William Shakespeare once said, “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” Senior Cole Watson has a grand part to play, now that he has been awarded the opportunity to compete with his two monologues at the National Thespian Convention in July.  

“This trip would not only give me a chance to represent LCM one more time, now on a national level, but also would give me a chance to spend a week learning from the best thespians in the country,” Watson said. “The convention could be an amazing opportunity for learning and building professional relationships.”   

The cost to attend the National Thespian Convention is $1,000, not including transportation to Indiana, where nationals are held.

“Understandably, the school cannot foot that bill,” Watson said. “My parents also cannot, especially with two other college students in the family, both with intense medical issues. Mrs. Dennison is putting together an online fundraiser (similar to the ones on the site Go Fund Me), and hopefully that can at least lower the cost to something more affordable.” 

After graduation, Watson plans to earn a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Arts, with a focus on acting and directing. He strives to one day perform, direct, and write plays professionally.  

“In second grade, my mom took my family to a Shakespeare play in the park production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’,” Watson said. “I did not really understand the language, but I was so captivated by the energy the actors brought to their performances. My dream is to capture that same magic I felt and spread it through my performances.” 

The Theatre Productions program and UIL One Act Play have been a significant part of Watson’s life for three years now.  

“The love for art and storytelling was always in me, but I didn’t really get to explore it until I started theatre here,” Watson said. “Mrs. Dennison has given me a chance to explore that side of myself and it is because of her program that I am going to do this in some form for the rest of my life.” 

Watson has been working towards his ambitions for the future by auditioning with multiple colleges and immersing himself in multiple UIL theatre arts competitions.  

“One thing that I am really excited about for college is learning more than just acting,” Watson said. “There are so many parts of theatre, and I cannot wait to connect to this art form in more than one way. I have already started working on a design for UIL theatrical design this year, and I cannot wait to learn more.” 

With the One Act Play season picking up now and the possibility of competing at the national convention in the summer, Watson is looking forward to expanding his horizons and gaining more experience.  

“For the past four years, I have seen Cole blossom from a student with a slight interest in theatre, to a well-seasoned actor that is passionate about his craft,” theatre director Ashley Dennison said. “We are extremely proud of Cole for representing our department at the national level. I am confident that whatever he pursues moving forward, he will be successful.”