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Schools

Young stars shoot for the moon

By MARYAN PELLAND
Published December 21, 2006

An unlikely pairing of young actors four years ago at Central High School has resulted in a two-woman show that may earn state honors for both of them.

It started when Amanda Alvarez, a 17-year-old Brooksville native, and Jackie Bernstein, 17 and a transplant from Queens, N.Y., decided in ninth grade that they didn't like each other one bit.

Jackie wandered into drama class because of a mistake on her schedule and decided to stay. Amanda signed up for drama because it was there. She needed an elective.

The girls sized each other up and spent two years not speaking. Then, for no reason either can fathom, Amanda asked Jackie to do a duet with her. They loved it. Turns out they were outstanding together - 100 percent in synch.

Last week, the two did the play Parallel Lives by Kathy Najimy and Maureen Gaffney. A full-length show with more than 15 character, costume and set changes, it would challenge even the most experienced actors.

But they pulled it off, and then some.

Judges from the State Board of Thespians came to see what these young women can do. And, if audience reaction is an indicator, they got an eyeful of talent, dedication and work ethic.

Every year, judges tour Florida. They seek six shows to feature at the state competition in Tampa, attended by about 5,000 acting students who have attained that level of excellence.

Jackie and Amanda took on this challenge because they did an act from the play in competition last year. They were delighted by superior marks from all the judges.

So they worked on the complete play for a year and were ready when the house lights went down.

Coach and director Linda Bailey has had the girls under her tutelage for four years.

"Amanda and Jackie are amazing," she said.

Amanda said, "It's a challenge, but working with my best friend means no worries. We know each other. There's trust every time we do the show."

Jackie's of the same mind, saying: "We each pull our weight. The best part, being challenged and having to reach deep inside, is also the worst. It's intimidating, kind of."

Parallel Lives, according to Bailey, is an unusual choice for a high school venue. The girls' roles included uptown lesbians and elderly Jewish men. Body language, voice inflections and facial expressions were among the tools they had to flesh out characters.

Because of adult content and language, Bailey had to get special permission from the School Board to do the play. She had to approach the playwrights for permission to tone some of it down, which was granted.

It was worth the struggle and hard work, and neither teen is unfamiliar with hard work.

Jackie and Amanda have done three plays in six weeks at school and one in community theater. They're honor students with advanced classes who are now busy looking for the right colleges.

Amanda auditions at Florida State University this weekend for a scholarship. Theater will figure largely in her future, she says. Maybe teaching kids or working in children's theater after that.

Jackie is torn between her first love, biological sciences, and broadcasting or communications.

It's tough to balance it all. But at 17 they suspended the disbelief of an audience, becoming old, young, male, female, straight and not over the course of 90 minutes on stage.

For this pair, college ought to be manageable.

[Last modified December 21, 2006, 06:30:58]