Why do people decide to go into acting or theater, working in the background? Who are these people who are so inspired by the theater? Will this continue to be a career or a beautiful diversion in life?
Actors and theater personnel are people from all walks of life with different goals which may not have anything to do with the theater. Acting can be life altering and enriching, as well as a lot of fun.
You stand in front of an audience and start to speak, your demeanor and character change as you take on your role in any production.
While interviewing a few of the people who are performing in Wiley and the Hairy Man, a play performed by shadow puppets, it was enlightening to see that the crew are from different backgrounds with different goals but all with the same love of the theater.
Katrina DiFonzo is a very colorful and dynamic personality has shown with A Christmas Carol what a great job she does on productions at the theater with Dan Stone, director and educator.
DiFonzo took a stage management class when she enrolled here at LBCC and said she "developed a love for the theater." Keeping track of the time, action, and people in Wiley and the Hairy Man, Difonzo makes sure the actors and helpers are on time, in the right places, and following the director's instructions.
"I just love art of all forms and want to be a part of it in any way. Art is in my blood and bones," said Difonzo.
Later, DiFonzo will be transferring to Portland State University to continue her major in theater with a minor in fine arts for tattooing.
Tinamarie Ivey, technical director, says she knew she wanted "to be an artist in grade school, specifically an actress." Ivey said "my parents encouraged extra activities to keep her busy, so she made up plays to be performed by children in her neighborhood."
Actors and theater personnel are people from all walks of life with different goals which may not have anything to do with the theater. Acting can be life altering and enriching, as well as a lot of fun.
You stand in front of an audience and start to speak, your demeanor and character change as you take on your role in any production.
While interviewing a few of the people who are performing in Wiley and the Hairy Man, a play performed by shadow puppets, it was enlightening to see that the crew are from different backgrounds with different goals but all with the same love of the theater.
Katrina DiFonzo is a very colorful and dynamic personality has shown with A Christmas Carol what a great job she does on productions at the theater with Dan Stone, director and educator.
DiFonzo took a stage management class when she enrolled here at LBCC and said she "developed a love for the theater." Keeping track of the time, action, and people in Wiley and the Hairy Man, Difonzo makes sure the actors and helpers are on time, in the right places, and following the director's instructions.
"I just love art of all forms and want to be a part of it in any way. Art is in my blood and bones," said Difonzo.
Later, DiFonzo will be transferring to Portland State University to continue her major in theater with a minor in fine arts for tattooing.
Tinamarie Ivey, technical director, says she knew she wanted "to be an artist in grade school, specifically an actress." Ivey said "my parents encouraged extra activities to keep her busy, so she made up plays to be performed by children in her neighborhood."
In Wiley and The Hairy Man, Ivey is the technical director. Sitting at a round table , Ivey instructs all the actors who are doing the voices for the puppets and teaches how to bring the characters alive, use their voices to project the desired effect , and what voice qualities are needed to make the right impression on the audience and the puppet performers.
Most of the speaking actors were not aware of the power of their voices and really needed her direction to do such a great job. Throughout the play rehearshals and during the actual play, Ivey continued to give the needed advice to make the character interact to make the whole play a seamless interaction between the puppet and the voice so that they appear as one character.
One of Ivey's favorite performances was in South Pacific in the Riverside Civic Opera at Riverside Community College. From her bio, I gleaned the following information. “As a performer, she has appeared in numerous venues with favorite roles including: Claire in Fuddy Meers, Sextuplets in Wonder of the World, Mrs. Bramson in Night Must Fall, Mommy in American Dream, Pantalone in A Christmas Commedia, Claire in Rumors, Woman in Rockaby, Polly in Three Penny Opera, Rizzo in Grease and the role of Nellie in the production of South Pacific with the Riverside Civic Light Opera.”
Most of the speaking actors were not aware of the power of their voices and really needed her direction to do such a great job. Throughout the play rehearshals and during the actual play, Ivey continued to give the needed advice to make the character interact to make the whole play a seamless interaction between the puppet and the voice so that they appear as one character.
One of Ivey's favorite performances was in South Pacific in the Riverside Civic Opera at Riverside Community College. From her bio, I gleaned the following information. “As a performer, she has appeared in numerous venues with favorite roles including: Claire in Fuddy Meers, Sextuplets in Wonder of the World, Mrs. Bramson in Night Must Fall, Mommy in American Dream, Pantalone in A Christmas Commedia, Claire in Rumors, Woman in Rockaby, Polly in Three Penny Opera, Rizzo in Grease and the role of Nellie in the production of South Pacific with the Riverside Civic Light Opera.”
And, let’s not forget, Laura Blackwell, a veteran actress who has a repertoire that makes amateurs blush. Blackwell, a fun-loving, positive woman, helps out whenever she can in any production she is in, no matter what part she plays. Blackwell's stature and presence, around 5 feet, 10 inches and a commanding air, make her a director's dream actress.
From an article written by Kay M. Roth in the Commuter, we discover that Laura “has appeared in The Producers, Alice in Wonderland, Steel Magnolias and as Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. Blackwell also played four roles in “Nick Tickle,” last year’s children’s show at Linn-Benton.“
From an article written by Kay M. Roth in the Commuter, we discover that Laura “has appeared in The Producers, Alice in Wonderland, Steel Magnolias and as Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. Blackwell also played four roles in “Nick Tickle,” last year’s children’s show at Linn-Benton.“
Most recently, Blackwell performed magnificently as female Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, which really showed off her talents. Blackwell plays a shadow puppet in Wiley and the Hairy Man and is auditioning for parts as far away as San Francisco on her way to Broadway.
Kassandra Morris, a returning player, is not aspiring actress but has always viewed "acting as an escape from life." Morris played a superb Mrs. Cratchit and a chorus member in A Christmas Carol last term and said, "acting and performing allows me to be creative. I love sharing that with people from all different backgrounds."
As a part of the chorus in Wiley and the Hairy Man, Morris stated that the chorus keeps the audience apprised of the action and meter of the play. Although she will be pursuing a degree in Law and a minor in Spanish, Morris plans to continue "working in the theater in some form."
As a part of the chorus in Wiley and the Hairy Man, Morris stated that the chorus keeps the audience apprised of the action and meter of the play. Although she will be pursuing a degree in Law and a minor in Spanish, Morris plans to continue "working in the theater in some form."
At A Glance:
Wiley and the Hairy Man, a puppet show about the battle between Wiley, the son of Mammy, a conjurer woman, and the Hairy Man who thinks he "is the best conjurer in the whole southwest County" (from Wiley and the Hairy Man script), will be performed February 18th and 25th at 2 P. M. for public viewing in Takena Hall at the Russell Tripp Theater.
Wiley and the Hairy Man, a puppet show about the battle between Wiley, the son of Mammy, a conjurer woman, and the Hairy Man who thinks he "is the best conjurer in the whole southwest County" (from Wiley and the Hairy Man script), will be performed February 18th and 25th at 2 P. M. for public viewing in Takena Hall at the Russell Tripp Theater.
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