Triton Actors to Compete in Hawaii

 

Senior Robert Wang dressed as the wigmaker, left, fights on stage with senior Joey Datuin dressed as the woodcutter, right, during the UOG Theatre production of Rashomon. Their performances as the wigmaker and woodcutter earned Wang and Datuin the opportunity to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition. Photo by Omasu Soto.

 

Huddled beneath the Rashomon gate, the wigmaker鈥攑layed by senior Robert Wang鈥攁nd the woodcutter鈥攑layed by senior Joey Datuin鈥攂ickered nonstop as they helped narrate the UOG Theatre鈥檚 Fall semester production of Rashomon.

Despite the dark undertones of the play, both Wang and Datuin鈥檚 talent shone through so much so that on the final day of production, they heard the news every college theater student hopes to hear.

鈥淲ith a cast so talented, you can hardly tell who鈥檚 going to get chosen for what,鈥� Wang said. 鈥淏ut when the announcement came, I thought that a great opportunity had fallen onto our laps.鈥�

Both Fine Arts majors will be taking their talents to Hawaii in February to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition during The Kennedy Center American College Theater 48^th Annual Region VIII Festival.

The Festival鈥攚hich brings together students from universities in Utah, Central and Southern California, Guam, Arizona, Hawaii, and Southern Nevada鈥攊s touted as one of the largest college theater festivals in the nation.

Each year, college theater programs submit a production to be screened by a representative of the competition, and for Datuin and Wang, it was their interpretations of the woodcutter and wigmaker that earned them the opportunity to compete abroad. 

Students from the 91快播鈥檚 theater program have attended the Festival and competed against other universities in years past, and next year will be no different.

The Competition

Students must prepare two scenes with a partner and a monologue. How well a student performs the first scene determines whether or not he or she moves on in the competition.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 be partners, but I think in both our minds we鈥檝e just won by making it,鈥� Wang said.

Performing on stage at UOG has prepared both Wang and Datuin for the competition, he said, and playing such unique characters pushed both students out of their comfort zones to help them hone their craft.

鈥淧laying the woodcutter was definitely challenging for me,鈥� Datuin said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 connect with the character right away, but I got through it.鈥�

In his role as the wigmaker, Wang embodied an older character in both movement and voice, which was slightly difficult yet rewarding for him.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 used to having that type if old person voice,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I usually play lighthearted characters. This was a very cynical old person, so it was a great challenge to find the right mixture of voice and action.鈥�

While the students continue to prepare for their competition, they attribute their development to UOG鈥檚 Fine Arts degree program, which exposes them to all aspects of theater, making them not only great actors but holistic thespians.

鈥淭he theater program is a handful but a lot of fun,鈥� Datuin said. 鈥淭he people make you feel at home. You get to do much more than acting. You鈥檙e directing, stage managing, designing sets. It goes beyond the typical, and I think it鈥檚 pretty cool because it鈥檚 so diverse.鈥