTR
When he isn’t acting, he
likes to play video games, ride
his scooter, and tap dance.
His favorite subject in
school is social studies, and he
attends a New York City public
school.
In June, he will be displaying
his acting prowess to a
Bronx audience with two local
performances.
On Saturday, June 1 and
Sunday, June 2 Campbell will
be at staring as Milo in The
Phantom Tollbooth Jr. at the
Open Hydrant Theater Company
at The Point Community
Development Corporation at
940 Garrison Avenue.
The show is a musical about
a child who feels everyday life
is boring. A toll booth appears
in his bedroom and transports
him to a magical world, where
he goes on an adventure, eventually
learning that ordinary
life can be extraordinary.
Tickets to the show in
Hunts Point can be purchased
by visiting Brown Paper Bag
Tickets at brownpaperbagtickets.
com and searching for the
performances.
Campbell (l) interviews actors on the ‘red carpet’ during the Nickelodeon
Kid’s Choice Awards. Photos courtesy of Devin Trey Campbell
Open Hydrant Theater
Company is the only boroughbased
ensemble theater company
serving youth.