Meet Tim Colee | Actor & Teaching Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tim Colee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tim, why did you pursue a creative career?
I have always had a passion and love for storytelling and shared human connections. I was born and raised in the small historic town of St. Augustine, Florida. A place where history and storytelling is mixed together every where you look and perhaps that’s where it started. As a kid, I spent every Easter Sunday watching the local afternoon parade, and at the start of it they would always have a group of people dressed in 16th century clothing waving riding horses and I remember asking my parents if I could be a part of that when I got older. I first found acting through that local reenactment group called The Easter Festival Royal Family. And after my time with them, I saw my very first play, put on by my high school’s theatre department. It was a production of Our Town and the very bases of that play is, well, life. The human condition from adolescence to maturity and finally to life’s end. And mixed in throughout the whole play are the small things we take for granted as people. The smell of coffee, the sound of ticking clocks, the warmth of a hot bath, the feeling of falling asleep and waking up in the morning, etc. And that day, something changed in me, I had always been fascinated with the human condition and finding new and exciting ways to watch stories, but for the first time I wanted to share stories with people. So that they could see and feel someone going through the highs and lows of life that most of the time we as people don’t take time to process in our daily lives. Empathy, understanding, and growth is why I perform.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I found acting through a historical reenactment group in my home town of St. Augustine Florida when I was around 11/12 years old. This group was called the Easter Festival Royal Family and it predominantly focused in and around the year 1672, the time period during which the Spanish monarchy ruled the city of St. Augustine and commissioned the historical fort of The Castillo De San Marcos to be built. I played the role of the boy king, King Juan Carlos for a few years. After which I stayed on as a guard and version other roles. This was a bit later than most of my theatre artists and peers and in a very different way. Where most people find their way to the stage in elementary school doing their first play in school. Or at a summer theatre camp during their middle and high school years and continuing on from there. Mine was through a very small local niche. But it was there that I discovered a love for performing and story telling. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I finally gave theatre a try and performed in my first play William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Oberon, King of the fairies. After Midsummer closed I knew this was what I wanted to do as my career, but it wasn’t easy. Since I was so new to acting I didn’t really know what to do, how to apply to college theatre departments, what audition materials to prepare, building a resume with no real experience and where to get headshots? The list goes on and I felt so overwhelmed. But my high school drama teacher Mr. (Mike) Beaman was an incredible help. He suggested audition materials that made sense and would work for my type and age range, he coached me through those pieces, he sent me sample resumes to make a template from, he helped me pick out a headshot to start off with and he even helped set up a field trip for a small group of us senior students to go to and audition at for a theatre conference where more than 50 colleges attended. And it was here that I got excepted into the University of West Florida where I graduated with a BFA in Acting/Theatre. And this was only the beginning, college like it is for most everyone’s field of study was incredibly difficult and had its many highs and lows. I use to joke with some of my non theatre and non artist college friends and say, “When you fail a test or final, only you know and your professor know. Now imagine you did the same test and everyone in the room knows you failed that test while its happening, and then they watch along with you as your professor goes into how and why you failed it in front of them. Welcome to the world of an actor.” As dark as this may seem, you learn a lot from those kinds of failures, you have to. It teaches you to grow a thicker skin and take criticism better. It teaches you to brush off things that can be outside of your control and to find moments of joy when the pieces all fall into place. It teaches you that community is a powerful thing and finding a group of individuals that support you and your work are something to hold onto like there’s no tomorrow. But more than anything else, it teaches you to trust your gut for when something is or isn’t working.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh man, a whole week. I’m so use to small weekend trips when family or friends come into town. I think I’d actually start off a little outside the city. Since Atlanta is so close to the start of the Appalachian mountain range I think I would start the trip off with a two day stay in Jasper/Elijay. I’d stay at the Amicola Falls campground and spend some time hiking its trails and enjoying the scenic view while grilling out at the campsite. Then in the morning I’d make a trip out to Reece Orchard if it was fall season to pick some apples/shop in their country store/bakery for some delicious apple cinnamon donuts. Then I’d drive down to Fainting Goat winery with a picnic packed and enjoy some of their blueberry and peach wine. After coming back to the city I’d spend a day shopping and eating at Marietta square. Visiting Glover brewery and some of the small shops around the square. Specifically the record store Sweet Melissa Records in the plaza. That evening I would come back to Smyrna’s battery to grab a few drinks at the bars and catch a game at Truist park. I think I’d want to spend a day brewery hopping. Making stops at Reformation brewery in Woodstock, Pontoon Brewery in Sandy Springs, Three Taverns in Atlanta, Red Hare in Marietta and ending the day at Iron Mongers in Marietta to throw axes and grab mead next door at Viking Alchemist Meadery. Another day I’d take folks to walk the trails of Little Mulberry Park in Dacula. Setting up a blanket to sit out and read on, enjoying the beautiful open field there. The last thing I can think of, is seeing a show at The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse in Midtown any day between Thursday-Sunday. That’s all I can really think of off the top of head!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I think the folks that deserve the most credit in helping me pursue my dream is my family. My mother and father have always been supportive of me and what I do. They have never missed a play that I’ve been in that was open to the general public. They’ve never missed a commercial or film project I’ve been a part of. They wish me luck and to “Break a Leg” at every performance that I’m a part even if it means getting a text at 5:30 am when I’m tired and cold on set. They are my rock to put it simply.

Website: https://timcolee.com/abouttim

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timcolee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timothy.colee.7/

Image Credits
Michael Justice (Hollywood Headshots), Jeff Watkins, Ian Allen James, Stephen Legawiec, Glenn Breed, Philip Brulotte, Shane Butler, and Antony Bui