April 30, 2014|page 19
THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM
Naomi Honig is...
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g n i c n a l Ba
Acts
photo by Sophia Fisher photo courtesy of Naomi Honig
photo by Sophia Fisher
Naomi, pictured above participating in South Stage productions, decided to attend South in part because of its theater program. Naomi has already taken part in three productions.
Freshman Naomi Honig strives to balance her passions for theater and other performing arts
I
t was midnight on an island in Greece, and Naomi Honig and her family were waiting for a ferry that would not arrive until 3 a.m. Nine-year-old Naomi did not cry or complain as other kids her age might have. Instead, she pushed her family’s luggage together into a pile and lay down on her creation, calling it the “Street Sleeper 3000.” According to Naomi’s father, Michael Whinston, “this quirky, creative side” is one of Naomi’s defining characteristics. Now a freshman, Naomi is able to express this side of her through a variety of activities, but particularly through her engagement in South Stage. Whinston said that Naomi’s enthusiasm for theater stemmed from her early interest in Broadway and performance. “She has always really loved going to Broadway musicals, whether watching them on stage or on film,” he said. “Then also when she was younger, she was in a circus troupe, so she was doing that kind of performance ... I think those two things are what got her interested in drama.” Naomi, who recently moved to Newton from Chicago, said that she chose to attend South over other schools primarily because of its academics and its theater program. “[In South Stage], there are 10 shows a year that you could audition for. That is just incredible. I mean, I never had that opportunity with theater before,” she said. “Most people would be like ‘It is overwhelming,’ and I’m just like ‘It is amazing!’” According to freshman Bimini
By Maia Fefer and Sophia Fisher
Horstmann, Naomi displayed a lot of confidence on the first day at South despite the unfamiliar setting. “My first impression of her was [that] she’s really funny and really outgoing,” she said. “She wasn’t afraid to raise her hand or talk out the first day, which is pretty impressive because she didn’t know anyone.” Over the course of the year, Naomi has played Lara in the freshman play “PG13,” an ensemble member in February’s musical “Into the Woods” and Clareece in “Am I Blue?” at the Student Directing Festival.
Theatre arts teacher Jeff Knoedler, who teaches Naomi’s Introduction to Acting class, agreed that Naomi has a unique personality. “She’s high-energy, and she has a love of life that I really appreciate in a student,” he said. Over the years, Naomi has engaged in various other performing arts. She has taught herself to play the guitar and has taken instruction in piano, dance and acting. While Naomi also enjoys skiing and plays on the golf team, she said acting continues to be a passion. “I love theater
[In South Stage], there are 10 shows a year that you could audition for. That is just incredible. I mean, I never had that opportunity with theater before ... I’m just like ‘It is amazing!’” - Naomi Honig, Class of 2017 Director of “Am I Blue?” senior Stephanie Seiden said that Naomi makes herself heard when working in a group. “She is not afraid to speak her mind and she is not afraid to be herself. She has a confidence that is usually hard to find in younger actors,” Seiden said. “She really is lovely to watch on stage. Your eyes kind of get drawn to her.” Senior Peter Walsh, another actor in Seiden’s show, said that Naomi uses her creativity to add depth to her characters. “She’s very creative. She made up a whole backstory for her character, and it was very strong and very sincere and honest. Her acting is very honest and genuine,” he said.
so much,” she said. “It is the one thing that makes me feel like ‘Yes, I can get through math today because I have rehearsal.’” Despite her many commitments, Naomi completes all of her responsibilities without complaint, according to Whinston. “Somehow she manages to kind of do it all, which I think is pretty impressive,” he said. “She’s very organized, gets her work done and doesn’t complain about it.” Knoedler agreed that Naomi displays an exceptional work ethic and said that it fuels her success in theatre. “I think upperclassmen appreciate … not only
her performance skills, but also her ability to have fun when it’s appropriate and work hard when it’s appropriate,” he said. “Sometimes freshmen don’t know that line, and they’ll goof around when it’s time to work.” Naomi said her busy schedule is worth the effort. “Sometimes I will have four hours of acting to do after school, so I will have two hours for homework, and it will be pretty hectic,” she said. “But, I mean, when you are doing something you love to do, it’s okay.” Naomi manages to maintain a positive outlook in whatever she does, Horstmann said. “She stays up late doing work [and] does not have that much free time, but she’s always in a good mood when she comes to school,” she said. “I think she dives into it and works hard ... I know she puts her best effort into everything.” Seiden said that Naomi can apply this attitude to all aspects of her life. “She is a really hard worker and really determined,” Seiden said. “If she does what she does with skiing and theater with everything else in her life ... then she is definitely doing something right.” It is this determination and this mindset, Knoedler said, that will allow Naomi to have success in anything she chooses to pursue. “Whatever she puts her mind to, she’ll be able to go far,” he said. “I think she’s very flexible and has a lot of the foundational skills to make it in a variety of fields — the people skills, the work ethic, the grit that it takes to be a success.”