Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. It is outstanding actors like those found at Trinity who truly make the most of their time. They go above and beyond to participate in the art of theater, setting themselves up for future success in college and beyond.
Acting is not easy work. It begins with a challenging casting process through auditions, which include either a 60-second monologue for the fall drama or a 32-bar song, followed by callbacks. During callbacks, actors read lines or sing songs from different characters and, in the case of a musical, demonstrate their dancing abilities. From there, the theater director determines which actors are the best fit for each role.
Once casting is complete, rehearsals begin. Vance Ortego, a sophomore at Trinity who played Albus Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, shared that for about three weeks before a show opens, actors are often at rehearsal nearly every day from 3 p.m. until almost 8 p.m. Actors dedicate a tremendous amount of time to ensuring not only that a show happens, but that it is as strong as it can possibly be.
Trinity does not take shortcuts. Ortego described the Trinity Department of Theatre Arts (DOTA) as “very much run like a professional company.” The department prides itself on being tight-knit and quick-paced, with a level of time commitment comparable to professional theater productions. While technicians are not required to work as many hours as actors, they are still held to strict schedules and deadlines, working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and until 6 p.m. every Wednesday.
Beyond DOTA, Trinity students have access to additional theater opportunities throughout Louisville. Professional and community theater companies often cast high school actors. StageOne Theatre offers the StageOne Academy and Walden Conservatory programs, which provide valuable educational opportunities for young performers. Actors Theatre of Louisville also offers its LACE (Learning and Creative Engagement) programs, all of which are designed to help aspiring actors grow and develop their craft.
Professional theater provides more than educational opportunities. Several productions around Louisville also cast high school actors. One current example is Spring Awakening, produced by Bunbury Theatre, which stars Trinity students Everan McCartan, Will Dietzel and Ortego. Dietzel, a senior who played Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, noted that it is “one of the few all-teenager shows they’re doing.”
Participation in outside productions helps students build stronger résumés and demonstrate to colleges a willingness to go above and beyond in theater. Ortego said he initially joined these programs as a “résumé builder,” but ended up meeting students from YPAS and other Louisville schools, calling it a very valuable experience. Dietzel added that these opportunities showcase versatility and the ability to work in different environments with different companies.
For students interested in STEM, technical theater roles also provide invaluable experience, demonstrating teamwork and problem-solving skills in a project-based environment.
Theater can also cultivate leadership skills. Design and stage management roles are challenging but rewarding, helping students discover what truly resonates with them. For Dietzel, his leadership roles in Newsies and while coaching his sister’s basketball team helped him realize how much he enjoys working with kids and the impact he can have on them. His experiences at Trinity and within the Department of Theatre Arts were so influential that he hopes to return one day as an English teacher.
“I’ve had such a great experience with the teachers I have here,” Dietzel said. “I want to reciprocate that.”
