Q&A with non-acting major Sydney Syverson

Sydney Syverson as The With in "Into the Woods"
photo by Jamie Kluth

Fun fact about UP Theater: You don't have to be a major to audition for the plays!

Here's a Q&A with senior Sydney Syverson, a social work major, who acts in UP Theater productions.

Q: What made you audition for UP Theater?
Sydney Syverson: I've been doing community theatre since I was 7. My dad has always encouraged me to be involved in theatre and he's my biggest fan. I attended a performing arts high school in Las Vegas where I majored in theatre. This was not an exactly favorable experience for me so I kind of gave up on theatre once I graduated. After returning from Salzburg my junior year I realized how much I missed being on stage. I auditioned for the shows Spring semester of my junior year and was cast as Little Sally in "Urinetown." And it's been awesome ever since! I finally realized that this is how theatre is supposed to be - fun and with a theatre family who supports you whole heartedly.

Q: How has it been for you to act with UP Theater?
SS: It has been such an amazing experience. I was so tired of the politics of theatre from High School and all that nonsense that I wasn't sure I was ever going to enjoy it again. I was so wrong. I have made the closest friends in the theatre department - I have truly been blessed to be so welcomed into their family! I love them so much!

Q: What made you get into acting in the first place?
SS: My incredible father, Michael Syverson. He is my biggest fan and advocate. He has always encouraged me to further my interest in and pursue theatre. I really appreciate having such encouragement from my parents. They fly ip from Vegas to see every show I'm in. It's wonderful.

Q: What advice would you give to a non-major who would like to act?
SS: Do it! Just because you're not a major doesn't mean you won't be cast at all. Another piece of advice is to be outgoing! The theatre kids are really nice people, but they have been together since freshman year so you do have to kind of weasel your way into the group. But if you put forth the effort, they will love you!

Q: What shows and roles have you had at UP Theater?
SS: Little Sally in "Urinetown," Mrs. Gibbs in "Our Town," and now The Witch in "Into the Woods."

See Syverson in "Into the Woods" this week! 
Performances are tonight through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

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."

Musicals 101: "Into the Woods"

Original poster courtesy of Amazon.com

UP Theater will be presenting "Into the Woods" next week at the Mago Hunt Theater. The show runs from  April 12 - 16 at 7:30 p.m. and April 17 at 2 p.m.

"Into the Woods," music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, combines many fairytales and well-known characters together into one musical. Some familiar faces in "Into the Woods" include Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Little Red Ridinghood.

The musical "Into the Woods" made it's debut at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre in 1986. The musical opened on Broadway on November 5, 1987 and would run for 764 performances.

The show was a success and earned a lot of fanfare during it's infant years on Broadway. With stars such as Bernadette Peters in the original "Into the Woods" cast, the show would go on to win awards such as...

• 1988 New York Drama Critic's Circle award for Best Musical
• 1988 Drama Desk award for Best Musical
• 1988 Grammy award for original cast recording
• 1988 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason who played the Baker's Wife)
• 1988 Tony Award for Book for a Musical (James Lapine)
• 1988 Tony Award for Score for a Musical (Stephen Sondheim)
• 2002 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical

Asides from the original Broadway production, "Into the Woods" has had a 1988 U.S. tour, a 1990 London production for 197 performances, a 1998 London revival, and a 2002 Broadway revival with 279 performances.

The famous musical has not made it's way to the stage of Mago Hunt Theater at UP with it's new stories from some of our beloved fairytale characters. These new stories come with new endings and surprises that teach the audience some lessons in responsibility.

The characters all have something they need to accomplish and continually interact with one another in the woods. The audience will watch the Baker and his wife want to break the Witch's curse so they may have children, Cinderella trying to free herself from her awful household, and Little Red Ridinghood trying to find her way home.

UP Theater rehearsal for "Into the Woods"
photo by Christina Steiner

Tickets for University of Portland "Into the Woods" can be purchased at the Mago Hunt Box Office or call the box office at 503-943-7287. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

"Into the Woods" all-student cast:

Brian Burger (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Danielle Larson (Cinderella), Matt Sepeda (Jack), Doug Orofino (Baker), Sammi Boyd (Baker's Wife), Rachel Thomas (Little Red Ridinghood), Sydney Syverson (Witch), Anna Mottice (Jack's Mother), Connor Bond (Cinderella's Prince), Phil Orazio (Rapunzel's Prince), Hannah Kintner (Cinderella's Stepmother), Jamie Kluth (Florinda), Jordin Bradley (Lucinda), Rodrigo Gaspar (Cinderella's Father), Kellan Griffith (Cinderella's Mother/Granny), Kimo Camat (Wolf), Erin Oleson (Rapunzel), Chris Morell (Steward), Cassandra Tenorio (Sleeping Beauty), Kate Peifer (Snow White), and Jessica Hillenbrand (Voice of the Giant)

Where are they now?

UP Theater has graduated many talented actors, stage managers and producers over the past years. These alums once walked the halls of Franz Hall and graced the stage of Mago Hunt Theater. The question is, where do UP Theater alums go after their time on The Bluff?

Here is a cross section of the UP Theater alums who have graduated from 2009 and 2010...


