The blind and deaf Helen Keller of Artists Rep’s upcoming The Miracle Worker is a serious role for a serious kid. Fortunately, Agatha Olson’s prepared for it, having spent the last several seasons delving into some of Portland theater’s most challenging child roles—from a horror victim, to a homeless girl, to a spooky Shakespearean fairy. Artslandia asked Agatha some of our usual questions and got the kind of thorough, mature answers that bode well for a thrilling performance.
Agatha Day Olson Age: 12
Last Seen in: The Pain and Itch, Third Rail Repertory; The Lost Boy, ART; The Big Meal, ART; Carter Hall, Fertile Ground Fest; The Turn, The Reformers; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fall Festival of Shakespeare; Dear Galileo, Playwrights West/CoHo; Street Stories: Homeless Hearts and Minds, Readers Repertory.
Hobbies: Writing short stories, songs, poetry, plays and theater reviews, painting, drawing, and stop-motion animation
Likes: Animals both wild and domestic, spending time with friends and family, eating banana cream pie, music, road trips, learning new things, hearing people’s stories, floating down the river, getting postcards, helping others, parties and holidays
Dislikes: Unfairness, a messy room, violence, knowing that people are living on the streets, prejudice, cold tea, the thought of animals suffering, bad karaoke, when people don’t stand up for each other, and fireworks
Training and Awards:
I haven’t had any training so far, but I’m hoping that I can maybe take some classes over the summer. I’m really lucky because I have a chance to work with some of the best actors, directors and creative teams. I’ve learned so much from all of them!
I’ve never won an award, but I was nominated for a Drammy, and that was super-exciting. I also was one of six finalists for Oregon Children’s Theatre’s Young Playwrights for Change playwriting contest. I’d like to mention that all of the finalists and the winner were girls.
Your favorite plays: The Big Meal, The Liar, Blithe Spirit, and Broomstick, all at Artists Rep; Static at Third Rail; Dear Galileo at CoHo, The Tempest by Portland Shakespeare Project—I like that it was Prospera instead of Prospero! The Piano Lesson at Portland Playhouse.
Up The Fall by PHAME—if you haven’t been to one of their productions, you’re missing out!
Dream roles: Someday, I’d like to play Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It would also be very interesting to play someone who goes from young to old or the other way around. I’ve [also] been thinking that it would be a lot of fun to be in a comedy.
Playing Helen Keller:
There’s a lot to love about Helen Keller. She didn’t let obstacles stand in the way of her learning. I think that’s why she’s an inspiration to people all over the world. She fought for the rights of people with disabilities, and the right to vote for women. If she ever felt like giving up or felt sorry for herself, you wouldn’t know it. I can only imagine what it must have been like for Helen when she was my age.
Helen would get really frustrated and throw epic tantrums, because she couldn’t communicate before Annie Sullivan came along. I don’t have any lines, so I’m going to have to get all of those emotions across by making sounds and using my body. So, this is the most physical role I’ve had so far. There are a lot of things that are very new to me. I have to convince people that I can’t see or hear. I also have never been in a play where I get to fight. There’s plenty of fighting in The Miracle Worker.
The challenge itself is the most exciting thing about playing Helen Keller. I admire her, and I’m going to do my best to honor her. It’s important to me to share her story.
See Agatha in Artists Repertory Theatre’s The Miracle Worker Dec. 8–Jan. 3. For details, visit artistsrep.org.
The post THE LEAD: Agatha Olson appeared first on Artslandia - Portland's Performing Arts Guide.