Senior Series Part Five: Danielle Larson

photo courtesy of Danielle Larson

Danielle Larson is constantly running around on campus. Whether it's running to class, catching a voice lesson, or grabbing a bite to eat before play rehearsal, Larson is on the go. Her four years on The Bluff have been memorable, from her eight shows to her and Phil Orazio going to the ACTF national competition in Washington D.C. her sophomore year. Larson has been seen in the UP productions of "Threepenny Opera," "Rumors" and "Much Ado About Nothing." Larson will be acting in her eighth and final show at UP in "Into the Woods."

Asides from UP Theater, Larson was heavily involved with the UP startup company Electric Opera Company, has performed in Mock's Crest Productions for the past two seasons, and has done stage readings for Portland Theatre Works.  Currently, Larson is a member of local ensemble company Theatre Vertigo.

Next year, Larson will be taking her acting skills to New York City with fellow UP Theater student Sammi Boyd.

"I've always known that I wanted to take a gap year to apply for MFA programs in Acting, but I recently made the decision to take that time living in New York," Larson said. "From there I'll be trying to get more acting work than other work while applying to MFA programs, Peace Corps, and Korean teaching programs."

In the future, Larson aims to become a "self-supporting artist of good repute."

"To me it feels like an exploration of the human soul and human capacities, and an exploration of the mysteries that pass between people," Larson said. "It's a process of fully exploring everything you're capable of as a human being, and simultaneously figuring out how to share that with other people so they can also learn through your exploration."