James & Jacob describe “Memorizing Lines.”

Why this particular Drama Coach?

Hi. My name is Zoe Olbrys. When I was in 4th grade I had a small speaking / singing part in my grammar school play. This year, in 5th grade, I had a much larger part. In both plays, Mrs. Campbell was my acting coach. Working with Mrs. Campbell is fun, helpful, and very exciting. In 4th grade, Mrs. Campbell’s coaching helped me to understand my role as Hula, an island servant about to be sacrificed. She helped me understand how to feel different emotions, use certain expression, and what to do about my body language. She taught me that you should over-act because the people in the audience won’t see little gestures. You really have to express yourself as that certain character and really think out of the box.
Before Mrs. Campbell began to coach me for the larger role that I played this year, I was very confused about my character, Mrs. Porter. It took me a very long time to adjust to this new character. I had to memorize a lot of lines and that was the easy part. I didn’t understand at all how to act like an older lady. Unlike my other character, Hula, I had to act mean, stubborn, and proper. I tried and tried myself, but the way I walked, talked, and expressed Mrs. Porter was awkward. In real life I’m the exact opposite and Mrs. Campbell helped me make my attitude change. It was really hard but I knew that it was very important to really be my character. She really helped me and I couldn’t have done it without her.
Since Mrs. Campbell started coaching me, I knew that she was going to be very helpful. From the 4th grade, she has helped me and many other kids really understand their character. I learned different methods of capturing the audience’s attention, making the audience feel the emotions that I am feeling, and when I got on that stage and people were laughing at the way I did things (of course to make them laugh) I knew that all of the hard work Mrs. Campbell did with me really paid off.
I know the coaching helped me to perform well. The way Mrs. Campbell told me to do things really improved my acting. Now I know what to feel when I’m a certain character, to actually become the character, and different methods to use when I’m speaking or using body language. All of the work she did with me over the past two years didn’t just help me for those two plays but for every single time I act in years to come.
My experience acting in the grammar school play was exciting, fun, and thrilling. I got to really have fun on the stage doing what I love to do……… perform. Also, I got to see all of my friends and classmates as completely different people. All of them worked with Mrs. Campbell also and did a marvelous job. I would love to be able to have this experience for the rest of my life. Just listening to all of the music, people talking and acting, and watching them perform is such an amazing sight. I love plays very much and wish the magic of them could last forever.
I felt extremely confident, very excited, and joyful whenever I performed.
My relatives, friends, and people I didn’t even know, came up to me and told me, Wow!!! You did such an amazing job!!! You stole the show!!! You rock Mrs. Porter!!! I knew that without Mrs. Campbell I wouldn’t get all of those wonderful comments from everyone. All of the feedback I got from the audience surprised me. I didn’t know that I could have done that well on stage. Words couldn’t explain how happy I was to hear all of the wonderful comments from my friends and family.
My experience would have been very different if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Campbell’s coaching. Without her, my character would be far from what it was in the actual play. At first, I thought I was supposed to be mean to everyone, and to act stubborn and grouchy the entire time. I knew that it was difficult to adjust to my new role. If Mrs. Campbell hadn’t been there, I couldn’t have imagined how my character would have been. She taught me how old ladies reacted to the younger generation and after she explained that to me, I knew she was totally right. Mrs. Campbell is such a help and I thank her very much.
I would certainly recommend Mrs. Campbell as an acting coach to other children because she has really encouraged me to act my heart out and be my character. She has helped me through all of the issues I’ve faced as a character. What does that line mean? Wait, how am I supposed to react to that? Am I supposed to be understanding or just completely upset? Can you show me how that is supposed to happen? Mrs. Campbell would answer any questions I would have. She was always there when I needed her to help me. I think Mrs. Campbell is the perfect acting coach. Zoe Olbrys, 5th grade
ABOUT – Previously the Principal Performer in "Silent Theater, Inc." for a dozen years a performing mime company, Cynthia studied acting in high school, played the female lead character, Laurey, in the school's musical, "Oklahoma!" and was nominated for best supporting actress for her role in a drama performed at the state-wide competition. Cynthia later studied at the Stella Adler Acting Studio in Manhattan, as well as studied acting, pantomime and clowning at the Celebration Mime School in South Paris, Maine, clowning with James Donlon in San Fransisco, and mime with Marcel Marceau in New York City. Cynthia also performed Shakespeare's role of Juliet in New Britain, CT's Hole in the Wall Theater, as well as other acting roles in various community theaters. Silent Theater's director helped to revitalize the SoNo Arts Celebration (South Norwalk, CT) where Silent Theater became a signature element to the festival during it's multi-year revival. Performing for a dozen years at several outdoor events in the region, Silent Theater became a sought out sensation at corporate events and private parties.
Most recently a drama coach at Oxford Center School in Connecticut (from 2008 up until the economic shutdown in 2020) where she went by the moniker of Mrs. Campbell, she is - so many times - struck by the parallels between life and acting and tries to impress upon her students the intrinsic power in using imagination in ALL ways, walks and areas of their lives.