By Tina Haertel
I can assure you that at one point in your Collingwood life you have seen this face plastered on the walls of our hallways. In fact I can say that if you have been at Collingwood for more than a year, you have definitely seen this face multiple times, each time embodying a completely different character. Alex Lara is Collingwood’s very own multifaceted talent. As an actor, singer, and dancer, he has been featured in nearly every play and musical since 2010. Alex has awed us not only with his amazing acting skills, but also with his voice during the recent Head Master 500. Although as a school we loved to see Alex singing his heart out, for him his greatest passion lies in acting. When asked why he prefers acting, Alex says “I love being dramatic and playing someone other than myself” and we are lucky that he does, because his presence on stage is truly inspiring.
I can assure you that at one point in your Collingwood life you have seen this face plastered on the walls of our hallways. In fact I can say that if you have been at Collingwood for more than a year, you have definitely seen this face multiple times, each time embodying a completely different character. Alex Lara is Collingwood’s very own multifaceted talent. As an actor, singer, and dancer, he has been featured in nearly every play and musical since 2010. Alex has awed us not only with his amazing acting skills, but also with his voice during the recent Head Master 500. Although as a school we loved to see Alex singing his heart out, for him his greatest passion lies in acting. When asked why he prefers acting, Alex says “I love being dramatic and playing someone other than myself” and we are lucky that he does, because his presence on stage is truly inspiring.
From his appearance as the zombie in Zombie Prom to the lead in The Farnsworth Invention, it has become de rigueur to see Alex appear on stage at each of Collingwood’s productions. It is not without blood, sweat, and tears, however, that Alex has been able to put on such a great show for everybody. The most recent role that Alex took on in The Farnsworth Invention was the most challenging yet as he had to memorize “A LOT of lines with a lot of scientific jargon”.
Despite all this hard work, Alex’s fondest memory has surprisingly not been in the limelight, but backstage. Alex says that his best memory took place at his first rehearsal “when I walked in and I got to meet everyone and everyone was so nice to me”. As a legacy, Alex has created the same welcoming environment for all other members who have joined Collingwood’s acting community since then. It is sad to have to say good-bye to Alex as he is graduating this year, but perhaps his most exciting roles are coming up during this final year. Alex will be in both The Crucible and Grease, so don’t miss your final chance to watch Collingwood’s great star take the stage for the final time!