Student Actors Grow, Learn, Perform as a Team

tcrow@taylorisd.org 

While most theater students at Taylor High School have taken theater classes since seventh grade, some say their love of acting came as a total surprise. Now with several productions behind them, several say they plan to pursue acting as a career after high school.

 “I took this class by accident,” said Caleb Nunamaker. “I didn’t get to finish making my schedule, and I never remembered to fix it. So, they put me in theater because you need an art credit to graduate. I got convinced to do the fall show, and from then on I was stuck. Now I’ve changed my entire career pathway to theater.”

Viannah Gomes began her theater experience in another district. “I was supposed to be in another class, but there were too many in that class so they stuck me in theater. I fell in love with it and now it’s my career.” Aiming high, she added, “I plan to win an Academy Award.”

The young thespians are currently working with their teacher, Liam Boyer, to make sure audiences enjoy outstanding performances of their fall production, Antigone.

“We rehearse three days a week for about 2 hours,” said Chase Luna. “We’re working on blocking, and before that was line memorization.”

“The main thing is to make sure everyone is focused and energized by doing warm-ups,” said Tracey Lucas. “We have to know that if one person messes up then it could ruin a few things.”

Even with a lot of hard work and dedication during the early stages of a production, students say the first run through is far from perfect.

“The first time it’s not so good,” said Latavia Anderson. “You’re so focused on making sure you don’t mess up that you actually do mess up because your so stressed and over thinking everything because you want it to be perfect. But that first run is not pretty.”

“We’re perfecting the show, perfecting the lines, but throughout it all you have to perfect your character,” said Gomes. “Everyone has a different character, and what makes the show is their lives in the story. You’re in their actual world.”

Although the entry into theater was unplanned for a few of them, they have all become extremely dedicated to the program and to each other, including their teacher.

“I think we all stayed because when you have a teacher who is passionate about what they do, and love what they do, you actually learn more and you grow more,” said Anderson.

“It really feels like family,” said Luna. “I’m really attached to them. It’s a fun time whenever I hang out with them.”

While they are all extremely focused on their current production, several are also looking toward future goals.  

“It’s always been my dream job,” said Luna. “At the age of five I really liked attention. I liked when people looked at me, I liked when I made people smile. I plan to make a career of this, but I don’t plan on being one of those actors that think they’re all that. I want a normal house and a normal car. I want to own a Prius.”

“I know that in the future I want to do something in theater,” said Makayla McGlon. “I think I want to go into directing plays.”

In order to grow as actors, students chose the current play because it is different from the comedies they performed in the past.

“If you focus on one genre for all you acting, then you’re not exploring opportunities for different type roles,” said Gomes.

“I’m a man of comedies,” said Luna. “I love comedies. But when I read Antigone my whole point of view changed. It was so interesting. When I read it, I could see all the different scenes happening.”

Antigone will be performed in the Main Street Event Center auditorium on November 11^th at 7:30pm, and November 12^th at 4:30pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

The community is encouraged to follow the Taylor High School Theater Department on Facebook.