View UP Theater alumni in a larger map

Senior Series Part Four: Brian Burger

Meet Brian Burger

photo by Owen Carey

Brian Burger is the happy presence that greets you everytime you walk into the Mago Hunt Theater lobby. Transferring to UP from Linfield College during his freshman year, Burger was immediately accepted into the UP Theater family. Burger's memorable roles include Caldwell B. Caldwell in "Urinetown" and Ken Gorman in "Rumors." He will be seen in UP's "Into The Woods" as The Narrator. Burger was also in the Nomadic Theater production of Conor Eifler's "Alice in Wonderland" and has also done staged readings for Fertile Ground and Readers Theatre Repertory.

For next year, Burger is hoping to spend his time down South in Florida.

"I'm awaiting reply from the Florida Studio Theatre Acting Apprentice Program, which asked me to apply after seeing my work at ACTF," Burger said. "If I get in, me and 11 other apprentices will be heading to Sarasota, Florida for nine months to learn the ropes of professional theatre, both acting and behind the scenes."

The program at Florida Studio Theatre would allow Burger to learn about professional theater as well as educational theater.

Burger hopes that through this program he will be able to accomplish his mission of making a difference in people's lives.

"Originally I thought I would do this as a doctor or a psychologist, but I was never able to completely tear myself away from the theater, so I just decided to make it my thing," Burger said. "Now, if I can brighten somebody's day or help that person learn something about the world or about him or herself, then I feel I have done my job."

Burger hopes to attend graduate school for acting in the upcoming years.

Although Burger is about to leave The Bluff, he looks back to his role in "Urinetown" as his favorite UP Theater experience.

"I don't think I've ever been more excited to simply go to rehearsal and see what crazy ideas the cast, the director, and even the band would have each night to make the show even more over-the-top fun than it already was," Burger said. "Plus, it's the only time I've ever gotten to play a villain, bumbling through he may have been."

Senior Series Part Three: Sammi Boyd

Meet Sammi Boyd

photo by Joey Keller

Sammi Boyd is the bubbly, burst of energy of the UP Theater Department. Most recently seen in "Our Town," Boyd has had many memorable roles during her time at UP Theater. Boyd has been in such performances as "Blithe Spirit," "Marat/Sade," and "Servant of Two Masters" at UP and also played the Chesire Cat in the Nomadic Theater production of Conor Eifler's production of "Alice in Wonderland." She will be playing the Baker's Wife in UP's upcoming production of "Into The Woods." This past year, Boyd and her partner Charles Lattin made it to semifinals at ACTF.

With her wonderful acting resume in Portland, Boyd is looking to the future for her acting career.

"I am hopefully moving to New York with Danielle Larson," Boyd said. "I will be auditioning around town wherever I end up. whether it be Portland or New York City."

Boyd hopes that she will be able to make it big in the Big Apple.

"As a female actor the odds are pretty slim of making it so I have decided to make my own luck, Boyd said. "I love theatre and I would love to be an actor, but I am honestly hoping to broaden my horizons and see if there is something else out there, maybe theatre related, maybe not. Who knows?"

Before her potential move with fellow UP Theater student Larson, Boyd is helping produce and put on a showin of 'Reefer Madness the Musical' with fellow UP Theater grads and Portland actors this summer.

At UP Theater, Boyd has been cast in a variety of different characters. From a maid to a debuntante, from a clown in an insane asylum to an old man.

"As a character actor I can and have plated pretty much everything," Boyd said. "UP has give me a diverse resume and I feel prepared to tackle professional roles because of the challenges I have done through here."

With Boyd's talent and unique resume, she hopes to give an audience the reasons why she loves being an actor.

"When I see a good play it can trasnport me to a new world, it can make a bad day good or teach me a lif e lesson," Boyd said. "Theatre is the easiest art form to connect to because its right in front of you, live and different every night."

Misconceptions about UP Theater

The University of Portland is known for many things. UP's women's soccer team consistently does well from season to season. UP's School of Nursing is known as one of the best in the state. Recently, UP's School of Engineering building Shiley Hall was deemed LEED Platinum certified.

But, what about the UP Theater department?

One aspect of life on The Bluff that students overlook is the Theater program. Just a quick poll around campus, many students can name only one or two drama productions. Even the ones they can name, many of those productions are years old.

Through some asking around, I found that many students are unaware of the student actors and the work they do in Mago Hunt Theater and the new Mehling Black Box Theater. Every year, the UP Theater program produces 4 mainstage productions and 3-4 second stage productions.

Some popular shows include "Much Ado About Nothing," "Urinetown" and "Little Women."

Students are involved in almost every aspect of these productions. Undergraduate and graduate students act, direct, create the sets, design the lighting, do stage makeup, and design costumes. They practice their craft everyday and are at rehearsals almost every night for these shows.

As mentioned previously in this blog, the UP Theater department competes in an acting competition called ACTF. Each and every year, undergraduate and graduate theater students receive honors and scholarships from their performances.

The University of Portland is a small university with a small theater program. But no matter how small, the UP Theater department should get the recognition it deserves.

Watch the video, find out about the University of Portland and UP Theater for yourself!