Elon University’s first-year acting majors will perform in a special showcase at 2 and 4 p.m. Nov. 16 to highlight their talent in various pieces. The performance will be held in Yeager Recital Hall in the Center for the Arts.
Each student will perform in a short, two-person scene from shows like Almost Maine and Appearances. The performances are student-directed by upperclassmen, who selected scenes to perform. Every scene was assigned a student director.
One of the benefits of this showcase is it allows first-year students an opportunity to perform during their first semester of college. Casting for full productions is competitive.
“It’s more difficult to be cast in the full productions, so the showcase gives us a chance to be in a performance setting,” said George Whitaker, a first-year acting student who will be performing a scene from Almost Maine with classmate, first-year Christine Lane.
In their first semester, the students are aware of the improvements in their acting. Being in a professional environment where they are challenged as artists has given them confidence as actors.
“Being surrounded and supported by all of your incredibly talented peers and learning from masters has been incredible,” Lane said. “But personally, I’ve come to accept that the work I do will never be perfect. I’ve become much more knowledgeable about what we do, and more fearless.”
The semester has been a learning process for the students. They have grown as actors, artists and individuals. The students meet several times a week to rehearse outside of class, and a unique bond has formed among the members.
First-year acting major Emily Collins remarked that the relationships she has developed have contributed to her growth as an actor.
“I have grown a lot as an artist and as a member of an ensemble. I see myself as one part of a 12-piece puzzle that is continuously growing as a whole,” Collins said. “We work together, we support each other and we inspire each other.”
The students are especially excited to share their work over the semester with the audience because, for most, this is their first performance at Elon. They said their dedication is visible in the show.
“From this performance, I hope the audience sees the passion that we all share for our craft,” said Lane. “I hope they see how much we love what we’re lucky enough to be studying at Elon.”
By challenging themselves with their first showcase, the group has been able to enjoy their accomplishments
“The work we do is never a finished product — you’re constantly growing and learning,” Lane said. “Taking what we do each day in class and bringing it back to the scenes has been difficult, but we’ve learned so much.”