Getting to Know Connor Shea!

Connor Shea is a Sophomore at Natick High School who is a new intern at Monkeyhouse. The following interview is conducted by Jacob Rosen, another new Monkeyhouse intern.

JR: Hello, Connor! How are you?

CS: Hi, I am doing well thank you.

JR: So, to start off this interview, when and where were you born?

CS: I was born on November 18th at Newton Wellesley Hospital.

JR: Cool! Now, since this interview is happening because of Monkeyhouse, when did you first hear about Monkeyhouse?

CS: Being a part of Natick High School Drama, Monkeyhouse just seems into your mind, but I remember during Freshman year Nicole invited me to a Monkeyhouse event on Facebook and I was interested in what it was, so I looked into it and I found out about Monkeyhouse as a result.

JR: That’s like how I found out about Monkeyhouse! For those who may not know you, what are some of your interests?

CS: I am really interested in theater and speech, I really love performing! I also am a really big movie buff.

JR: Theater and speech are some of my favorite activities as well! Since you are a movie buff, what is your favorite movie?

CS: I can say, totally, without a doubt, it is Polar Express. I can watch that movie any time of year and I have watched it countless times! It is the greatest movie I have ever seen.

Connor (Left) as Mark Cohen in
"Rent: School Edition", a production
put on by Wellesley Theater Project 

JR: Let’s segue to your love of theater, when did you get started in theater and what was your first show?

CS: Wow, I remember being podded into theater in 4th grade by my mother to do a program at Walnut Hill. I did it and I adored it, then it’s all downhill from there (Laughs). The show we put on was Charlotte’s Web, I played Gander and Mr. Arable. I was the only boy so they had me play all of the boy parts, I loved it nonetheless.

JR: Wow, that sounds like a great experience. Speaking of experiences, what theater companies have you worked with?

CS: I have worked with Natick High School Drama, Natick Drama Workshop, the Walnut Hill theater program, Wellesley Theater Project and Wilson Middle School Drama.

JR: That is quite an impressive resumé. What are your, let’s say, top 3 roles you have portrayed?

CS: Let’s see, the first one that comes to mind is Mark Cohen in Rent, he was just such a privilege to play, Emmett in Legally Blonde was a blast, pure and simple, and lastly I have to say playing Sir Harry in Once Upon a Mattress this past November was a fun and difficult experience,  Sir Harry and I spent some quality time together haha.

JR: Are you working on any show right now?

CS: No, however I am working toward my audition for Little Women: The Musical, that is being directed by Monkeyhouse's own Marie Libbin. So I am excited for that.

JR: I am thrilled for that too, it’s going to be a great show. Continuing on with our subject of theater, what do you like most about theater?

CS: I can confidently say that the environment of theater and the comradery everybody in the theater community has for each other and the work that we are doing. It sounds like a huge cliche, I know, but while most cliches start with a grain of truth, this one started with a bolder of truth. Theater is a place to escape to for me, a place where everybody can fit in. I love it with all of my heart.

JR: Seems like you have some mighty affectionate feelings toward the theater community, that’s great to hear. So, speech, what exactly is speech and how did you get involved?

CS: I guess you could describe it as competitive acting and speaking, however it is so much more than that, to really understand speech you must experience it. I got involved in the 6th grade because my friend was poking and prodding me to join, so I did and I fell in love with it, it is something that found it’s way into my heart and something that I love about is that the activity allows you to push the boundary of the rules and what is deemed acceptable. You couldn’t do that in a sport, you can’t walk into the batters box of a baseball field and decide to catch the ball that the pitcher throws at you. In speech you can find ways to make the activity your own, and not just whatever you are told. Also I like dressing up for the tournaments, for competition everybody gets dressed up in what we call festival dress, which is a different way of saying suit and tie, skirt suit etc.

JR: That is definitely an activity that you seem to put your heart into. Jumping back to theater, what are your strengths? Acting, singing, or dancing?

Connor (Right) as Sir Harry in Natick High Schools
production of "Once Upon A Mattress"

CS: I can say that I feel my strength lays in my voice. I love to sing and I love taking something small, like a song, and making it large. I remember one time, it was the callback for Once Upon a Mattress, I was told to sing my song (Go The Distance from Hercules) as a buff crazy sports coach, it was so fun to make it crazy and take something that seemed small and making it large and wild.

JR: I can certainly attest to the fact that you have a wonderful voice. In conclusion, what do you want to accomplish through Monkeyhouse?

CS: I wish to better myself both in dancing and the art of theater. It is going to be great not working with kids (my own age) for once. I am looking forward to working with such an amazing organization.

JR: Thank you for your time, and best of luck with Little Woman, so pumped to work with you and Monkeyhouse. Jacob and Connor love Monkeyhouse!!