Karen Graham
It’s not a typical 14 year-old boy’s dream summer: 8 hour days, many of them spent in a three piece suit, shirt and tie in heat and humidity, dancing and singing with four younger children. Long days, uncomfortable clothing, no air conditioning, video games or hanging out with your buddies. Oh yes, and when you come home, you are physically exhausted. It depends on your perspective, but for 4th Line Theatre’s Max Czmielelewski, this summer was a perfect.
After another energetic preformance, Max dons his street clothes and transforms into a typical looking teenager. Photo: Karen Graham.
The only dialogue from the actors portraying the children in Gimme That Prime Time Religion was delivered before the play began, as the young actors strolled through the crowd, engaging the audience with strong southern accents, seeking prayer requests from the spectators. They were confidence and convincing in their roles.
Max’s 4th line experience began four years ago when he joined the cast of St. Francis of Millbrook as an extra. The following year, he assumed the role of the younger version of Robert Mcguire in the cast of The Winslows of Derryvore, and last year he was a character in Dr. Barnardo’s Children.
Max is committed to his craft, and in addition to his summer stints at the 4th Line, he has studied acting and improv with local celebrity Linda Kash at the Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts. The training paid off last year when as a grade 9 student at St. Peter Catholic Secondary School, he earned a lead role in last year’s play. He credits Drama teacher Paul Croak for the ambitious drama program offered at this school, and Max looks forward to the next production which he expects will be a big musical this year.
It’s clear that these young actors like Max get a great deal out of the experience at this theatre, and in this play their antics and choreography added a carnival atmosphere to the melodrama on the stage. In costume, Max seems old beyond his years, with almost unusual poise and confidence. When sheds his suit and dons his sweatshirt, however, the confidence remains but the teenager appears, and with a firm handshake and a broad grin, he looks years younger…
