Music journalist Dan Roth recently interviewed Bryan Hicks, the narrator of the east coast touring company of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. Among the topics discussed are: his acting background (appearing on The Sopranos and on Broadway), his introduction into TSO, how he approaches each year’s narration to keep it fresh, his interaction with the other performers on stage, the challenges of taking on other character voices, the evolution of TSO and how he works with TSO creator Paul O’Neill; an excerpt is available below.

(photo courtesy of Stacey Porter)

Bryan Hicks: "I came from a different world and I had to make some adjustments because this is the rock world, where people rehearse at night as opposed to during the day. [laughs] It's very different, very loose. Over the years they understand more where I am coming from too because every artist has different needs. I had to explain to them, this is where I am now, but I want to take this much further and for me to do that, I need you to help me so I can concentrate. It was an evolution - TSO is something so new still - they're feeling it out and learning as they go along."

It's such a hybrid of a rock concert and a musical theater production, they are sort of defining their own role.

Bryan Hicks: "Yeah! And all of a sudden we're doing Rock Theater! And then Beethoven's Last Night came along and I was tentative, Paul wanted me to do different voices. I was like, Paul, are you sure? and he said he wanted me to do the female voice and the other voices, so I went there.

The challenge with Christmas Eve and Other Stories was that I was doing it for so long, that I had to find a way to keep the audience interested and to keep myself interested. So I would try a different take on it every year. I didn't want the audience to get bored - they know the words, some of them better than I do! [laughs] There were some things that they were very adamant about that I keep, because everyone was used to certain passages delivered that way. Other things I would try differently and go back and ask how that worked and was told, 'Yeah, go more in that direction.' That's how what you refer to as 'my style' came about. Basically when it all started I wasn't sure what I was doing. Especially with Christmas Eve and Other Stories, it's more fragmented - like a number of monologues as opposed to Beethoven which is more of a story they way it is edited."

To read the interview in its entirety, click here.

This year's Trans-Siberian Orchestra Winter Tour Fan Club pre-sales will take place on Wednesday September 5th for all shows in November, and on Thursday September 6th for all shows in December at 10:00 AM (local venue time).

This exclusive pre-sale will make many of the best tickets available directly to Trans-Siberian Express (TSE) fan club members before they go on-sale to the general public.

The complete 2013 TSO routing is as follows:

November

13 - Toledo, OH - Huntington Center (Matinee and Evening)
13 - Council Bluffs, IA - Mid-America Center
14 - Erie, PA - Tullio Arena
14 - Lincoln, NE - Pinnacle Bank Arena
15 - State College, PA - Bryce Jordan Center
16 - Hartford, CT - XL Center (Matinee and Evening)
16 - Colorado Springs, CO - World Arena (Matinee and Evening)
17 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena (Matinee and Evening)
17 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center (Matinee and Evening)
20 - Charleston, WV - Charleston Civic Center
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Energy Solutions Arena (Matinee and Evening)
21 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena
21 - Boise, ID - Taco Bell Arena
22 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena
22 - Columbia, SC - Colonial Life Arena
23 - Greenville, SC - BI-LO Center (Matinee and Evening)
23 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena (Matinee and Evening)
24 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex (Matinee and Evening)
24 - Portland, OR - The Rose Garden (Matinee and Evening)
26 - Atlanta, GA - Gwinnett Center
27 - Sacramento, CA - Sleep Train Arena (Matinee and Evening)
29 - Sunrise, FL - Bank Atlantic Center (Matinee and Evening)
29 - Ontario, CA - Citizens Bank Arena
30 - Orlando, FL - Amway Center (Matinee and Evening)
30 - Las Vegas, NV - Orleans Arena (Matinee and Evening)

December

1 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Times Forum (Matinee and Evening)
1 - Phoenix, AZ - Jobing.com Arena (Matinee and Evening)
2 - Las Cruces, NM - Pan American Center
3 - Lubbock, TX - United Spirit Arena
4 - Washington DC - Verizon Center
5 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center
6 - Memphis, TN - FedExForum
6 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena (Matinee and Evening)
7 - Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center (Matinee and Evening)
7 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC Arena (Matinee and Evening)
8 - Hershey, PA - Giant Center (Matinee and Evening)
8 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena (Matinee and Evening)
11 - Dayton, OH - EJ Nutter Center
11 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center
12 - Indianapolis, IN - Bankers Life Fieldhouse
12 - Moline, IL - iWireless Center
13 - Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena (Matinee and Evening)
13 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center (Matinee and Evening)
14 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena (Matinee and Evening)
14 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center (Matinee and Evening)
15 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena (Matinee and Evening)
15 - Milwaukee, WI - BMO Harris Bradley Center (Matinee and Evening)
18 - Providence, RI - Dunkin Donuts Center
18 - Wichita, KS - INTRUST Bank Arena
19 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
19 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
20 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
20 - Little Rock, AR - North Little Rock Verizon Arena
21 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center (Matinee and Evening)
21 - Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena (Matinee and Evening)
22 - Boston, MA - TD Garden (Matinee and Evening)
22 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center (Matinee and Evening)
23 - Newark, NJ - The Prudential Center (Matinee and Evening)
23 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center (Matinee and Evening)
26 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena (Matinee and Evening)
26 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Events Center (Matinee and Evening)
27 - Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills (Matinee and Evening)
27 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center (Matinee and Evening)
28 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena (Matinee and Evening)
28 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T; Center (Matinee and Evening)
30 - Buffalo, NY - First Niagara Center (Matinee and Evening)
30 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center (Matinee and Evening)