After hearing good reviews about the Stephenville Theatre Festival, Jeff Sullivan is looking forward to “getting his feet wet” on stage in Stephenville this summer.
At 18 years of age, the Bauline resident will be the youngest cast member at the Stephenville Festival this season.
He is spending the summer with the company in Stephenville and feels this festival is great for a student, especially since he is taking part in three productions, including the musical, “British Invasion,” the kids show, “If You Could Wear My Sneakers,” and the country music show, “Heading West.”
While he hadn’t seen the scripts at the time of an interview with the Georgian, Jeff said why he does mostly singing parts he is an actor as well. Not only is he looking forward to his involvement with the festival but exploring the area too because this is his first time in Stephenville and the Bay St. George area.
His involvement in the arts started out in Elementary school plays and he began to take it serious when he reached Grade 7 at which time he transferred to Mount Pearl Senior High to get involved in the Mount Pearl School Choir.
“I’ve always sang, so musical theatre has been a passion throughout the years and the most prominent thing I’ve been involved in,” he said.
“I’ve always sang, so musical theatre has been a passion throughout the years and the most prominent thing I’ve been involved in.” - Jeff Sullivan
Now fresh out of high school after completing his public exams he’s looking forward to the roles he will be playing this summer and to rehearsing for them.
During the years he has been a big attendee in the Kiwanis Music Festival in St. John’s and the last two years consecutive, 2009-10, he has been named Mount Pearl Youth Performer of the Year.
He has worked with Keith Pike, artistic director with the Stephenville Theatre Festival, on two shows in St. John’s where he had significant roles.
Jeff played Bernardo in “West Side Story” and Nick Piazza, the male lead in “Fame - The Musical.” He took acting lessons with Keith, so the two know each other well.
He credits his music teachers for him getting where he is today and said he wouldn’t have been as involved in singing and acting, had it not been his parents, Marina and Jeff Sullivan.
And once he’s finished his run in Stephenville, he will be studying musical theatre at the New York Film Academy, starting on Sept. 7.
