Former theater teacher finds herself on stage
Submitted by jcht2010 on
The last time Ganado’s Jonel Knuppel was on the stage she was in fifth grade and she played the role of a potato because at the time she was not much of an actress. Today, she has blossomed and will be playing multiple roles in the musical “The Sound of Music” at The Plaza Theatre in Wharton from Aug. 1-17.
“I was in two plays that I can remember,” Knuppel said. “In fourth grade I was a violet. I must not have done very well because in fifth grade I was demoted to a potato and so I never acted again. I used to be terribly afraid to be in front of people.”
She said after 20 years of teaching music and theatre at Ganado Independent School District her acting abilities have improved quite a bit. Knuppel retired this year as the school’s theatre teacher, she also taught elementary music K-5.
Knuppel tells her students when they have stage fright to take a deep breath and not look directly into the audience, instead look above the audience’s heads. She said the actors have to remember they are the character and the audience does not know the character. Audience members are there to learn about the character. The technique works for most of the cast members.
“You have to take yourself out of it,” Knuppel said.
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