Finding His Voice(s)
An entertaining and enlightening interview
with Alex Beckham
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 In just three years, Alex Beckham has managed to have one of the most prolific and varied careers of any kidsActing student... well, ever. We took a moment one Saturday evening (after he'd had a full day of rehearsing for two different advanced musicals) to sit down with Mr. Beckham and discuss his many different roles, his plans for the immediate future, and his hilarious thoughts about the "Best Part Ever" in Rent. Alex is blessed with a commanding presence, a fantastic smile, and a razor- sharp wit, so it was a genuine pleasure to have a moment to catch up with this rising star.
Before joining kidsActing three years ago, Alex thought he'd maintain his interest in theatre solely by performing at school; he'd had positive experiences performing in middle school (including singing in the choir in 6th grade and 7th grade), but when he got to high school, the environment became markedly less friendly. "So when school stuff didn't work out, I thought, 'Wow, I really shouldn't be doing theatre at all.' ...But then I did theatre camp at kidsActing with the Play Production of The Princess Bride, and I realized, 'Hey, I LOVE this stuff!' The Princess Bride is basically what convinced me to stay with KidsActing instead of acting at school or giving up altogether."
That production of The Princess Bride, directed by Jason Marlett, was his first kidsActing show, but by no means his last. Since playing Fezzik the Giant ("which," as he notes, "is unsurprising since I am 6 foot 1... definitely the biggest person in that cast"), he has taken on an impressive catalog of parts that includes the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, Gandalf in The Hobbit, Long John Silver in Treasure Island, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, multiple parts in both Arsenic and Old Lace and The Dark Crystal, Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, and his personal favorite, he says with a laugh, "Homeless Man #1 in Rent! ...Best. Part. Ever!"
Aside from that role in Rent (his first musical, in which he played several other parts as well, including Mr. Jefferson, and "and for one emergency performance, Mrs. Jefferson!"), his favorite character so far has probably been Ebenezer Scrooge. This is due in part to the fact that he especially likes characters with a villainous shade to them. " I really enjoy playing the bad guy because there are so many directions I can go with that. The good guy I find more limiting."
Asked how he approaches a classic, archetypal character like Scrooge, he shares that "it first starts with me reading the lines, and then figuring out why he would say those lines... then I put inflections behind those lines to figure out his mood while saying them, and then I figure out which specific inflections work best." He treats us to a pitch-perfect "Bah, Humbug!," adding that "my 'Bah Humbug' was kind of angry but since [Scrooge] only actually says it seven times, I quickly managed to make him realize that he probably shouldn't be saying that so much..."
Delving further into his process, he says that the key to creating a character for him is always found in the voice. "Once I find the right voice, I can determine the whole personality of the character," though he distinguishes between characters who are well-known to the public from those who are less familiar: "People have a general picture of what Scrooge is like or what Gandalf is like... I take that picture and my first voice is an imitation of something in the media, like Michael Caine's Scrooge or Ian McKellan's Gandalf... I start out with that voice, but I can't stick with it for too long, because it evolves into something closer to my own. I end up close to what a mainstream audience perceives as the character, but I add my own unique twist to it. With characters that aren't as well-known, like King August [in the original kidsActing musical Waking Sleeping Beauty this past summer] or even with Homeless Man #1 --wait, what am I saying? Everyone knows him, he's a household name!--" he digresses, laughing heartily, "I'm freed to do what I want, so I start with my own voice but shift it up or down an octave, and then I form the personality based on whatever crazy thoughts are going through that character's head!"
This versatility and voice-centered process have served Alex well, especially when he's in the middle of a month like this one, as he transitions between playing mild-mannered Amos "Mr. Cellophane" Hart in Chicago (opening at kidsActing in February!) and the significantly gruffer Beast in Beauty and the Beast (opening at kidsActing in May!). His gift for mimicry also lent itself to some of the funniest moments in Waking Sleeping Beauty when he played a Hollywood Actor playing a King, for which Alex unleashed a cavalcade of different dead-on celebrity impressions in every rehearsal, eventually alternating in performances between Sean Connery and Arnold Schwarzenegger (opposite, it should be noted, Chase McBride as Carol Channing).
