King '01 Has Dream Job Touring the Country in Jurassic World Live Tour

When he graduated from the Prep in 2001 and Loyola College in Maryland four years later, Pat King had no idea that nearly two decades later he would be performing in his dream job at the Wells Fargo Center, back in his hometown. But next week, that will be exactly what happens as Pat and his fellow castmates perform in Philadelphia as part of Jurassic World Live Tour. King plays the main villain, Kurt Reed, in this action show that combines his love of acting and stunts.

After graduating from Loyola, where he was cast in every show that was staged during his four years, King tried to pursue acting while also working a 9-to-5 job. When that didn’t prove to be fruitful, he decided to quit his day job and follow his passion for acting. A family need moved him to Austin, Tex., and he began getting some local work. An active guy who stayed in good physical shape, King decided to try stunt work, never knowing where it would lead him.

“I had no idea that stunt work was a completely separate career,” he says of that decision made six years ago. He soon landed a dream role, playing the superhero Wolverine in a Marvel tour of Europe. “It was all fighting and stunts, so it was really a good experience for me. I had always been a huge fan of the comics so playing Wolverine was just the coolest thing ever.”

That led to his current role as the main villain in the current Jurassic World Live Tour. King says that the show is “everything that you would expect from the movie, but on stage as a live action experience. It’s very immersive. We are bringing an authentic Jurassic World story to life in front of your eyes.” Though the show is set within the Jurassic World universe and the dinosaurs are the same as have been seen in the movies, the story and characters are unique.

Playing Kurt Reed gives King a chance to act more than his previous role, and also includes fight scenes. “This role is very acting-heavy with some fights mixed in,” he says. “The tour will be going on for several more years and I am very happy to have the role that I have.”

While stunt work is not something that is traditionally learned in Jesuit training, King points to several areas where his Prep education has furthered his career. “The education that I got and the values that were instilled at the Prep and Loyola helped shape me as a human being and as a professional. I really do credit those two schools for molding me into a person that companies want to hire. The hard skills, maybe not so much, but personality, character, and my professionalism was ingrained in me from the Prep on.”

The Jurassic World Live Tour is at the Wells Fargo Center from February 14-17, with seven shows total. Tickets and more information are available at https://www.jurassicworldlivetour.com/.