This week’s celebrity is rising star Rebekah Lowin! If you’ve ever been to a show on campus (Varsity Show, anyone?), chances are she’s been in it. This actress is multi-talented and very busy, so read on to find out what else she does and where you can see her perform!
What are you involved with on campus?
I’m into the creative side of things here at CU – musicals, a cappella, photography, writing. I’m a proud member and soloist in Nonsequitur, Columbia’s co-ed a cappella group, and I’ve performed in The 117th and 118th Annual Varsity Shows, and as Hope in the 2010 production of Urinetown. This weekend, I’ll be performing as the happy hippie Crissy in CMTS’ production of Hair. I’m also the Editor-in-Chief of Halcyon, the undergraduate photography magazine.
Which activities do you do outside of school?
I’m pretty lucky to have all this wonderful stuff going on in my life at the moment, and I’m trying to make the most of every creative opportunity I’ve been given, but it all makes for a busy schedule! So I’m trying to slow down and use my free time to look around this beautiful city and spend time with interesting people. I try to go out into the city a lot and see as many musicals and plays and dance performances as I can. And I’m a Creative Writing major, so I spend a lot of my free time just writing and rewriting and reading.
How did you get involved in singing?
My mother was a Broadway actress, and my grandmother was a professor of operatic voice. Growing up near New York City allowed me to see a lot of great shows and get into the musical theatre scene. What’s funny is that the very production that changed my whole outlook on the musical scene was the 2009 revival production of Hair on Broadway. I remember connecting immediately with the show’s message, and deciding that what I’d just seen on stage was the truest thing on the planet. It was inspiring, and somehow that inspiration granted me a ton of confidence. I joined my high school’s varsity dance troupe shortly after that and began auditioning for school musicals in my junior year. I suppose the rest is happy history!
What is the most rewarding part about Hair?
The fact that the cast really believes in this show’s message of acceptance. Rehearsals just feel really safe and welcoming. And the audience’s reaction will (fingers crossed!) be rewarding, too. They’ll think, oh, this is just a show about hippies, it’s sort of silly. But they really can’t not be touched by this show. They’ll walk away from the theatre with a totally elevated spirit.
If you had an eighth day of the week, what would you use it for?
I’d use it, honestly, to find a bit of peace and quiet…somehow. I’m surrounded by music constantly, which is a blessing, but it’s also hard to just reach beneath the layers of noise and find some quiet calmness. On an eighth day, with nothing to do, I’d probably take a train out of the city for a day and go sit by some trees and breathe.
What’s your power outfit?
Cheery outfits, nothing drab or tired-looking. It’s nice to be wearing something that allows for impulsive creativity of any sort. Especially dancing. Given the number of rehearsals I’m in each day…wildly dancing around the room is a daily, unavoidable occurrence. So I wear a lot of dresses because those are the most fun to dance in, and I do love feminine clothing.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I’ll be writing professionally, I hope, and singing in some capacity, just for fun. Maybe I’ll still be in school after a short break, getting my MFA in Creative Writing.
Who’s your childhood hero?
I used to love reading the books in the Betsy-Tacy series when I was a kid. Betsy was an aspiring writer, and she’d climb up into trees to write in the branches. After I read the books, I’d climb into the trees in my backyard to write stories. Betsy also had this long-lost-but-newly-found actor uncle and spent much of her time in the theatre watching him perform. That definitely is at least a little bit responsible for sparking my interest in the setting of the theatre. Plus, Betsy was very cute in the cartoon illustrations. I’ve spent much of my life trying to emulate this fictional girl, honestly. She was just the best!
To see Rebekah in HAIR this Thursday, Friday and Sunday, you can find more information about the show and buy tickets here.