When Christopher Palmer first arrived on campus at Montgomery County Community College in the spring of 2011, he remembered feeling like it was his last chance to earn a college degree. He’d already dropped out of one four-year institution, after earning a 0.43 GPA. He then tried a second time at a two-year institution off-and-on, but it wasn’t working out the way he’d hoped.

Today Palmer is a crew member working on the West End in London and has been involved with numerous live theater productions including “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” and “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” He’s performed in off-West End productions too as an actor. Similarly, he’s also booked several TV roles in the UK. He credits his time as a student at MCCC, and in particular, a conversation he had with his academic advisor, for putting him on the successful path to the stage and screen.

Finding his way

Two years ago, the now 35-year-old, from Roxborough, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, which he said explains his previous struggles in school.

“I was a good student before college. It was the project-based work that got me,” he said. “In high school, you show up, take the test, progress and flourish. It flips into an independent study in college. That’s where people in my situation tend to struggle.”

When he landed at MCCC, he hoped his third time at a degree would be the charm. Choosing MCCC, he said, was a decision he’s so grateful he made. It led to a meeting with Gay Seidman, his academic advisor, who profoundly change his life. 

“She said, ‘Why don’t you try an acting class,’” said Palmer.  “I thought ‘Why not?’ It sounded fun and I had already done drama in high school. I didn’t realize then that my life was about to reach a turning point.”

Seidman remembers the meeting and seeing a spark in Palmer that he didn’t yet see in himself.

“I gave him a pep talk that he just had a detour. ‘You’re getting back on the road. Tell me how you got here,’” she said. “He was the most amazing storyteller. I was listening and he had passion and optimism and a good sense of humor. I said ‘I really think you should take an acting class. You have a great way of delivery. You have great timing and speech.’ He said, ‘I did act in high school. I think you’re right.’ So, I put him in Michael Whistler’s class and the rest is history.”

Acting classes at MCCC gave him the fundamental tools he would need to perform, which he still uses today.

“My first class was Introduction to Acting: Improvisation and Fundamentals,” he said. “Looking back on it that’s actually a really good way to get into it. It creates a natural actor. I thrive on impulse in improv.”

Bitten by the Bug

After a year at MCCC, Palmer decided he was ready to continue his education at a new four-year institution. He transferred to the University of Albany in the spring of 2012 but decided to pursue a degree in history with a minor in business administration. He’d been bitten by the acting bug, but it took some time to realize it was a worthwhile career pursuit, he said.

After college, Palmer landed jobs at a hospital pharmacy and then worked for the police department as a 911 dispatcher and a volunteer firefighter, while also being qualified as an EMT in the Albany area. Then he took a trip to London and caught a West End production of “Les Misérables.” It was the first time he’d ever seen a show at that level of performance. He knew being on stage like the actors he saw then was what he wanted to do. So, in 2018 he made the risky decision to pack his bags and move to London.

“I was feeling burned out from emergency services. I was kind of looking for a career change,” he said. “I had an opportunity to apply for dual citizenship with Italy. The EU freedom of movement gave me the opportunity to live and work in the UK. So, I visited the UK in early 2018 to make sure this was what I really wanted. I texted my sister ‘I think I’m going to move here.’ She said, ‘Do it.’ And I remember I stood in Trafalgar Square and thought ‘Yeah, it feels right. This is it.’”

Stage and screen success

Four years into his acting career now, Palmer has begun to make his way in the world. He’s managed 16 credits so far, as a cast or crew member in productions in TV, film and theater across the UK. Among his first jobs in the industry included working among the crew for “Hamilton” on the West End. Those jobs led to more and more opportunities to advance in the acting community, he said.

Palmer credits his time at MCCC for opening the doors to his career at a time when he needed it most.

“I think it gave me confidence in a time I needed it,” he said. “At Montco, I gained new a perspective from my meeting with Gay Seidman. It was life changing. It changed the way you look at things. It gave me the inspiration to do different things.”

“The tiniest of moments, the seemingly insignificant interactions can have more impact than you could ever imagine,” he said. “They all count. They all matter. I’m forever grateful for that one tiny moment in spring 2011 that changed the course of my life.”