In the Spotlight: Alana Young

Name: Alana Young

Alana Young

Roles:

Taming of the Shrew: Assistant Stage Manager

Young Company: Cleomenes/Dorcas

Why Acting?

I do it because I adore the thrill of feeding off of an audience! I liked playing pretend/acting dramatic for my parents when I was little. I never really grew out of it. Then someone somewhere told me it could someday be considered a skill set. Things have never been the same.

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?

A very very long long time ago I took a sketch comedy class here with Steve Henderson which turned me on to this company. A few years later (now) I got to know some people through my school, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts (PVPA), who were involved with the company and encouraged me to become involved through acting/stage managing. I have been able to do both! I ASMed Shrew and after someone in Young Company dropped out, I jumped on board to fill in two smaller roles!

Do you have a favorite role from any past productions?

Honestly, my favorite role was playing "the Sheep" in a Children's Theatre production of The Gingerbread Girl. I had one line: "Baaaaaaaa". I said it a lot and I even had a song.

Alana in
The Proposal

What is your Favorite Word?

"defenestrate" Derived from the French word for window, "fenetre", this word means: the act of throwing something/someone out a window.

What is your Least Favorite Word?

"birth" It really brings out the awkward...

What sound or noise do you love?

Pop Rocks crackling on my tongue.

What sound or noise do you hate?

My alarm clock.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I would love to be a teacher or a childhood therapist. I get my inspiration from both positive and negative personal experiences.

What profession would you not like to do?

Anything in the judicial system. Mostly an attorney.

What is your earliest memory of theater?

Alana in
Chekhov on the Rocks...
with a Twist

When I was about four I went to go see some cheesy show involving dancing bears. They had planted "audience participants" in the crowd. I didn't catch on to this, so I wholeheartedly ran onstage to be with my beloved dancing bears.

Why is Theatre Necessary?

When a touching theme is presented, it makes people think about what they have witnessed, form individual opinions, and respond in a personal way. This process helps us connect with ourselves, and the world around us.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

I now understanding what people mean when they say his themes are, "timeless". The best insight I have collected from this experience is "people haven't changed, but society has".

What’s next for you?

Right now my theatrical plans look like this: Finish an internship with Paintbox Children's Theatre and co-Stage Manage for a production of "Shiloh Rules. Then the fall I will return to PVPA and write/act in a sketch comedy troupe, "Headgear", play Emily in "Our Town" and return to my school's Mock Trial team. I'm pumped.