Alex Newton ’17
Newton as Selsdon in 2015’s Noises Off.
Our Assistance cast would be nothing without its leading man, Alex Newton ’17! As a third year transfer student, Newton played Selsdon in Noises Off and starred in two Studio 115 productions as Orpheus in Eurydice and Johnson in Really Really.
The Department of Theatre & Dance asked Alex to come by for an interview.
T&D: What is your major?
I’m a Theatre major.
T&D: What is your main focus in theatre?
Performance.
T&D: Where is your hometown?
Fredericksburg, Virginia.
T&D: What brought you to UMW?
Newton as Orpheus and Maggie Murphy ’16 as Eurydice 2015’s Eurydice.
You know, I was attending USC and just got to a point where I wanted to finish my college career strong, since I’d reached a point where I’d decided that USC just wasn’t where I wanted to be anymore. I’d heard about a lot of the good things UMW Theatre did from some friends, so that’s what drove me to come here!
T&D: How did you first get interested in theatre?
When I was in high school, we got a new theatre professor my sophomore year and he kept telling me to audition for shows. At first I was really resistant because I’d never done any theatre up until that point, but once I started doing it I just felt really comfortable. From then on, theatre has always been something I’ve really enjoyed.
T&D: Tell us about your Senior Project.
My Senior Project is playing Nick in Assistance. Rehearsals have been going really well! We’ve had a lot of contributions from props and the set, which really creates an environment where I don’t have to imagine being in an office. Rehearsals, even this early in the process, feel really realistic. Like Noises Off, because we only have four weeks to rehearse the show, the process can feel really fast and at times can definitely feel a little overwhelming. The faculty, crew, and cast have been super helpful and available to me, so it really feels like we’re a team working to get through it.
T&D: What is your favorite show you have ever worked on at UMW?
I would have to say Noises Off because it was my first show here and after that process I really felt welcomed into the department. Everyone was super nice and really dedicated to the show and the department, so it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
T&D: What is your favorite word?
I like the word dubious because it’s fun to say and use in sentences.
T&D: What is your least favorite word?
Newton and his 2016 Ideas in Performance class before seeing the original Broadway cast of Hamilton in NYC.
Moist! It sounds unpleasant, it looks unpleasant, and it implies unpleasant things.
T&D: What is your favorite kind of candy?
That’s hard, but I would have to say Snicker’s.
T&D: What are some of your interests outside of theatre?
I really enjoy listening to music and playing video games.
T&D: What’s been one of your favorite classes you’ve taken in the Theatre Department?
I really liked the Staged Dialects class I took last semester because dialects were something I thought I had a decent understanding of. It was a lot more work than I thought it would be, but it was still so much fun and it really helped me improve on the things I already had. It also really inspired me to work on some new dialects as well.
T&D: If you could work on any play or musical, what would it be and why?
I would love to be part of a show that had the cultural influence that Hamilton had — the whole cast and crew just seemed like they had the most amazing experience, and the show itself was just so good.
T&D: What are your plans after graduation?
I’m not sure yet! I plan on saving money first and then eventually go up to New York and start work there.
Assistance plays Sept. 29 through Oct. 9! Tickets go on sale Sept. 21, 2016. Call the Klein Theatre Box Office at 540-654-1111 to reserve your tickets!