 Alex has become famous in kidsActing circles as the guy who can save
any scene due to improvisational gifts and his word-for-word knowledge of the entire script by the time a show gets into full run-throughs. Nonetheless, he remains humble and grateful for the opportunities that kidsActing has offered him, paying tribute not just to Jason and Dede, but to fellow performers like Zoe Buckalew, an actress who's played opposite him in several kidsActing shows (including both summer Shakespeares) and whom he unequivocally calls "great... we play off each other really well." He continues, "when I found kidsActing, it was pretty much a miracle... everyone's welcoming, everyone has a good time performing, and it's what I love to do... so basically, this is my second home."
Currently a senior at Westlake with plans to attend St. Edward's University next year, Alex acknowledges that he "probably won't be performing here much longer...but for everyone else who's staying here, I invite you to keep at it, make some friends, have a good time and who knows? We may all get back together one day and perform as kidsActing alumni! That would be awesome." ...Agreed. |
Do you have an event to add to our calender?
Contact Jazmine at 512-905-4392 or email kidsactingstudio@gmail.com.
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Film Noir Double Feature
Paramount Theatre
January 13 and 14
First show 7pm
Second Show 9pm
www.austintheatre.org Escape the cold and enjoy a double feature. One ticket is good for both shows when viewed on the same day.
kidsActing recommends these movies for mature students only.
 Out of the Past
A private eye escapes his past to run a gas station in a small town, but his past catches up with him. Now he must return to the big city world of danger, corruption, double crosses and duplicitous dames.Laura
Nominated for five Academy
Awards®, this stylish mystery  thriller twists and turns. A wealthy journalist becomes entranced with a beautiful young career woman named Laura. But shortly before her wedding to a dashing young playboy, she is found murdered. Stirred by her portrait, the detective assigned to her case
finds that he, too, is
strangely under Laura's spell.
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Hey LolliesCherrywood Coffeehouse
December 16, 10:30am
www.heylollyproductions.com Grab some fantastic food and coffee for brunch while the little ones rock out! The Hey Lollies are a trio - Laura on vocals and guitar, Heather on bass and Khattie on drums. Laura's original tunes explode with a full band. Heather and Khattie sing back up like nobody's business.
Want something fun silly and exciting?? Heather gets her puppets dancing to some of the songs! Laura wears her fruit hat and boogies down. Khattie surprises the kids with fun sound effects and who can resist a good drum beat???
kidsActing recommends this for ages 6 and under.
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Garrison KeillorParamount Theatre
 March 2nd and 3rd, 8pm
www.austintheatre.orgAmerican author, humorist, and radio personality best known as host of the American Public Media show, A Prairie Home Companion, Garrison tells homespun stories in two special performances.
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Don't miss out! Some classes are starting this week!
Many classes still have space but they are filling fast!
Bring a friend that is new to kidsActing and receive $30 off!
Full-Scale Musical
Beauty and the Beast
Full-scale Play Production
Classes
 Whodunnit?
Spring Break Camp |
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Events at
Center Stage Texas
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The Sound of Music
Center Stage Texas
January 8-24, 2011
Performance times vary
Maria, a new governess, is sent to take care of Captian von Trapp's unruly children. The family soon falls in love with her, just as you will fall in love with this classic all over again!
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Save the Date!
Wine-tasting at Davenport Wine & Spirits!
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Join us to support
Center Stage Texas Thursday, January 13th
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Davenport Wine & Spirits will be hosting a FREE wine-tasting and will donate 15% of any purchases made back to Center Stage Texas. Davenport guarantees the lowest prices in Austin, so come enjoy a glass of wine and light hors d'oeuvres, save money and support Center Stage Texas.
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Austin's Pizza is a proud supporter of kidsActing and Center Stage Texas!
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Volunteer Opportunities!
 Do you need community service hours?
Would you like to be more involved
with the kidsActing community by volunteering?
Get info on volunteering
for kidsActing by joining
our kidsActing volunteer e-group kidsacting@yahoogroups.com |
| Contact Information |
kidsActing at
Center Stage Texas
2826 Real Street
Austin, TX 78722
836-KIDS (5437)
www.kidsactingstudio.com
www.centerstagetexas.com
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