Post by title1parent on Aug 5, 2010 5:55:12 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2567392,6_5_NA05_GAM3RS_S1-100805.article
Actor, writer Brian Bielawski
August 5, 2010
By JANE DONAHUE For Sun-Times Media
Brian Bielawski wrote a play for his college thesis, but he never imagined where the assignment would take him. Five years later, the actor and 1998 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate is entertaining audiences around the country with an adaptation of the school project, a one-man show called "GAM3RS."
"Not ever -- you could not have told me this was a possibility that I would still be doing this show, and would have wild success around the country with it," said Bielawski, who co-wrote "GAM3RS" with Walter G. Meyer.
"GAM3RS" is a one-man play about a technical support operator who hates his job and spends his time playing online role-playing games and trying to hide them from his micromanaging boss. Originally penned as a 15-minute show, Bielawski delivers a one-hour performance packed with more than laughs.
"There are people who have fantasy lives; they are playing out a role as a hero in a world they think is way better than the world they are living," the 29-year-old said. "What I really want is for people to see through my play (and see) that it's possible to be the hero in their real life. The overall point of the play is to empower kids to bridge the gap between their fantasy lives and their real lives, and see that their real life can be just as exciting."
After graduating from Waubonsie Valley, the aspiring actor went to the University of Evansville, where he received a bachelor's degree in acting, before earning his master's from the University of San Diego.
Bielawski still lives in the San Diego area, but recalls his first acting gig in Aurora in "Stuart Little."
"I didn't grow up wanting to be an actor, it kind of came to me my sophomore year after I did my first play at Waubonsie," Bielawski said. "It was so time consuming, I thought I would never do it again. But crazy enough, when auditions came up for the musical that year, I found myself trying out for it."
After landing a part in the musical "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," Bielawski was hooked.
"That is the experience that totally captured me," the actor said. "From there, I tried out for every play at Waubonsie for the next two years."
Besides memories of growing up in a family "that just loved movies," Bielawski credits his years as a Warrior for his chosen career path.
"Waubonsie had and has a phenomenal theater department -- (teacher and director) David Calvert is amazing," Bielawski said. "Had that program not been so good and had Calvert not been such a great director and instructor, a lot of us would not have done what we did. We were doing 'professional' theater while in high school."
Bielawski has a resume of film, television and off-Broadway roles, but his current passion is his role in "GAM3RS," which he has performed for the past five years. He plans to take the show on tour around the country, with hopes for stops in Chicago, and of course, Waubonsie Valley High School.
"I would tell anyone interested in acting to absolutely follow your dreams and give it your all," said Bielawski. "Anything you can imagine is possible."
Actor, writer Brian Bielawski
August 5, 2010
By JANE DONAHUE For Sun-Times Media
Brian Bielawski wrote a play for his college thesis, but he never imagined where the assignment would take him. Five years later, the actor and 1998 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate is entertaining audiences around the country with an adaptation of the school project, a one-man show called "GAM3RS."
"Not ever -- you could not have told me this was a possibility that I would still be doing this show, and would have wild success around the country with it," said Bielawski, who co-wrote "GAM3RS" with Walter G. Meyer.
"GAM3RS" is a one-man play about a technical support operator who hates his job and spends his time playing online role-playing games and trying to hide them from his micromanaging boss. Originally penned as a 15-minute show, Bielawski delivers a one-hour performance packed with more than laughs.
"There are people who have fantasy lives; they are playing out a role as a hero in a world they think is way better than the world they are living," the 29-year-old said. "What I really want is for people to see through my play (and see) that it's possible to be the hero in their real life. The overall point of the play is to empower kids to bridge the gap between their fantasy lives and their real lives, and see that their real life can be just as exciting."
After graduating from Waubonsie Valley, the aspiring actor went to the University of Evansville, where he received a bachelor's degree in acting, before earning his master's from the University of San Diego.
Bielawski still lives in the San Diego area, but recalls his first acting gig in Aurora in "Stuart Little."
"I didn't grow up wanting to be an actor, it kind of came to me my sophomore year after I did my first play at Waubonsie," Bielawski said. "It was so time consuming, I thought I would never do it again. But crazy enough, when auditions came up for the musical that year, I found myself trying out for it."
After landing a part in the musical "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," Bielawski was hooked.
"That is the experience that totally captured me," the actor said. "From there, I tried out for every play at Waubonsie for the next two years."
Besides memories of growing up in a family "that just loved movies," Bielawski credits his years as a Warrior for his chosen career path.
"Waubonsie had and has a phenomenal theater department -- (teacher and director) David Calvert is amazing," Bielawski said. "Had that program not been so good and had Calvert not been such a great director and instructor, a lot of us would not have done what we did. We were doing 'professional' theater while in high school."
Bielawski has a resume of film, television and off-Broadway roles, but his current passion is his role in "GAM3RS," which he has performed for the past five years. He plans to take the show on tour around the country, with hopes for stops in Chicago, and of course, Waubonsie Valley High School.
"I would tell anyone interested in acting to absolutely follow your dreams and give it your all," said Bielawski. "Anything you can imagine is possible."