Out of the Mouths of...

I have seen young people performing in WFT shows since I was a kid myself. The day I walked onto Wheelock's campus as a prospective student, I had an immediate flash of having come to WFT as a little girl. My grandmother had taken me to see The Sound of Music years before and it was a show I had never forgotten.

Years after that performance of The Sound of Music, as I was myself wrangling the child actors in Aladdin as part of my Human Growth and Development practicum, I still marveled at the way the young performers handled themselves as part of a professional production. Typically, children are not the main characters (with some exceptions, of course) and thus, there is often a lot of down time. Hanging out in the green room, killing time in the wings, sitting under the steps in the lobby, waiting for the second act. Despite this, though, for the most part, these young actors are amazingly professional and I have always wondered what it was about their experience that made it worth it for them. Why, despite the long rehearsals, the waiting, the rigorous auditions, did they love what they did at WFT?

Enter Gamalia! Gamalia Pharms is a longtime actor at WFT and she has worked with zillion of young actors. Her cheerful and approachable demeanor made her the perfect interviewer and so I set her to the task of asking some of the young people in Anne of Green Gables what it was that they loved about WFT. I loved hearing what they had to say. Here are some of their answers (and thanks, Gamalia!)


What is your favorite thing about working at WFT?

• How the cast and crew become a giant family!  Great learning experience!
  Sirena, 15 (Ruby Gillis)
• Working with amazing people, and the experience you get.
  Trey, 14 (Malcolm Andrews)
• All the people are fabulous!  Everyone has been so welcoming and so nice – I feel at home here.  Especially since this is my first show here!
  Bernie, 16 (Gerry Buote)
• The people I get to work with.  The atmosphere is very welcoming.  Every show I do here is better than the last!
  Emily, 14 (Molly Spencer)
• Getting to know new people, and the theater team is really good at what they do!
  Joseph, 12 (Moody MacPherson)
• It’s insanely professional – the directing, choreography, sets, everyone is so good at what they do. Plus, it’s fun to see a show come together.   I enjoy the new experiences!
  Ryan, 14 (Tommy Sloane)
• Making many friends!  The shows are very good, the acting, sets…
  Cassie, 13 (Swing)
• People are welcoming and friendly – fun to be around!
  Tory, 12 (Tillie Boulter)

Why should kids get to act in professional theater?

• It provides a lot of different skills you can use in real life and career, and surround you with brilliant people who know what they are doing.
  Sirena, 15 (Ruby Gillis)
• It’s a great opportunity to learn a lot about theater.  Exposure.  Helps you grow as an actor.
  Trey, 14 (Malcolm Andrews)
• If you want to pursue this as a career, this gives you exposure to what theater in “real life” is like.
  Bernie, 16 (Gerry Buote)
• Experience for the future, if they do plan to go into it professionally.  It helps them be better prepared.
  Emily, 14 (Molly Spencer)
• It opens up a new door into seeing what fun can come from this!
  Joseph, 12 (Moody MacPherson)
• It opens them up to a career path – to a new world if they want to work in professional theater.
  Ryan, 14 (Tommy Sloane)
• Experience.
  Cassie, 13 (Swing)
• You get to work with adults that are used to it – they are role models!
  Tory, 12 (Tillie Boulter)