Meet Sydney Holliday, an actor and freshman studying theater, media and communications

With the current theater world on hold, I have created a Spotlight series on Broadway World Los Angeles that features interviews with some of the many talented artists who make our theater community so exciting and vibrant thanks to their continued contribution to keeping the Arts alive. in the City of Angels. And like so many others right now, how are they coping with the sudden cessation of the productions in which they were involved?

This Spotlight shines on Sydney Holliday, a student I first met as a student at Mira Costa High School when she starred in the Kentwood Players productions of The invalid imagination, The crucible, and 12 angry women. Here’s his take on how the closure affected his arts education as a freshman at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Shari Barrett (SB): What would you like readers to know about your theatrical journey?

Sydney Holliday (Sydney): Hi all! I am a freshman studying theater and media and communications at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Last year I was in two unique acts (one being The long Christmas dinner) and joined a sketch and improvisation group, Damsels In Excess, in Muhlenberg. I’m from Manhattan Beach and I’ve been playing since the age of five. I started with plays in school, then moved on to community theater in high school. I was in three productions with Kentwood players, including The invalid imagination, The crucible, and 12 angry women. I also started playing with the Phantom Projects Group and I was in their production of The foreigners. At Mira Costa High School, I was in The sleepy chaperone and won 2nd place at the Fullerton College High School Theater Festival.

(SB): In which production (s) were you involved when the news came out, you needed to postpone or cancel the show immediately?

(Sydney): Muhlenberg had a lot of productions in the works, like a Fringe festival and a Greek tragedy to name a few. I was starting to direct a one-act play, The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, which would have been carried out in April.

(SB): How was the judgment communicated to the distribution and production team?

(Sydney): As the media coordinator for the Muhlenberg Theater Association, I was responsible for creating promotional videos for three of our student-led productions and I was rehearsing them to get videos and photos. In the middle of our technical rehearsal, we received an email from the president of the school saying that we should leave campus for at least a month and go to the online courses. It was as if time had stopped; then suddenly a loud conversation broke out inside and outside the theater. In less than two hours, the Department of Theater and Dance organized immediate performances for two of the productions. Regarding my unique act, I share with my cast my point of view on the situation and the potential means for us to perform a staged reading of the program.

(SB): Are there plans in place to present this production at a later date? What happens if you can’t go back to college to finish the semester?

(Sydney): With the big announcement on Tuesday, the department played the two productions on Thursday with a show right after the other. I was responsible for filming all the programs directed by students, who have succeeded one another. Then, The Bacchantes had their unique performance right after. The show was scheduled to open on March 27, but they were able to put it on three weeks earlier. We also asked an older person to organize a showcase for other shorter performances, such as shows at the Fringe Festival and acapella shows. Excess ladies was able to perform two improv games and a sketch, which was our first and last performance of the semester.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to put The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet on the scene. With the inevitably busy schedule of my second year and more intense theater classes, I won’t have time to devote myself to production next semester. It’s devastating to even have to say it, but I know I wouldn’t be able to delve into the process of developing a show due to the weighting down by other extracurriculars.

(SB): What future productions in your program are also affected by the shutdown?

(Sydney): I was thrilled to come back to Los Angeles and audition for shows across the county and prepared monologues and audition songs for at least two auditions. But they were postponed. I hope to audition for shows with groups I have played with before, and maybe find films by students who organize auditions. If I don’t act in shows, I will look for jobs as stage assistant or sound design, since they are always open and shows are in progress.

(SB): How do you keep the arts alive at home using social media or other online sites?

(Sydney): Since I have to watch a movie per week for my film analysis class, I have been trying to watch movies that have been on my watch list for some time now. I am also outside of two acting lessons and can meet them online at least four times a week.

On campus, I was part of a club called Magical Memories and we visited elementary schools and health centers as characters. Now the club is trying to make health videos for schools to send to their students, so I have dressed up as Captain Marvel, Anna de Frozen and Ariel for these. I have also started to learn more about photography and I hope to have fun photo sessions very soon. Finally, I host a radio show in Muhlenberg during the school year and I am always looking for and listening to soundtracks for interesting films.

I think that “the Arts” can extend even further than what we usually consider as stereotypical artistic activities. For example, I want to know more about interior decorating and cake decorating while I take social distances!

(SB): What thoughts would you like to share with the rest of the L.A. theater community as we all leave Ghostlight and promise to return to the stage soon?

(Sydney): I am delighted to immerse myself in the theater once we are able to do it! It’s sad to come back to Los Angeles and see no shows going on. I know I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that I am looking forward to being part of a show and I hope the time will come very soon. And I can’t wait to see what some people were working on before the shutdown.

And to anyone who needs someone to listen to a rant or for, I’m always there for you! So look for me on social media sites. And know that you are not alone during this wacky period. For all high school seniors, I understand how difficult it is to choose where to go when you cannot visit college. Let me know if you have any questions, not only about Muhlenberg, but about everything related to this process since I myself experienced it not so long ago. I have a unique perspective because not only am I an actress, I am also a tour guide and I know the admissions process far too well.

Good health and good humor to all and see you soon !!

Kentwood players production photos by Shari Barrett

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