Anna Romero is co-starring in this week’s comedic Fall production
Photo by Mia Nogueira
After three years of involvement in the TJ drama club, Anna Romero is beefing up her resume with her first ever lead role in a school production. “I can already tell it’s going to be lots of fun. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m really looking forward to it,” said an ecstatic Romero who has already delivered two crowd-pleasing and stellar performances in the TJ production of Noises Off, which can still been seen tonight and tomorrow night at the TJ auditorium at 7:00 p.m.
Passion and talent go hand in hand, and Anna Romero is showing her development as an actress as she performs in the TJ production Noises Off. In the past few years Anna has been a part of some of the greatest plays TJ has had to offer, and this year she is starring as a lead actress.
Anna knows a lot of hard work goes into making these plays, but she still holds fast to that inner child excitement that that makes plays enjoyable for both the audience and the actors. “Acting has always been one of my passions. I’m always having fun doing it so it never feels like work,” Anna exclaimed. “I genuinely love every moment I spend on that stage.”
TJ has produced some critically acclaimed plays in the past, and the actors have consistently delivered some great and memorable performances. Moon Over Buffalo, Rent, and Chicago are some of the most recent productions that have gotten some excellent community attention. There is a rotation of lead actors and actresses every year, so fresh new talent always gets a chance to shine. Now it’s Anna Romero’s turn to step up to the plate, and she seems very excited for this year and is happily composed. “There aren’t really any nerves. I feel like I’m more thrilled than anything,” said Anna.
Anna, who is a theater buff herself, knows a lot about her role and the play. She says, “It’s just as important to understand who your character is as it is to memorize your lines. If there is anything I’m even slightly worried about it’s forgetting my lines, but I feel like I’ll be okay as long as I know the role.”
Anna says she already knows the entire production inside and out, and it’s her genuine interest in everything theater-related that is making her performance that much better. “It’s funny because it’s a farce about a play within a play, that might be kind of hard to understand,” Anna chuckles. “A lot of it follows what goes on behind the scenes and all the madness of backstage and on stage, the two intertwine throughout the plot.” Everything from the plot and the characters to the inner workings of the set is noted in Anna’s head, and she wants her performance to compliment it well. “The set is just awesome this year. We’ve worked really hard and it’s a really complex design that hasn’t been done before!”
“Anna is definitely a strong contributor to the positivity on the set; she genuinely cares about everything that’s involved in making this play a great one,” says Roasmina Garcia. That’s not to say Anna isn’t equally focused on her character. Leading in a play requires actors to be prepared and understand all aspects of their roles; the best performances are the most honest ones, and with Anna acting out the role of Dotty Otlee, fans can expect a genuine performance from her. “I play the role of Dotty Otlee, who is a middle aged forgetful actress, who ironically plays the role of a middle aged dim-witted housekeeper.”
Act one is set at the dress rehearsal for Nothing On (the play that this play is about). Humor ensues right at the start as actors fumble around the set clumsily and struggle to get their lines. Forgetting the script is actually part of the plot of this story, which turns out to be a creative, entertaining concept. The characters are all have their own eccentricities that make it so outrageously entertaining to watch. All the actors in Noises Off are playing the roles of actors in a play called Nothing On. This might sound confusing now, but Anna is sure that audiences will be happily laughing the whole way through.
Anna is motivated by her love of acting and feels like the most rewarding thing is getting the right reaction from the audience. “This year’s play is a comedy, and really my main motivation is just to get on stage and make people laugh,” she says. You can expect great things from Anna and the rest of the cast and crew. Ticket are still available online or at the door. General admission is $5.50 for students and $10.50 for adults.
