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ll -WA1'Htuoo CHRONICLE -Wednesday, August ii. 2013 Hitting the big stage ' O C O 0 Waterloo boy makes hlS Stratford Festival debut m The Merchant of Venice BYBonViuwuc world-famous Stratford Festival where he's Chronicle Staff landed a role in their production of one of ‘ William Shakespeare's seminal works Catching the acting bug came early for “My instructor told me I should audition Waterloo's Gabe long. for the Stratford Festival," said long. “I audi» He remembers watching his older siblings tioned for the role of Tommy but they told perform on stage with a local theatre coma me l was too tall. pany when he decided he wanted to do the "I think they were trying to keep from same thing. hurting my feelings." . That interest in the theatre has earned But the audition included acting out a him a role in the Stratford Festival producâ€" scene where he stole the scarfofa character tion of The Merchant of Venice which named Shylock. That's the same Shylock opened last week. character that features prominently in The "1 saw them performing a lot and l wanta Merchant ofVenicei ed to do it too," said long, who was just a The audition earned him a callback for a preschooler when he got inspired by his sib- role as one ofthe youth who engage Shylock lings Rachel and lordan. “I also saw them in the opening scenes of one of Shake» performing in the “Wizard of 02 at St. Luke's speare's most controversial dramas. it sets school and said i want to do ‘ _ . the tone for a play that that. ‘[just liked the explores islslues of anti~Semi~ “I just liked the idea of - - tism and t e true value and pretending to be different Idea gfzretendlng measure of what it means to ’ , . ‘ people." [0 e 1 erent be human through the act of M- "v- ' p ; Before he could join them. 7 » mercy. ”M‘ M‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ his older siblings decided to peop a He nailed the audition IQ, , 1 pursue other interests. but ~Gabe long with the quiet confidence he ‘ if“ ‘ Long never let go of the (,rn(1p55{uljgn1atsfv[uky earned from his earlier audi- " f notion that he wanted to be (whom schoolinakmghu tion. He thinks he also a on stage. szrarford Patina/debut impressed the director by lhat's when he decided to seizing the moment instead .. w “j ",‘ join local theatre group. Growing in the Arts. of responding to a ton of questions ;_- w M i”? ’ ‘ and get some formal training “A lot of people were doing a lot of talking That led to a couple of lead roles for the but I was hanging back." said long. “I think 10-year-old through the local theatre arts they were looking for people who were more " training school. including as Fudge in lales controlled." ofthe fourth (irade‘ Superfudgeâ€"arMania He said he let his acting do his talking for ”It's the combination of all three Fudge him. “I had an idea of what I was doing. and books (by author ludy HIiimel." said long "I I wasn‘t afraid," said long. had to act like a baby 80 what are his tips for any other young "lhe truth is l kind of (“it'd like that at actors out there? home." “You just have to have fun With the role It taught hint what it was like to be centre because you can have no fun and it‘s just a stage, and got him over any notion of being boring play, or you can experiment and have nervous out in front ofa production some fun." said long "In terms of learning "l didn't have a lot of long speeches but I lines. I just prat tict' before I go to bed got to sajv stuff and use a fuiim voice." said because it settles into my mind " long "l learned how to look into an audi Has he t-wr dreamt about his perform l'lltt' and not get distrattt‘d I (an just look tint es? "Ont t' or twice but not that often," there and stare off into so.” t' It made "if said long want todo more on stage " lhe Straitord festival presents the MN It opened him to a world of possibilities thant ofVenit‘e until Oct. 19 for more infor Waterloo's Gabriel Long, 10, is making his Stratford Festival debut in a production of Mlliam on the stage Int hiding auditioning for the ination Visit w’vvwstratfordfestivalt om. Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venke we mm a.“ i i 0 l l B ’ l ‘ j , ‘ a \i‘ ‘ - - U I < l ' ' A \ D"l.’*‘ “DAL ‘5 3 â€" \»M ‘ ‘ , 4 LI - o o .- r” “aft 3". I H ' ‘ ' . Gk NER if“ “I" l i V V” ’ w + --x.. 9 mm .......-..â€".-...._ u... .- IJ.--.onln. Water|00-,:l film in 2 519-884-262}; Kitt,lii'iit:i . ..: i' a ‘ld 519â€"579-3495 “will" 1‘ .'.i.1 ‘i 519-896-8585