Since the age of eight, Graham has involved himself in over twenty theatrical productions inside and outside of school. Currently, he is a co-leader of September, Aragon’s all-male a cappella group, and he has one of the lead roles in Aragon’s upcoming production of Into the Woods.
“He is a fabulous, natural singer,” Smuin says. “And, from his freshman year to this year, he has grown exponentially as an actor. And I know that he [took] some outside classes for dancing, so I think he’s going in that way too. I mean, he’s an all-around, gifted theater person.”
Graham started out at the Educational Theatre Company’s summer programs before moving on to the Youth Theater Company (YTC). “Once I felt I was growing out of that younger environment, I decided to get involved in YTC’s teen programs, taking acting and improv classes every day and then working on a production in the afternoon,” he says.
“I think one of my favorite roles throughout my entire acting career has been my role as Pepe in Broadway by the Bay’s production of La Cage aux Folles,” says Graham. “To be on stage with so many paid actors in a professional acting environment was a real wake up call. It was so cool to see that in action.”
Graham enjoys the feelings of being on stage and embodying an entirely different persona.
“It feels great to be on stage and put on a costume and get to be someone else for a change. You can make an audience laugh or cry with even the slightest action, and that feels good because the audience is always there to cheer you on, constantly building you up throughout the scene,” Graham says.
In addition to being a September member, Graham has been a part of Aragon’s chamber choir since his freshman year.
“I’ve always been more of a Broadway singer, so being able to learn [classical] techniques from Mr. Martin and Mr. Chen has really opened my eyes to a new side of singing that I really never thought I’d be interested in,” says Graham.
Dancing is also an integral part of Graham’s passion for musical theatre.
“I would say that the majority of the dancing that I’ve learned has been through different productions, so I wouldn’t say that I am a triple threat in that sense, but Mr. Smuin can say that I am a because I have really good tap dancing ability. I am relatively flexible because I did gymnastics as a kid,” he says. “I’m hoping to expand on my dancing as I move into community theater and the rest of my life.”
Smuin believes that Graham could take his talent to a professional level. “I’ve seen the competition. I mean, I go to see theater and he’s just as, if not more, gifted than the people that I’ve seen,” he says. “I went to Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and he could do what they do, if he wanted to.”
Despite the praise, Graham does not want to take up acting as a career. “While I definitely want to keep up with my acting and possibly pursue a minor in performing arts, I don’t think professional acting would be the right route for me,” he says. “Professional actors have to deal with so much rejection before they get their break. It’s a hard business, and it isn’t for everyone.”
Drama has been an important part of Graham’s life thus far, and it will continue to remain important even after he graduates from Aragon in the fall.
Says Graham, “With theater, your time and effort never goes unrecognized. After three months of rehearsing and giving it your all, you get to feel like a local celebrity— it is the best feeling in the world.”
