“Return to Forbidden Planet” at The Acting Studio

For as long as I remember, I’ve had a negative cloud that follows me to every play or live stage performance. Growing up in a small town that had a number of theatre majors, I saw some of the worst butchering of plays that could be done. Actors don’t care. Producers don’t have a clue. Set designers throw garbage into half-assed sets. Every production I had been to growing up seemed forced and half-hearted. It had all but turned me off from stage productions all together.

Then, by chance, I found the Acting Studio (110 Flagship Dr, Lutz, FL 33549,

813-679-4810) and their production of “Return to Forbidden Planet“. Billed as a Shakespearean, Shatner-ian space comedy infusing classic rock songs into theatre, it sounded like something I’d be willing to give a chance to. What left me feeling apprehensive was the age of the cast, all 14 to 21 with an average age of 17. With all of the bad teenage productions I had seen, how could this one be any better?

Thankfully, I was very surprised. I was literally in shock for most of the 2 hour performance, as the dedication to the script and the high energy of this production couldn’t have been pulled off any better. Every young actor put their heart and soul into this, and it’s evident where the energy came from considering the husband and wife team of Victoria and Daniel Watson that run the Acting Studio and put on these productions.

When you meet Victoria Watson, you’ll be instantly overwhelmed. If I could bottle her natural energy and aura and sell it, I’d be a rich man and crystal meth manufacturers would be out of business. Part academic and part Tasmanian devil, her infectious nature can be seen in every young mind she touches. When she walks into a room full of her students, they all run up to hug her and share their goings-on with her. Her energy is backed by her education and long-time dedication to theatre, including dual degrees in performance and theatre education form USF and 14 years of teaching experience.

When you meet her husband, Daniel Watson, you see the Yin to her Yang. A degree in vocal performance, 14 years professional teach experience, musical director, operator of gear and electronics and extensive theatre experience. You can see easily how Daniel and Victoria came to this point with these kids in this place, as it’s the only place I could see either of them truly being as happy as they are.

In 2000 when they were expecting their second child, they decided to take a leap of faith and quit their jobs to pursue running their own business. It was called Musical Memories and involved the professional recording of music groups for fundraising. A good concept that was starting to pick up speed until 9/11 hit, and everything changed. They decided that they would have to go back to teaching full time that January. In November, tragedy struck. While hanging Christmas lights, Daniel fell from the second story to their concrete driveway when hornets came out from under the eaves. He had broken his left leg in 2 places and destroyed his left elbow and fractured his pelvis. He would spend the next 6 months in a wheelchair.

Meanwhile the bills were mounting and Victoria knew she needed to do something, since we had 2 very small children and no income. Her stepfather at the time had a small storefront in Lutz and she decided to try my hand at teaching drama to home-schooled students. This space would eventually become the Acting Studio. Daniel eventually had a full recovery with no repercussions. Seven years later, they have three storefronts, a full size stage and a recording studio. Their family continues to grow, welcoming a little girl to their family and over 100 students that they have come to love like their own.

While they started The Acting Studio out of necessity, they have watched it become a place where people come to be accepted and loved, along the way discovering the incredible talent that lies within each one of them. They know that they will not be judged by us or their peers and that they will be supported no matter what they want to accomplish. Along with learning everything that they want to know about music and theatre, they also learn appreciation not only for the arts but for their fellow students and actors.

Regardless of where life takes them, the goal of the Acting Studio is for all of the students to have the confidence to succeed in all of their endeavors. We hope to give them a place to foster their talent and to draw strength from the experiences that they had at the Studio. Where some may see a child that is shy or lacking in confidence, Daniel and Victoria see a child that simply needs to find the hidden potential inside of them, for everyone has a gift if they are given the proper tools to develop it. As an onlooker and new attendee of the Acting Studio’s performances, I can see that the dedication to this ideal can be seen in every interaction, both on stage and off.

For this production of Return to Forbidden Planet, the teenage class consisted of a very convincing set of young actors. The young man who played Captain Tempest reminded me of a young William Shatner. His lines were often over the top and tongue-in-cheek, delivered as they are supposed to be. His machismo and bravado is what makes Tempest what he is, both in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and in this production. Excellent leads include that of Gloria, the science officer and lost love of Doctor Prospero. You can tell this actress really embodied the conniving and underhanded nature of Gloria, tempting the cook while continuing to seduce her estranged husband.

The part of Miranda, Prospero’s daughter, went to a young girl that seems like she is on the peak of greatness. You can tell she is a bit shy and timid, a must for this part, but she really nails it as the production goes on. Her part of the song, “Teenager in Love” perfectly compliments the Cook, as their duet continued to play in my head throughout the night.

The young actor who played Dr. Prospero, the oldest of the cast at 21 years old, puts on a dynamic performance of his own. He’s a very emotional and expressive actor, and it can be seen in his wild facial expressions. Sometimes comical, sometimes serious, always good.

My favorite character, and I admit I’m biased because I love Robots, is Ariel, the robot assistant of Prospero. Delightfully creepy, his sprayed-on bronze robot suit and robot-articulate expressions send chills and create laughs, often at the same time.

The supporting cast were also exceptional. Throughout the performance, I laughed and sang along and felt their energy throughout the room. In a packed house, I don’t recall seeing a single person get up or take their eyes off the cast. It was a dynamic performance and the actors commanded the audience with authority. I was delightfully impressed and will be attending more Acting Studio performances as they are announced.

If you want to see all of the photos of The Acting Studio’s production of “Return to Forbidden Planet”, you can see them here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisbaldwin/sets/72157615175355547/

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