Antoine L. Collins was born to sing! His road to the stage was circuitous. Born in the steel town of Gary, Indiana, though 15 years after Michael Jackson, they were nurtured by the same Chicago blues via the Mississippi Delta. Due to no fault of its own, Gary is currently part of America’s rust belt. Formerly a beacon of hope, Gary offered a second chance at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for millions of African American refugees seeking asylum from the tyranny in America’s South. This is the chocolate city that nurtured him. This is where the seed to entertain was planted.
Like many creatives, Antoine didn’t readily embrace his talent. Evermore industrious and clever, he opted for the safe route and obtained a Juris Doctorate from John Marshall School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. Antoine practiced as a Baltimore city prosecutor, civil attorney in Canada and ultimately hung out his own shingle.
The nagging feeling in his soul would not allow him to squander his talents. Gifted with a voice, Antoine debuted in a Canadian production of “Rent”. After an intercontinental move to Israel, Antoine was cast as Seaweed J. Stubbs in “Hairspray”, followed by “Little Shop of Horrors” as Audrey II, Richie Walters in “A Chorus Line” and Benny in a Jerusalem production of “RENT”. He performed weekly in the Tel Aviv-based cabaret act, Showstoppers and as Benny in the concert version of RENT at the renowned Hamima 4 Stage in Tel Aviv.
Expression through musicals and performance theatre led him to explore his jazz roots. In 2015, with the help of pianist Asaf Finkelstein, Antoine released Somewhere Along The Way. He graced us with standards like My Funny Valentine, I Put a Spell On You, and A Night in Tunisia. Inspired by the late great Nat King Cole, Antoine released Nature Boy, complete with favorites by the legend in 2015.
His future is bright! Not even COVID can hold him back. Antoine’s fans have anticipated his latest and most personal release – L – after his middle name, Lamont. Singing original music self-authored and composed, you can expect evolution as Antoine has grown both musically and personally.
