My Life in Theatre

By Ike Fortner

When I was six months old, I had my first theatrical performance. I played the character, baby Igor, in Neil Simon’s comedy, FOOLS. My only job was to refrain from crying and hold still. I don’t know what was going on in my infantile brain at the moment I was first carried on to the stage; I can only imagine it was amazement. Looking at the lights, the audience, the other actors, I must have liked it. It must have ignited a spark that shot through me, and laid the foundation for a life in theatre.

About three and a half years later I was active in my mother’s children’s theatre program. The plays and musicals I did were simplistic with characters that ranged from a hungry soldier in Stone Soup to Papa Rabbit in Gruff. As time went on I began to develop skills like understanding basic blocking, diction, simple choreography, and how to work with others. This knowledge stuck with me and fanned the small spark that smoldered in my heart as I grew to love theatre.

As the years passed, I continued to study theatre. A turning point came while portraying the odd character of “Buck Board” in the melodrama, Shakespeare Comes to Lily Livered Gulch. Essentially, I was a portraying a crazy man who lived in the woods. This was an incredibly comedic part and I was directed to leap on stage every time I entered, jump off high boxes, howl and chase a bunch of girls, while begging for a kiss. This may sound like fun, but there was one problem. Playing Buck Board took amazing courage which was something that I struggled with. At the age of fourteen I felt awkward and uncertain about my place in the world. I had developed a shyness in life and on the stage. Being shy would not be acceptable for this part. So I knew I had to abandon my fears and bust out of my shell, or give up this role. With my passion and love for theatre, I decided to go for it. I leaped and howled and dashed around till they told me to stop. It felt so good. The experience empowered me and allowed me to get past my feelings of insecurity. This breakthrough demonstrates the value of live theatre and how it can change lives both for the actor and the audience.

Acting provides a way to touch the heart as you explore the human condition. As Nick Enright said, “I think acting is revealing to people what it means to be human.” A romantic comedy or a dark drama can draw an the audience into the world of the play, and by so doing, alter their perspective. The ability to transform someone’s view and perhaps change lives, has amazing potential, and I want to be a part of that process.

From the tiny spark that ignited in me when I was six months old, to playing Valentine in Tom Stoppard’s, Arcadia for my high school, acting has given me the freedom and confidence to be who I am today. I believe in the power of theatre and want to share it with all those who need to step away from their life, if only for an hour or two.