The Village of Idiots
I have performed in quite a number of musicals and plays over the last 10 years, in both supporting and leading roles.  At 14 I began private vocal lessons through the Victoria Conservatory of Music, which helped my initial stage fright and also developed my stage presence through monthly recitals. My love for the theatre certainly knows no bounds, and there is nothing I love doing more, than performing onstage. It is here that I present to you a definitive list of the shows themselves, and the roles I played within them. Cheers!
A Child's Christmas In Wales
In the cold month of December, 1991, a seed was planted within me when I decided to join my little local theatre club. The Shawnigan Players, as they were known, were producing a quaint little show that took place in a sleepy, non-descript Welsh town. I was a member of the chorus, and while it wasn't a huge role, it was enough to light the spark within me and my love for the stage was brought to life. Onwards and upwards!
1992 brought to life a rather backwards little Jewish village named Chelm (pronounced "Helm"). The venue had changed for me though, this time I was performing in the music room of my Junior High school, George Bonner. This time I had a slightly more prominent position in the cast, playing the dual role of a Russian soldier, and a totally confused Jew (wearing suspiciously Russian clothing). The play itself takes place in about 1900 Jewish Russia, wherein villagers of Chelm live peacefully, and totally against the basic rule of Common Sense. In one particular scene near the beginning, an outsider named Josef encounters the Village Idiot (a bit of a stretch in THIS play), Schmendrick. Schmendrick is completely encased in coils of rope, and he is walking backwards, pulling the long end of the rope out behind/in front of him. He backs into Josef, which promotes the following dialogue:
Josef: Excuse me, but what is this place?
Schmendrick: Ah...an Outsider! Well, you being an Outsider, you must know my good friend, Gimpel Leckish. How is he doing anyways?
Josef: Uh...what was the name?
Schmendrick: Of who?
Josef: Of, uh.......Gimpel Leckish
Schmendrick: <thinks, and smiles> Never heard of the fellow!
Josef: Um, why are you pulling that rope?
Schmendrick: <walking offstage> And have you ever tried *pushing* one?
That is the very essence of The Village Of Idiots. Looking back on it now, I realize how dreadfully green I was. But 1993 was to make me acknowledge that not only was I green, but that I was MEAN AND GREEN!
When I'm asked what show I most enjoyed, the answer always comes back faster than lightening....Little Shop of Horrors. Despite the fact that I had the lead male role in the following year's production, it was in the spring of 1993 that I found my voice in the theatre: a very deep, shuckin'-an-jivin' Wolfman Jack/Otis Redding voice.
    Little Shop influenced me in a way few shows can. I originally tried to capture the role of Seymour Krelborn, the nerdy florist shop assistant - a lovable dork with a heart full of dreams, but none of the self-confidence to chase them. The character sounded a lot like the way I was back then. I was 14, scrawny, white, and always the one who could never get the girl. Instead, when I auditioned for the role, the director told me "No way!" and I thought I was simply going to be assigned to the back row of the chorus, like I had always been before.
    However, I gave the audition thing one more try, this time against two other guys in the Performing Arts class (which was producing the show), for the role of the Voice of Audrey II, the voracious, blood-thriving mantrap plant that Seymour unwittlingly grows in order to impress his boss and the girl he admires. Now, up to that point, nobody except my parents and my new vocal coach had ever heard me sing before. But something happened to me that day I took hold of the microphone and heard those opening rock'n'roll guitar riffs in the song "Feed Me". I was second up, and knew I wanted this role. I gave it everything I had, and NAILED the role. I blew everyone away, especially the drama director.
    I loved every moment of that show, from the beginning of the first rehearsal to the end of the final show.
   And one last thing I want to say about this show. This may make me sound arrogant, but it's a direct quote from some parent I didn't even know. After the show was finished and I stood up in the orchestra pit, a parent came up to me, shook my hand and said, "Kid, Isaac (the guy who played Seymour) may have been the lead, but you, my boy, were the *star*." I'll never be completely assured that is the truth, but I felt so good hearing that. So good, that I walked into the Performing Arts class the next year a much more confident Fish.