So, Drew, what did you keep busy with over the summer?
I spent the summer acting with the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Company.
Do you often work on Shakespeare? What other roles have you played?
Since coming to New York it seems to be my primary focus, but I plan to temporarily branch away from it this year. So far I’ve played Benvolio, Mercutio, Capulet and Prince Escalus in Romeo & Juliet (not all at once… actually Mercutio and Capulet did happen together), Dumaine in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Henry V and the Duke of Orleans in Henry V, and Gloucester in King Lear.
What is the most challenging obstacle in Shakespeare?
Honestly, I think there are a lot of different ways to act, or speak, Shakespeare. Many directors or companies want different things when it comes to using the language. I think acclimating to different companies, in terms of using the language, is quite challenging. But once you keep trying different approaches, all of a sudden you have an arsenal of textual strategies. And using all of these simultaneously might be the Shakespeare of the future.
Did you know we offer a Shakespeare class for teens?
No I didn’t! That’s awesome! Am I teaching it?
What do you enjoy most about performing Shakespeare?
Sometimes certain lines just really hit home for me. There are always a few bits of language in a show, often not even my own, that I just fall in love with. Discovering the beauty of what some people think to be archaic language is always exciting.
Do you have any upcoming roles?
I’m an actor. Of course I don’t!
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Drew Lewis is an actor and very part-time playwright and producer. He has acted with Pearl Theatre Company, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and New York Classical Theatre. He graduated from Kenyon College and co-founded Calliope Theatre Company. www.DrewCLewis.com
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