By Ireland Castillo
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From the 3-year-old boy who sang “Memory” from “Cats” on his back patio, to that same boy who was a part of the Interlochen Academy for the Art’s production of “Les Miserables,” Peter Pan in Diamond in the Rough’s theatre production of the Disney classic, the Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland” and possibly the face of Prince Charming, Senior Nicholas Howe has set his sights for the stars.
“(The reason) I’ve come so far in my high school career is because this was the first thing I found myself and that I wanted,” explained Howe. “I was always put in sports, soccer, swimming, ice skating, my parents wanted me to (be) athletic. I was put into martial arts, (yet) this is the first thing in my life I walked into and said, ‘I wanted to do this, not because anyone’s telling me to do it, but because I wanna do it.’”
Howe plans on enrolling in either New York Film Academy’s Musical Theatre Program, Central Washington University or Cap 21 in pursuit of his dream to make a mark on the world of musical theatre. “(In) pursuing any type of dream, it takes a hell of a lot of heart, passion and determination because you cannot try and fulfill a dream that someone else wants you to do. It has to be something that you genuinely want in your heart and if you don’t want it then you’re not going to put a 110 percent,” expressed Howe.
As a talented student actor, Howe had the honor of winning the second place $500 Thespian Scholarship on Jan. 17, at the second annual Thespian Festival hosted at UH Kennedy Theatre. “When you are in a competition and you audition and you perform and you’re waiting for the results you’re sitting in your chair and your blood is rushing, it’s like, ‘(Okay, okay,) Nicholas Howe, Nicholas Howe, Nicholas Howe, please call Nicholas Howe,’ and when they call ‘Nicholas Howe,’ you’re just like, ‘Oh my god!,’” expressed Howe, “I got up there and when they were talking to me, I was talking back and I was funny, I was cute, I was great.” Fine Arts teacher Julia LoPresti added, “His career at Central Theatre Arts Academy has helped him to get to this point in his career. So I’m proud of him and I’m sure his other theatre teachers and music teachers, dance teachers would be just as proud.”
Howe’s interest in being a part of theatre was something he pursued from his freshman year, but it was a seven-week summer program in Traverse City, Mich. that truly sparked Howe’s passion for the arts. “At the beginning of my high school career I thought I was going to be a makeup artist. I definitely love doing makeup and I have for a long, long amount of time, but I eventually got accepted into Interlochen Arts Academy and I went up there and they gave me a lot of career advice and they said, ‘You know that you belong in musical theatre when you can imagine yourself doing this and only this,’” said Howe.
After seven weeks in Michigan, Howe’s career goals had shifted and like any parent, Howe’s mother and father were more than supportive of his decision. “(Howe) has a unique quality that once he has made a commitment, he will follow through no matter what. His word and credibility are important to him. This applies to his commitment to his craft as well. He has faced rejection in many forms, including being told, ‘You are a character actor, you are not a singer.’ When told those things, rather than stop him or hold him back, he uses it to channel his energy to move forward,” said his mother, Theresia Howe.
With the days dwindling until graduation, the hardest thing for Nicholas Howe’s parents will be to let go. “As a parent, we want to protect and hold on to our children, yet we know it is inevitable he move on. He is our eldest and we like having him around. It will be tough for his father and me to see him leave the house, however, we won’t hold him back. He needs to give it his best shot so there are no regrets,” said Theresia Howe.
Nicholas Howe also won the annual Shakespeare competition with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” monologue.
