Originally from Townsville, North Queensland, Byron moved to Brisbane to begin a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) at QUT in 2020. While studying at QUT, Byron was cast as Prior Walter in a final year production of 'Angels in America', an incredibly formative experience that taught him a lot about the rigours of live performance. Following this, he was fortunate enough to work with esteemed playwrights Lewis Treston and Hannah Belanszky on their original work 'Tight in the Bud' which was directed by the internationally renowned Wesley Enoch. Shortly after graduating, Byron was cast as Thaddeus in IRL by Lewis Treston, the final mainstage production of La Boite's 2024 mainstage season. Currently, Byron is currently performing in 'Art of Courage', an immersive production at PIP Theatre in which 100% of profits will be donated to Ukrainian children affected by the war.
Byron Lankester Howells. Image: Supplied by artist.
1. Describe what you do in 100 words?
I love immersing myself in the world of stories and characters with different lived experiences to myself and finding the points of commonality between us. I love the idea of transforming myself while staying as true as possible to the essence of who I am as a person. I am definitely guilty of working from the "outside in", if there is a limp or an accent I can give to my character then I definitely will, but, if I'm being honest, I mostly only do this because it is fun. I am an actor, and I work incredibly hard so I can achieve my dream of playing pretend for a full-time job.
2. What’s your first memory of engaging with the arts?
When I was in the first grade, my teacher decided that our class would put on a Christmas play for the parents and other teachers. The production was devised by our teacher and was about the students and faculty of our school. I remember being so excited, but when we found out our roles, I was devastated. My close friend Jake was cast in the lead role and I was cast as our school groundskeeper with only one line. The groundskeeper had a big bushy moustache and, the day before the performance, my mum took me to buy a fake moustache at our local party-supply store. The following night, I waited side-stage as the performance began. When it was finally time for my part, I entered the stage, said my line, and the audience erupted with laughter. I was addicted. All of a sudden, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and I have been pursuing acting ever since.
3. What motivates you to create?
I create because I love it. The arts are an invaluable part of society and our collective cultural-identity and they are one of the only things that truly bring us together. I think it can be so easy to feel different and alone, but art is one of the most powerful ways of communicating universal truths about the human experience and reminding us that, at the end of the day, we all have the same feelings and emotions. Art is an incredible conduit for empathy and, the more we prioritise its place in society, the more we think about the people around us and our place in the communities we are a part of.
4. Can you describe your ideal working environment?
My ideal working environment is with people around me who have the same love for theatre as I do. People who I can joke around with and have fun with, but when it comes time to work, relish in the rigours of putting a production together. People who care about what they are creating and genuinely love what they do.
Bryon in IRL by Lewis Treston. Image: David Kelly.
5. Who is an artist that inspires you and why?
I really love Rick Rubin. I know it's a bit of a cliché - especially with his book 'The Creative Act' being so popular at the moment - But I just think his idea to have Johnny Cash do an album of grunge covers rather than country songs was genius. Without him, we never would have gotten Johnny Cash's cover of 'Hurt' by Nine Inch Nails which, as we all know, is an undeniable banger.
6. How do you manage work-life balance as an artist?
I am definitely not saying anything new here, but work-life balance as an artist is incredibly difficult. As I mentioned earlier, for the first few years that I lived in Brisbane I prioritised my career over everything else and this had a detrimental impact on my mental health. I feel that it is important to have other interests outside of acting and make sure to pursue and nourish relationships with people that have nothing to do with the industry. At this stage, I just accept that there will be times in my life in which I am unbelievably busy and cannot put much time into my personal life, but there will also be periods where nothing is happening in my career at all. I try to cherish these moments and be as present as I can because, when I'm busy, I will wish that I could have them back.
7. What time of day do you find yourself most creative and why?
For some reason, I tend to be most creative right before I am supposed to go to bed. Over the years, as my life has accrued more and more responsibility, I have gotten better at forcing myself to be creative even when it is not coming naturally. However, I definitely find that most creative bursts of energy come when I should be getting myself to sleep.
8. Do you think art is important to society and why?
Art is incredibly important to society. My parents are both artists; my father is a musician and my mother is a printmaker, and growing up art was a fundamental aspect of my life. From as early as I can remember, I was going to exhibition openings with my mother and attending my father's shows and, when I discovered my own creative outlet, my parents could not have been happier. I may have a biased view but I feel that art is integral to society. It is a form of communication that transcends language and brings people together and, without it, the world would be a much sadder place.
Byron in Tight In The Bud by Lewis Treston & Hannah Belanszky. Image: Ruby Shannon.
9. What is something you have created or a process you have been a part of that you are most proud of?
It is hard to say what I am most proud of, but I am definitely incredibly proud of the production I am involved in at the moment. 'Art of Courage' was devised and created by my good friend Sophia Hodych who is directing the show alongside Ben Lynskey. Sophia is Ukrainian and created the show as a way of spreading awareness about the war, but also as a way of celebrating and preserving Ukrainian Culture which has for many years been under threat of erasure by Russia. 100% of profits from the show will also be donated to children in Ukraine affected by the war. I love the theatre for its ability to help us escape our problems, but working on a show that will have such a tangible impact feels pretty special.
10. What are you working on right now, if anything?
As I mentioned above, I am currently performing in 'Art of Courage' which will run from the 3rd to the 17th of February at PIP Theatre. Please consider coming along as your ticket sale will help a child affected by the war in Ukraine.
If you are or know of an artist that might like to feature in our Spotlight: 10 Questions series please send us an email to hello@thatproductioncompany.com.au.
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