By Josh Romeo
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I have been acting in the capital region for the past seven years. I have participated in shows with several companies including Curtain Call Theater, Consortium Actors, Lights Up Productions, C-R Kids, and many more. Though I have had many amazing, life-changing, moments with capital region theater, the one that changed my life was Peter Pan.
This play was produced by Consortium Actors when I was in the 6th grade. I had never done any sort of stage production before this, and honestly never even thought about it. All through growing up, I would sing at the VFW in Florida. My grandma was a very committed member and brought us there one night to sing.
That was the extent of my performing until I began attending the Hudson Valley Consortium in 6th grade. Sharon Paluch (Mrs. Paluch to me), the artistic director of Consortium Actors, taught acting at the Consortium. Originally, I didn’t have the class in my schedule, but I soon realized the girl I had a crush on was taking it. I begged my mom to let me drop spanish and take acting instead, with the reasoning that I just thought spanish was boring. Thank goodness she did!
Soon after I learned about auditions for Peter Pan and I had to do it. I auditioned and was cast as Slightly Soiled, one of the lost boys, truly one of my finest performances. This was my first time ever performing on stage in this manner. The nerves, peeking through the curtain to see the size of the house, hearing the laughter when you say a funny line, these were feelings I had never experienced before and they changed my life.
After that I was hooked, and slowly branched out into community theater until I was doing 9 shows a year in highschool. I was lucky enough that my late grandfather, Patrick Flahrety, saw Peter Pan.
For months after the show he would talk to me about how much he loved it and how he couldn’t wait to see me in the next one. He unfortunately only lived long enough to see me in one more performance but I like to think he is still watching. If I never had that first experience of performing in Peter Pan I am not sure what I would be doing!
Because of my love of performing, I currently study Theater Performance at Wagner College. All I can say is thank you Mrs. Paluch for helping me find something I’m passionate about and changing my life!
