Few creative endeavors are as grueling as the production of a theater show. Students must create the set, perfect the music and flawlessly portray their roles to ensure harmony among the cast. Despite this, senior Cameron Sinclair has persistently been involved in the theater community. This year, Sinclair has directed the theater productions alongside senior Miah Lessner.
“I started theater in seventh grade but I didn’t realize it was what I wanted to do as a career until this year. It started as just a fun hobby and now it’s my life,” Sinclair said.
As a first time director, Sinclair directed Murder on the 518 in the first semester, marking a significant milestone in their path to pursue theater.
“[Sinclair is] the type of person that doesn’t leave things here. Some people, when they start directing, they’ve never done it before. They’re just kind of guessing and kind of going off of what they think I’ll want. And Cam has really kind of done it on their own and wanted to do it their way,” theater director Minda Nyquist said. “They are constantly thinking of every person on stage [and] have a very firm belief of what they want and I think that has just gotten stronger over the years.”
Between acting and directing, Sinclair prefers the latter, but enjoys what both sides of a production have to offer.
“Acting is fun, [but] you’re only really thinking about yourself and what you’re doing on the stage. But with directing you get to think about everything, the actors, the set, the lights, the costumes, the props. Everything that makes a show and you get to fit those pieces together. [Directing Murder on the 518] was a learning curve but it was so incredibly fun. Getting to see and work with another side of theater was fantastic and the cast of actors I had to work with were amazing,” Sinclair said.
As for role models, Sinclair looks up to famous actors like Chris McCarrell, Jeremy Jordan and Andrew Rannells for inspiration in terms of acting and singing.
“My favorite show has always been The Lightning Thief musical. It was the first show I ever saw in a theater and I was lucky enough to see the original cast as it toured the country. Their set was simple, just scaffolding and some props but it was never boring. They always had something going on. It was fantastic. I would love to play Percy Jackson in a production of the show or direct it,” Sinclair said.
As student directors, both Sinclair and Lessner work on scenes and collaborate as actors and directors.
“They are always smiling and are someone that I can rely on if I don’t remember my line[s]. Cam is a very strong director and actor, but directing is something that he is really good at and I am happy that he found something that he loves,” Lessner said.
After highschool, Sinclair plans to pursue a degree in technical theater, eventually aiming to do a mix of directing and acting.
“These kids have just responded and really seem to have been able to admire and want to please Cam as well […] and I haven’t always seen that with a student director. With Cam, there’s a little bit more respect and they want to do well by him. They don’t care about what I think at all. It’s really all about Cam, which is the way it should be,” Nyquist said.
Through more than six years of theater, Sinclair has acted in and directed several theater productions at West, alongside other members of the wing.
“Cam is someone who is intelligent and studious enough that likes doing that work. Because if you don’t, it’s not a good fit. As an actor, you kind of have your hand in that pot. And as a director, you kind of have to have your hands in a lot of different places to make it work. And that seems to suit him very well,” Nyquist said. “I love them and he’s great. I’ll miss him. What am I going to do next year without him? I don’t know.”
