Actor Trevor Coll may have landed the role of a lifetime, but his heart roots for his hometown of Aurora.

Coll plays the lead part of Galileo in the Queen-inspired musical We Will Rock You, which opened in Winnipeg and will be playing at Meridian Hall in Toronto on February 7 and 8.

“Being a part of We Will Rock You has truly been a dream come true. I have been privileged to perform this show in 100 different cities including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and now in Toronto, the city which fostered my love for the arts. From a vocal standpoint, there are few shows I am as connected to as this one, so being able to be take the stage on my Toronto debut in my dream role is wildly humbling and incredibly epic,” said Coll, who recalls seeing the show in high school and instantly becoming an avid fan of the soundtrack and all things Queen.

“'Somebody To Love' has been my go-to audition song ever since. Being able to share this show across North America, perform on iconic stages and live out a childhood dream – professionally speaking, it really doesn't get better than this.”

Coll is all too aware of the epochal status of Queen and the expectations from his audience.

“They definitely expect to hear it honoured in a specific way and I'm constantly under pressure. Freddie Mercury is an icon but thank goodness – for my sake – We Will Rock You is not a biographic retelling of his life, but instead a jukebox musical incorporating Queen's musical catalogue into a story for the stage.

“I worked closely with Queen's music supervisor, Stuart Morely, who constructed the perfect ways to keep the spirit of Queen in all of the songs while injecting my character's arc into their narratives. I can't imagine a more gratifying experience,” said Coll, who grew up listening to his mom's eclectic CD collection.

“Her taste in music made my drives to hockey and soccer seem like the original carpool karaoke with artists such as Amanda Marshall, James Blunt, Nickelback, Alanis Morrisette, Pink, No Doubt and U2. I also have the best siblings who would spend many a weekend with me watching classic musical movies including The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz and Grease.”

Despite the fandom and success, Coll is never too far from home.

“I am a nostalgic person and I feel very grateful to have grown up as a Canadian with the opportunity to live with freedom and the ability to follow my dreams. Some of my dearest friends, role models and spirit leaders have come from Aurora and there is no better environment to annually reground myself while filling up on good wholesome fun,” said Coll, who was highly involved with recreational and rep sports, as well as community theatre.

“I was always encouraged to excel in school by phenomenal educators,” he said, recalling his days at the Regional Arts Program at St. Elizabeth Catholic High School.

One of Coll's favourite places in Aurora is the Cineplex.

“Movies rule! Coming back between jobs, I have loved watching this Town grow, become more diverse and broaden opportunities for young people in the arts. I'd like to say to the youth in Aurora – follow your heart, believe in yourself and remember you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don't take.”

As for his own plans, Coll is enjoying the moment. “It is time to soak all of this up and start to develop some new goals. Anything can happen!”

By Kinjal Dagli Shah