‘Dog Sees God,’ GCSU sees new theater production

From the wrestling mat to the stage: Evan Fields prepares for his new role as Beethoven in ‘Dog Sees God.’

He read it countless times as a child. Over and over again, night after night he only needed one story to keep him company. “Goodnight Moon,” a popular children’s book, was a beloved story for Evan Fields.

Page after page is filled with color and rhyme schemes that engage the reader. Though the entirety of the story takes place in only one room, Fields found zero boredom in having his mind contained in a single place. This established an imagination of titan proportions, allowing him to indulge in the story and unearth elements only conveyed by his mind. Fields grew with time, as did his creative energy. The live stage is now his bedtime story, where in one single theater his creativity explodes as if he was reading “Goodnight Moon” all over again.

Evan Fields is a senior theater major.

Fields is in the midst of his senior year at GCSU, and his creativity is still growing. This fall for his senior capstone performance, Fields will be playing Beethoven, a grown up Schroeder from the comic strip “Peanuts.”“It’s really been an honor to work with him, and he’s doing a fantastic job portraying the difficult role in the show,” said senior theater major and director of the play, Nic Marrone. He had a different role in mind for Fields, but during a late night callback, Fields read a few lines and dominated the part. Marrone had no choice but to name the new Beethoven.

A theater major from Collins Hill High School, Fields has always loved performing. Family occasions, elementary plays and living room productions gave him the insight on his true passion at a young age. Field’s first stage time at GCSU starred him as Ceres from Shakespeare’s, “The Tempest.” He has done everything from small roles to leads like Tom Sullivan in “Fat Pig,” to the company in “RENT.”

“I appreciate all performances,” Fields said. Creating a new world for his viewers to climb into is important to him. “At the end of any show I think, the audience has been there the whole time, and I kept them there.” A love for theater lies deep in his bones, though it was tested in his middle school years.

A fierce competitor also lies within the creative Fields. He found wrestling at a young age and a passion for the mats ignited instantly. Entering freshman year at Collins Hill, Fields took on the wrestling team and the theater program. Sophomore year brought on the realization of a choice, one that would affect the years to come. His desire for the stage outweighed wrestling, and his true dedication began.

Long nights are required, but never loathed. Rehearsals are time consuming, but Fields’ determination stays intact. The job force is a mess for now, but Fields stays optimistic. A desired internship is being sought out in Atlanta, in hopes of the ideal opportunity seeking an acting career in New York.

In his final year at GCSU, he is getting involved in many ways, not only submerging himself in his character, but recognizing his leadership and teaching others.

“Despite Evan’s phenomenal abilities as an actor, he is humble; he helped me learn to feel at ease on the stage,” said freshman theater major Rachel Bull. “A good actor is someone who is overflowing with talent and knowledge to the point where they can’t help but pour some into those around them.”

Perhaps it’s the fact that he was born in a town named Hollywood. Maybe it is reciting lines to the tune of his piano, or making a playlist on his iPod for each character he portrays. Regardless of how his passion was born, it is pure, it is true and it intends to last.

Graduation is the end, but the creation of a career to come. Sitting behind square black-framed glasses, a skinny dark haired boy waits. Waiting for the premiere of a hard worked show, the closure of a college experience, and a sight set on continuing his impression he leaves. “I want to step into another world and hope that a great job would influence others,” he said.

Posted by Taylor Lamb on Sep 24 2010. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.