Julia Blanchard as Laura Wingfield in the Saturday night performances of The Glass Menagerie.
Hometown: Twinsburg, Ohio
High School: Twinsburg High School
Year at JCU: Senior
Major: English (Creative Writing Track)
When did you start acting (acting history)? I’ve been acting since I was little, and I was extremely involved in my high school drama club. Some of my favorite roles include Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web, Fairy May in The Curious Savage, Titania in A Midsummer’s Night Dream, and Penny in You Can’t Take it With You.
Have you been in any other JCU productions? My first semester freshman year, I was in the comedy I Hate Hamlet. After that, I got too busy with other commitments to try out for any of the shows, but fortunately I was able to come back at the end of my college career to be in The Glass Menagerie. I also wrote a one-act play that was performed this semester (directed by fellow Campus Celebrity Emily Stolfer!).
How has your experience been with acting at JCU? I’m so happy to have been able to act here. Although I haven’t been a part of the theatre program every semester, I feel very welcomed by the cast, crew, and directors. It’s so much fun to go to rehearsal at night and feel like I’m a part of a family. It’s a great stress-reliever.
What has been your favorite part about working on The Glass Menagerie? The Glass Menagerie is one of my favorite plays, and I’ve loved being able to bring such a beautiful, heart-wrenching show to life. I’m in love with my character, Laura, and it’s been great to delve into her psyche. I’ve also had to learn a Southern accent, which has been an interesting challenge. Overall, though, my favorite part has been getting to work with such wonderful actors. When we’re all working really hard, we all kind of disappear into our characters and the story, which is really cool.
What has been the biggest challenge? The Southern accent. Absolutely. I am not a natural at accents.
What else are you involved in at JCU? I’ve been involved in various campus ministry programs throughout my time here, and I’ve spent the last two years as a Resident Assistant in Sutowski. I also work at the Writing Center.
What will you miss most about JCU? The people. My friends, the teachers (especially in the English department), the Campus Ministry staff, everyone. I love being surrounded by such a supportive and loving community.
What are your post-college aspirations/goals? I plan to do a year of service in the Cleveland area, and then I’d like to eventually get my MFA in Creative Writing. We’ll see what happens!