Arts & Entertainment
Whiz Kid: Newton South Student Stars in Unique Performance
This week's Whiz Kid is learning puppeteering and acting skills at the Boston Children's Theatre's production of The Velveteen Rabbit.
Name: Alex Levy
Age: 16
School:
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Accomplishment: Alex is playing the character Timothy the Wooden Lion in the Boston Children’s Theatre production of The Velveteen Rabbit. He operates a toy wooden lion puppet, so you won’t see him on stage. All of the actors have had to memorize their lines and learn extensive blocking for this unique production. Performances run from December 3-18 at the Boston Center for the Arts.
Key to Awesomeness: Alex loves acting—he also participated in Boston Children’s Theatre (BCT) this past summer in the production of Little Women.
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Alex says he was “amazed not only by the talent and drive of every single member of the cast, but at how I was able to learn so much by being immersed in a group of some of the most talented kids and knowledgeable teachers and directors. I knew I had to come back and audition for their main stage shows, and I am so lucky to be back and working with BCT.”
“One of the biggest things I have learned from this process is so much more goes into puppeteering than is expected. It is a true art form that is not often acknowledged," Alex adds. "So much goes into animating a puppet, and making an audience believe it has a mind of it's own. By using these puppets, I have also truly learned about the power of your voice in acting. Because our bodies are not on stage, we are left only with our voice and our imagination to breathe life into these characters. Using puppets allows you to think outside of the box when it comes to getting something across to an audience or scene partner."
Nomination information provided by Julie Arvedon.
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