building an actor
A behind the scenes look into the lives of northview's greatest
By: Kristen hArriott
Most know drama as an art form; the movement of the body and the use of voice to produce a form of persuasiveness to capture audiences, whether on stage or behind the camera. Unlike the other art forms, drama requires more than the involvement of a good eye, talent hands, and a distinct voice, rather all three aspects plus the ability to improvise on the drop of a pin and sharp memory. At Northview, the drama department practices and rehearses these factors everyday in order to perfect the plays shown in our theater. Though involving only a minority of the student body, all actors within the department put their heart into making the production its best through their acting, affecting not only their lives in school, but their lives outside of school as well.
Mrs. Lake is a drama and language arts teacher at Northview high school who is heavily involved in the creation and production of almost all of the plays presented at Northview. In light of the recent play, "The Addams Family", I got the opportunity to talk with her and learn about a new perspective to drama, beyond the airing of the final production. Along with her response, four student actors, who are familiar faces on stage to our school, were able to tell me about their own experiences with drama with how they got on stage and how they plan to never look back.
Mrs. Lake is a drama and language arts teacher at Northview high school who is heavily involved in the creation and production of almost all of the plays presented at Northview. In light of the recent play, "The Addams Family", I got the opportunity to talk with her and learn about a new perspective to drama, beyond the airing of the final production. Along with her response, four student actors, who are familiar faces on stage to our school, were able to tell me about their own experiences with drama with how they got on stage and how they plan to never look back.
MRS. Elizabeth lake:
Drama Teacher
Do you have a background in acting? If so, what was your most memorable play and why?
Yes, I started acting when I was 7 years old and studied Drama at UGA. My most memorable show as an actor was Twelfth Night; I played Olivia in that my senior year in college, and it was a special memory because it was my last performance on the mainstage at UGA.
What has acting taught you as a person/ how has it changed you?
I started acting when I was very young, so it has pretty much always been part of who I am as a person. It has been instrumental in my understanding of the human condition for as long as I can remember.
What inspired you to start teaching drama?
My drama teacher when I moved to Georgia, Kira Griffiths Willis, was a phenomenal teacher. I wanted to be just like her. I knew I wanted to teach drama when I was a senior in high school.
As a drama teacher, what do you try to convey to new actors who wish to be as successful as actors the school commonly sees in the plays?
Everyone grows from experience! We love to see new people at auditions. Taking classes and working on shows are the best ways to improve as a performer.
Do you believe it's important to be somewhat extroverted to become a thespian? If so, how do you try to break the shy shells of new actors in Acting I?
It’s not necessary to be an extrovert. The best actors are smart people who are skilled observers of the world around them, so many of the best actors are not as outgoing. In Acting I, we do a lot of exercises to work with the confidence of new performers.
What do you love most about being a drama teacher? Hate?
I love seeing performers grow over the years and improve their skills. It’s such a joy to see actors grow in their craft over the course of time. I don’t know that I’d say I “hate” anything, but it’s sad to see performers stall in their growth through unwillingness to take notes, and it’s sad to see friendships between performers negatively impacted by competition.
It's commonly forgotten that a lot more work goes into the making of a play behind the curtain than from what the audience sees. What are some factors that aren't experienced/ shown in the final production?
I think people often don’t realize the process behind putting a play together. From the producers selecting the play to the audition process to rehearsals to the integration of technical elements, regardless of the length of time that a rehearsal process can take, a lot more goes into a show than just showing up on opening night.
Do you think theatre is valued equally as other popular art forms, such as drawing?
Different people value different things. It would be difficult to generalize any art form as being “valued” across the board. Theatre is definitely a valued art form in terms of being a living art form still produced in major cities across the world. Specifically in Atlanta, theatre continues to grow and be produced at a light level.
What are your top three favorite films? Plays?
My favorite films include: "White Christmas," "The Room," and "Scream," while my favorite plays are "The Lion in Winter," "Noises Off," and "The Nature and Purpose of the Universe."
Yes, I started acting when I was 7 years old and studied Drama at UGA. My most memorable show as an actor was Twelfth Night; I played Olivia in that my senior year in college, and it was a special memory because it was my last performance on the mainstage at UGA.
What has acting taught you as a person/ how has it changed you?
I started acting when I was very young, so it has pretty much always been part of who I am as a person. It has been instrumental in my understanding of the human condition for as long as I can remember.
What inspired you to start teaching drama?
My drama teacher when I moved to Georgia, Kira Griffiths Willis, was a phenomenal teacher. I wanted to be just like her. I knew I wanted to teach drama when I was a senior in high school.
As a drama teacher, what do you try to convey to new actors who wish to be as successful as actors the school commonly sees in the plays?
Everyone grows from experience! We love to see new people at auditions. Taking classes and working on shows are the best ways to improve as a performer.
Do you believe it's important to be somewhat extroverted to become a thespian? If so, how do you try to break the shy shells of new actors in Acting I?
It’s not necessary to be an extrovert. The best actors are smart people who are skilled observers of the world around them, so many of the best actors are not as outgoing. In Acting I, we do a lot of exercises to work with the confidence of new performers.
What do you love most about being a drama teacher? Hate?
I love seeing performers grow over the years and improve their skills. It’s such a joy to see actors grow in their craft over the course of time. I don’t know that I’d say I “hate” anything, but it’s sad to see performers stall in their growth through unwillingness to take notes, and it’s sad to see friendships between performers negatively impacted by competition.
It's commonly forgotten that a lot more work goes into the making of a play behind the curtain than from what the audience sees. What are some factors that aren't experienced/ shown in the final production?
I think people often don’t realize the process behind putting a play together. From the producers selecting the play to the audition process to rehearsals to the integration of technical elements, regardless of the length of time that a rehearsal process can take, a lot more goes into a show than just showing up on opening night.
Do you think theatre is valued equally as other popular art forms, such as drawing?
Different people value different things. It would be difficult to generalize any art form as being “valued” across the board. Theatre is definitely a valued art form in terms of being a living art form still produced in major cities across the world. Specifically in Atlanta, theatre continues to grow and be produced at a light level.
What are your top three favorite films? Plays?
My favorite films include: "White Christmas," "The Room," and "Scream," while my favorite plays are "The Lion in Winter," "Noises Off," and "The Nature and Purpose of the Universe."