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People Profiles
Byron Yee
- Hometown: Issaquah, WA
- Major: Business and Theatre
Caring Mentor
Professor Jim Lortz, Acting coach in the College of Fine and Performing Arts, has been a great coach, a super mentor, and a great advisor. Jim really knows his students. He knows their personalities and quickly identifies a student's strengths and weaknesses. I love him because he has set up a very safe and effective learning environment and I can access his wisdom both as an academic teacher, but more importantly, an advisor for my life in general.
Committed Artists
Everyone (faculty and students) are committed to their projects 110%. It is not unusual to run into my colleagues and professors well past "bedtime." Our students and professors are incredibly talented and I am happy to see that we have so many opportunities to apply and practice our art in a very supportive community.
Keeping it Current
Many of the shows we perform are based off of current events and issues in our world. Theatre reflects society; this is one of the first lessons we learn. While Annie and Oklahoma are popular and fun shows, the relevance and personal importance of shows like Angels in America really help nurture the students' passion for theatre.
Proud Moment
I conducted/directed my first musical ever last year. The musical was called Songs for a New World, which is a 10 year old musical written by Jason Robert Brown. This was a challenge because not only was it my first time directing a musical, but it was also my first time conducting a music group. It was an incredibly fulfilling challenge because it forced me to use whatever past music and theatre experiences I had and it proved that I was capable of performing what initially looked impossible.
Life after Western
I would like to perform for a living and share my talents with the community. I would also like to run my own theatre company some day.