2008 Woodie Awards
Lead actor hopes to reach audience, change people's perception
By Sami Parman
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: Premiere
Originally published: 9/27/07 at 3:58 PM CSTLast update: 9/27/07 at 5:54 PM CST
- Page 1 of 1
Learning to contort his body to portray the deformities of John Merrick, the Elephant Man, took only a few weeks of practicing before a mirror for actor Bernardo Valdez.
The theater sophomore plays the lead in "The Elephant Man," which opens Thursday in the theater in McCreless Hall.
This is the opening production for the theater and speech communication department this semester.
Valdez depicts a horribly deformed man without using prosthetics.
This was done in productions of "The Elephant Man" on Broadway in 1980, although the movie, produced in the same year, used prosthetics to portray Merrick's condition, Proteus syndrome.
"I paid attention to what Treves describes," Valdez said Sept. 21, referring to the character Dr. Treves.
Valdez approached director Ronnie Watson with his movements to characterize Merrick's condition.
Valdez also has to convey a sense that his voice is affected by this condition and still have the audience understand him.
Valdez's mouth was already contorted in characterizing the deformities. After about a week of practice, he perfected the voice.
Valdez hopes the audience will take a look at his portrayal of Merrick and learn a lesson in respect of how humans treat others.
He wants people "to walk away with a new perception about people who look, act and talk differently," he said.
Valdez won the part in an audition with 25 others when he read from "When We Dead Awaken" written in 1899 by Henrik Ibsen.
Watson knew he wanted to use Valdez almost from the beginning of auditions.
"Valdez is a serious actor," Watson said. He had seen Valdez when he played Tom Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie" at this college in April.
"That role calls for a lot of technique, and I knew Bernardo had it," Watson said.
He also acted in "Elizabeth the Queen" and "The Crucible" at Edison High School where he graduated in 2005.
Upcoming
Event: The Elephant Man
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and Oct. 12-13
2:30 p.m., Oct. 7, 14
The play will be in McCreless Theater.
Tickets are free to district students and employees with identification, $10 for adults, $8 for seniors.
The theater sophomore plays the lead in "The Elephant Man," which opens Thursday in the theater in McCreless Hall.
This is the opening production for the theater and speech communication department this semester.
Valdez depicts a horribly deformed man without using prosthetics.
This was done in productions of "The Elephant Man" on Broadway in 1980, although the movie, produced in the same year, used prosthetics to portray Merrick's condition, Proteus syndrome.
"I paid attention to what Treves describes," Valdez said Sept. 21, referring to the character Dr. Treves.
Valdez approached director Ronnie Watson with his movements to characterize Merrick's condition.
Valdez also has to convey a sense that his voice is affected by this condition and still have the audience understand him.
Valdez's mouth was already contorted in characterizing the deformities. After about a week of practice, he perfected the voice.
Valdez hopes the audience will take a look at his portrayal of Merrick and learn a lesson in respect of how humans treat others.
He wants people "to walk away with a new perception about people who look, act and talk differently," he said.
Valdez won the part in an audition with 25 others when he read from "When We Dead Awaken" written in 1899 by Henrik Ibsen.
Watson knew he wanted to use Valdez almost from the beginning of auditions.
"Valdez is a serious actor," Watson said. He had seen Valdez when he played Tom Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie" at this college in April.
"That role calls for a lot of technique, and I knew Bernardo had it," Watson said.
He also acted in "Elizabeth the Queen" and "The Crucible" at Edison High School where he graduated in 2005.
Upcoming
Event: The Elephant Man
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and Oct. 12-13
2:30 p.m., Oct. 7, 14
The play will be in McCreless Theater.
Tickets are free to district students and employees with identification, $10 for adults, $8 for seniors.
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