|
|
September 27, 2002
Artist won't act her age
Nirit Rozenberg juggles a classroom with a stage.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
She's only nine years old, but Nirit Rozenberg is already used
to acting like people younger than her. Since the age of seven,
she's played Molly in Annie, Baby June in Gypsy and
a munchkin in The Wizard of Oz.
"I've played someone younger than me for almost all my roles
because I don't look my age," said Rozenberg, who has also
gotten used to working with other actors who are quite a bit older
than her. "[The older actors] treat everyone special and it's
really cool meeting all these different people," she said.
In October, she will continue that trend when she performs the role
of six-year-old Scout in the Arts Club Theatre's production of To
Kill a Mockingbird.
Mockingbird is based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning
novel that tells the story of an Alabama family and their father's
fight to defend the rights of a black man accused of assault.
According to Rozenberg, her character is a curious girl who sometimes
gets herself into trouble.
"She's really violent and she hurts people when they make fun
of her dad," she explained. "But she's really curious
and doesn't like to be alone. She doesn't have many friends because
everyone thinks she's really weird."
Rozenberg's role in Mockingbird is unique because it is the
first time that the talented young singer and dancer is performing
in a drama, which places different demands on her than the musical
productions in which she is used to performing.
"Since I've been taught everything to do with musicals, [performing
in a drama] is really different so I have to kind of forget everything
they taught me," she said. "This is also my first serious
character because I usually play the role of the ham. It's cool
to see the different characters you can play."
Rozenberg hasn't found life as challenging as her current character
might. However, juggling school with acting is a hefty load for
the nine-year-old girl. While in production for Mockingbird,
she goes to school until noon, then spends the rest of her day at
the theatre, before coming home in the evening to do homework.
"It's not really that hard to do," she said of combining
school with her six-days-a-week rehearsal schedule. "I'm always
going to have to do school."
To Kill a Mockingbird opened Sept. 26 and runs until Nov.
3 at the Stanley Theatre. For tickets or information, call 604-280-3311.
^TOP
|
|
