YOUR ACTOR

Name: Olivia Humpage.

Hometown: Nelson.

Job: Full-time Student.

Which theatre company are you involved with?:

ReAct Academy of Theatre Arts.

Are you taking part in any productions at the moment?:

Yes, West Side Story.

Who is your character in West Side Story?:

I am playing Maria.

How long have you been with ReAct Academy of Theatre Arts?:

This is my third production with them. Last year I played Cosette in our awardwinning production of Les Misérables and I played Jovie in Elf - The Musical.

What do you like/dislike about the character you are currently playing?:

Playing Maria is like a dream, she’s such a wonderful and strong character, you see her grow from this young girl into this beautiful woman and her story is so fascinating. She has so many highs and lows in such a short amount of time from falling in love to hearing that her brother has been killed by the man she loves to then planning to run away with him and then him being murdered; it is a true Romeo and Juliet story.

What do you most enjoy?:

The show itself is so incredible with an amazing storyline, it has so many strong characters that it’s hard not to love the show. The songs are all amazing and ‘difficult’, but what I most enjoy is the cast we have, everyone puts 110% in to each rehearsal and everyone is like a family, it’s such a fun experience to be part of a theatre group where everyone supports each other

Have you been in any other productions?:

I was in Les Misérables and also Elf - The Musical with ReAct; both were very hard to pull off and West Side Story is no exception but as with the other productions everyone is trying their hardest and this show will definitely live up the expectations of the public who come to watch ReActs’ shows.

Who is your character in the show and why?:

My favourite character is Baby John, he is the youngest of the Jets and I find it hilarious how much he tries to fit in despite his age, but as the show progresses you see him suddenly have to grow up.

If you could play any part what would it be and why?:

I’m very happy with my part. I love Maria and it has been a dream of mine to play her from a young age, but I would also like to play Anita as she is such a strong character as she has to deal with the death of her boyfriend and then had to accept the fact that Maria wants to stay with the person who murdered him. Also the song America is absolutely phenomenal!

What do you most enjoy about doing this?:

As I play Maria most of my memories are with Jack Huckin who plays Tony, and we have the best of time – it’s so much fun. It’s not hard to play against him at all as we have such a close friendship that has blasted over just a couple of months.

Any memorable/funny moments or highlights from this?:

One of my fondest memories is when we were setting the wedding scene in the bridal shop and we will have dummies on stage to but the dresses and suits on, but for the rehearsal we had to use real cast members and it was just hilarious moving them around, by the end we were all crying with laughter. ReAct Academy of Theatre Arts proudly presents West Side Story, with an awardwinning cast and creative team, accompanied by a 15-piece orchestra at The Civic Theatre from Wednesday, June 21 – Saturday, June 24. Tickets are available from The Civic Box Office on 01254 398319 or www.civicartscentre.co.uk.