Persistence and Passion Contribute to Hartt Alumnus’ Career Success

Years before Patrick Dunn ’08 set foot on the UHart campus to attend The Hartt School, he was stepping into the spotlight as a child actor in New York City. At age 12, he was already performing at Madison Square Garden in A Christmas Carol, so his path in entertainment might seem inevitable. But success in the entertainment industry is never a given, and Dunn’s parents pushed him to attend college. His four-year degree helped propel Dunn’s career into a broader realm of possibilities … including, occasionally, becoming Elvis.

Dunn’s turn as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll began at Hartt, when he was cast in a musical in a role based on the pop icon. So, as character research, Dunn began to sing Elvis songs at karaoke with friends—and before long, he was booking paying gigs as a full-on Elvis impersonator.

A few years later, through a connection with Graceland and Elvis Presley Enterprises, he got a call to revamp their musical theater program and camp. This led to him entering the ‘Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest’ – which he won, thanks to his training at Hartt. He went on the world tour, and now has a formal contract with Graceland. He’s the only one in the world who has done an Elvis symphony show.

“King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” is just another title Dunn adds to his multi-hyphenate career as an actor and television host. His Broadway debut in Phantom of the Opera was in Toronto, where he now lives, quickly led to additional Broadway roles. His favorite, he says, was the lead in Phantom of the Opera—a “full circle” moment, since he listened to the original cast album growing up and played it on the way from his home to Hartt. He also landed the lead role in Les Miserables, a show he auditioned for as a child actor and didn’t get.

Persistence and passion are traits Dunn learned at UHart. He remembers a speaker on campus talking about how committed performers need to be to stay in the business even through rejections. The industry, the speaker said, was like a house – one door in, one out. But Dunn turned that idea on its head. His success, he says, “has come through creating as many doors as possible.”

He's done that by pursuing his passions, seeking out connections, and being willing to explore unique opportunities—like playing Elvis. While there are many Elvis impersonators out there, Dunn strives to make his version of Elvis into art, drawing on his acting talents, vocal strengths, and performance background.

Some of his performing highlights include the National Tour of Les Misérables (Jean Valjean), National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera (Phantom at select performances), National Tour of Waitress (Ensemble) and Bernstein’s Candide at New York City Opera directed by Hal Prince. He’s also booked additional concerts on his own, often based on his Broadway roles. And he’s hosted sports shows on ESPN and Spectrum Television.

Dunn’s talents and creative ambitions are the true stars of his ever-expanding career. He just completed the national tour of Mamma Mia, which will lead to a six-month Broadway run starting on the show’s 25^th anniversary. A line from the musical could sum up Dunn’s career: “Life is short. The world is wide. I want to make some memories.”