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Let’s change the messaging we are giving to our young actors! Somewhere along the line, we have taught our youth that having lots and lots of lines is the ultimate sign of importance when participating in a theatrical production. This just isn’t so, and I would love to change that vision of participating in theatre for them. When I was growing up, my favorite director would always remind us of Constantine Stanislavsky’s adage, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” Like everyone else I would roll my eyes and wonder who is getting the lead. What I didn’t understand at the time was that no matter how many lines you have to deliver, an actor on stage is always acting and sometimes more importantly reacting to the action of the scene. Over the twenty years as a theatre educator, I have seen a lot of students who think that their time to act is only when they have a line. They don’t see the time they are standing on stage listen to others as acting moments. I have even had a kid stand when he recited a line then immediately sit on the floor and play with his shoes after the line was over. He viewed the time on stage when he wasn’t speaking “a break.” Helping young actors to understand that acting is equal parts speaking and reacting, should be a goal of youth theatre. Many times, the smaller characters are the ones who help the audience to understand what is going on in the show. The way they react to what other characters say or do, gives the audience information about the action of the scene. For example, in the climactic scene in Beauty and the Beast when Gaston is trying to rally the villagers to go after the Beast, and he says, “The Beast will make off with your children. He’ll come after them in the night! Forget the old man! I say… we kill the Beast.” How the villagers react in that moment can make or break that scene. As a director, I want those villagers to hear what Gaston is saying and be moved to join his attack. It would change the scene greatly if all the villagers who don’t have lines then, simply stood on the stage with little to no emotion or energy. The audience needs the villagers to start getting exciting, full of energy, and physically showing Gaston that they are with him. Gaston will not be as effective storming the Beast’s castle if the villagers are simply passing time on the stage until they have a line. As a youth educator, this year I am going to focus on helping young actors to shift their focus from number of lines to making the most of their time on stage, and acknowledging how much acting can be done on stage even when silent. So, if you want to check on our progress, come see one of our youth shows this spring or summer! “Don’t count scenes or lines. Instead, make your scenes and lines count!” - Kerry Hishon, theatre artist.

The Theatre Lawrence family is deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Louise ImMasche , who was killed in a car accident on Friday, October 24, following a performance of The Rocky Horror Show . Louise was an immensely talented performer who lit up every room and filled the stage with remarkable energy and charisma. They were kind, generous, and caring - making anyone they shared the stage with feel welcomed and accepted for who they are. Louise appeared in many Theatre Lawrence productions, including Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors , Adam/Felicia in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert , Max in Lend Me a Tenor , and Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid . In addition to performing on stage, they appeared in several fundraisers and volunteered at the theatre, including ushering. Louise was particularly proud to have played Hedwig in last year’s production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch , and was currently appearing for the fifth time as Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Show . We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from individuals and organizations across the country. It is often said that theatre is a family, and we have truly felt the embrace of our extended theatre family during this difficult time. Thank you. A celebration of Louise’s life will be held at the theatre on Friday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. "All in attendance are invited to wear something colorful and sparkly." Complete obituary here . On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers of Theatre Lawrence, we extend our deepest condolences to Louise’s husband, Zak, their family, friends, and all who knew and loved them. For those who are unable to attend Louise's Celebration of Life in person, we have created a Zoom link that anyone interested can register for and you will be sent a private link to livestream the event. Here's the registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_og0oMAz5QGyL-l04cXt6Hg