Spending summer on the stage

For most high school students, summer time is spent away from the classroom. For Lanie Siegel of Lake Forest Park, the break meant she could devote eight hours a day to learning more about her favorite subject — drama.

“I knew this summer that I wanted to explore my acting abilities,” she said.

As her school year at Shorecrest High School wound down, Siegel, 16, began looking for summer drama courses. Her audition — a monologue about Susan B. Anthony — earned her one of 20 spots in a course at the Seattle Children’s Theatre.

Although excited about the prospect of furthering her acting abilities, Siegel said she had to think some before deciding to take the demanding six-week summer course. Now she has no regrets about how she spent a portion of her summer.

“I was kind of dreading it at first but actually it’s so worth it to be spending your summer doing something that you love,” she said.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week, Siegel participated in singing, dancing, acting, and stage combat classes. The culmination of her efforts will be on display along with other students in the Young Actor’s Institute (YAI) Showcase performances on Aug. 16 and Aug. 17 at the Eve Alvord Theatre at Seattle Children’s Theatre in Seattle. The performances are free and will begin at 7 p.m.

The group, consisting of students age 16 to 21, will perform a singing and dancing piece, according to Siegel, as well as a number to demonstrate stage combat skills. Students will also perform in two-person scenes and improvisation groups in addition to 30-second pieces created by individual students.

When it’s her turn to perform independently, Siegel will perform a standup comedy routine.

“I decided to write jokes that are like Jerry Seinfeld and it worked out,” she said.

While at home, Siegel said she practices in front of mirrors and runs lines by her parents. The program appears to be fairly physical, said Siegel’s mother, Bonni.

“I’ve heard her say she’s tired… but she has thanked me many times for letting her be involved in the program,” she said. “She’s one of these kids that puts her full effort into everything.”

Even before her YAI Showcase debut, Siegel feels confident she’ll continue to be involved in drama. Whether she enrolls in an advanced drama course at Shorecrest High School this year, acts in a community theater next summer or finds other opportunities to pursue her dream of acting on a television sitcom in the future, Siegel said the program definitely confirmed her love for acting.

“I just love the feeling of being on stage, portraying a character and helping the audience get involved,” she said. “It’s hard to explain, but being on stage is the greatest feeling in the world to me.”