Students from Northern Essex Community College theater program recently went to the Kennedy Center American Theater Festival that took place on Jan. 31 through Feb. 4 in Hyannis, where they won awards for acting and their production of “Lighten Up.”
Brianne Beatrice has been a theater professor at NECC for 14 years. She began doing theater when she was a child.
Beatrice and her students recently went to the festival, where students performed a scene from “Lighten Up” and was awarded one of the top 10 productions in the region.
“…we took a selection, a scene from the production starring Olivia Barberian, Gwynnethe Glickman, and Jessica Newey performed the scene for a 300 person audience,” said Beatrice.
Students Gwynnethe Glickman and Mirrorajah Metcalfe also competed in the Irene Ryan acting scholarship competition where they were awarded third place.
A reception was held on Wednesday February 15th at 11am to 12pm in the theater in the Spurk building on the Haverhill campus.
This was the 10th year that Beatrice presented her Master Meisner Acting Workshop, which was presented to over 200 students. According to the Nashville Film Institute, this acting technique is meant to allow actors to rely on emotions and fellow
actors throughout a scene leaving only the character on stage.
Students who are interested in getting involved in theater are recommended by Beatrice to email her bbeatrice@necc.mass.ed.
“I will also be offering summer theater this summer so the best way is to reach out to me and to join the classes and that’s how students sort of begin their theatrical career at NECC” said Beatrice. If students are interested in theater they are encouraged by Beatrice to, “Come, I’m super friendly. It’s a very fun, very warm environment. It’s such a nice way to express yourself and to concentrate on feelings of self-worth and expression, and I think it also it helps increase confidence building skills”
Olivia Barberian, a Liberal Arts major from Manchester, New Hampshire says, “My favorite part has to be the community of people you see come together to share and create art, tell stories, and influence people in positive ways. As a performer here, I
feel included, safe, and encouraged to do my best work. Brianne has done an amazing job making sure our theater is a fun open space to explore and shine with everyone who wants to be a part of it.”
Jessica Newey, an NECC student from Burlington, Massachusetts who graduated with an associates degree in ASL and earned a certificate for the Interpreter Training Program who is currently taking acting classes says, “The theater department at NECC is very supportive and we learn how to be professionals, we aren’t just putting on educational
theater.”
Writing Major Mirrorajah Metcalfe from Haverhill, says, “Working with Professor Brianne has been a true gift; she really knows what she’s talking about. As well as having a safe environment created by the Liberal Arts department and
supportive community in which we can all express our art–that’s been the best part.”
The next performance scheduled is a play called Hurricane Diane by Madeleine George. It will be performed outside and it will be on April 27th and 28th at 4pm and on April 29th. and 30th at 2pm.
