How long have you been acting?
I started acting last semester, when I auditioned for the plays being produced here. I only recently got into it because I had taken a class last year called “Acting for Non-Majors”.
Why did you decide to join theatre?
Theatre has always been an interest of mine, but never a hobby. I guess one of the biggest influences in me starting to audition for plays was just deciding that I wanted to get out there and experience life more, and acting was something I’d always wanted to try but never did. So I tried it.
How many performances have you been in?
Only two. My first role was Alec Bradley in Colder Than Here, a british play. My role was smaller, but I had a ton of fun seeing the cast’s work come to fruition, so I auditioned the following semester and got the part of Vershinin in Chekhov’s Three Sisters, which was a substantially larger role.
What has been your favorite performance/role?
Out of the two roles I have played, I have to say Vershinin was much more fun, just because of the depth of emotion I got to portray was much more fun to play with. It’s always fun to try new things, and with Vershinin, each night was a different reaction.
What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?
Well, opening night of Three Sisters, I started saying my first real monologue that introduced my character. I had said the line too many times to count over the last two months, but for some reason right at the very end, I completely blanked, and instead of trying to cover it, I just stood there and looked right at one of the other actors with a stupid little half smile. Luckily they caught on I had a brain fart and went with the next line, but I was kicking myself after flubbing a line on opening night. The rest of the play went fine though.
Any advice for aspiring stars?
I would hardly say I am qualified to hand out advice on acting, I’ve only just started. But I guess I would say to those that have thought about doing theatre and just never got around to it that the first step is the hardest: auditioning. Once you get that over, and get the ball rolling, it’s easy, but overcoming that initial fear of embarrassment is key. Everybody looks like a fool sometimes, and it’s easy to laugh at yourself once it’s done.