Our 2010 Crushes: Where Are They Now?
SARA MOUNTJOY-PEPKA (November): When we last heard from Sara Mountjoy-Pepka she was getting ready to open Womb Escape IV at Unexpected Productions and enjoying the power associated with her macho motorcycle helmet. Now that Womb Escape is over, she shares some of her experiences. When asked about hidden talents, she brings up another teammate, Ahsan, who she discovered could do spot-on impressions of Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy. Her most memorable experience at Unexpected Productions was being freaked out by a group of ghost hunters who came by the theater to investigate. She is currently working on “a sci-fi with a tiny bit of singing and dancing thrown in” called The Duel of the Linguist Mages at Annex Theatre, and plans to teach a winter K-2 camp at the Seattle Public Theatre. Sara says that someone who is interested in music, sports, AND acting (like her) should focus on music and sports during the school year and act in community theaters and camps during the summer. “Sports and music are a great compliment to theater - and they actually all relate [more] than you'd think. I can't tell you how much I've been called on to play bassoon, accordion, piano, recorder, and singing for theater productions.” When asked about her job title, Sara gives “actor”. - Allison C.
MOSES YIM (August):
Q: What's been keeping you busy since your interview with Teen Tix in August?
A: I have been keeping relatively busy since the interview. For one the show ran pretty successfully and then I had a couple of stage readings which were fantastic! It was the first time I had ever done anything like that and it was fun and different. Its like adult story time and I was asked to do two different readings which I was stoked and very fortunate to do.
Q: What was it like to be Crush of the Month?
A: Wow... when Holly sent me the email I was very flattered. I've never really considered myself crush worthy and am trying really hard to not let it get to my head! haha just kidding. Its pretty cool because for a long time I've always thought asians haven't really been viewed as attractive or crush worthy, but to receive the crush of the month in any form was really reassuring. If I were to be crush of the year, it would be for my asian peeps!!
Q:
A: My perfect saturday would run something like this. Basketball game in the morning, lunch with a close friend, playing a bit of music with my "band" brothers and sisters, dinner with my family, then snuggling up with my hypothetical girlfriend for some dvd time!! I'm a simple man Safaa...
ZOEY BELYEA & TALLIS MOORE (July):
Zoey:
Q: What shows have you done since we last caught up with you during Past Curfew?
A: Hair at SCT summer season. I played Janie, the pregnant one. Had so so much fun rocking out to hippie songs in the sunny end of the summer. And Reckless at my school, Seattle University, where I'm currently a junior. This show was really exciting for me, I got to work with Braden Abraham who also works at the Rep. He was such a great director, it was a huge learning experience for me. Also my character was in a wheel chair and deaf so that was a challenge.
Q: What’s your next project that we can point your fans towards?
A: I'm performing in Theater Schmeater's production of Crooked January 14-February 15. It's this really hilarious and beautiful story about a 14 year old girl, a little bit of an outcast, who finds an ultra religious friend (that's me!) when her mother moves her back to Mississippi. I think it's something all Teen Tix members will really enjoy, it's a super honest portrayal of the issues and stresses that teens deal with everyday. And my mom's in it too!!
Q: What are your 2011 New Year’s resolutions, theatre-related or not?
A: I almost always have to resolve to get more exercise. That's an important part of being an actor and just being a healthy person. I also want to start writing more poetry, I'm taking a class on it next quarter so hopefully that one will stick.
Q: And finally, what was it like to be Crush of the Month?
A: I feel honored to even be named Crush of the Month. Teen Tix is such an AMAZING organization. I have personally benefited from my Teen Tix pass more times than I can count, and often been one of the youngest people in the audience. Just know that I love Teen Tix, I was a teen tix member almost from the beginning, and as long as teenagers keep seeing theater and keep encouraging their friends so see more theater I'll be happy. We are the future, dudes. Let's own it!!
LAURA GILBREATH (March):
Q: Since "Three By Dove" you've been in quite a few more performances, do you have a favorite for 2010?
A: 2010 has been a great season of dancing. The ALL BALANCHINE program stands out in my mind as one of my favorite programs yet. Getting to perform the Waltz Girl in Serenade was amazing, Choleric in The Four Temperaments was also a highlight; it was just a fantastic program. In addition, the second movement pas de deux in Jerome Robbins' Glass Pieces [during the DIRECTOR’S CHOICE program] was fantastic.
Q: What blunder stands out in your mind?
A: I think I was an apprentice at the time and we were performing Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet. I was in the fourth movement corps section. I remember this night very clearly; it was Friday the 13th (the only reason I remember this is because Kent Stowell [PNB’s founding artistic director] was offstage in the wings joking and telling me to be careful out there because of the date!) I made my entrance and things were going pretty smoothly. Then we got to this rather chaotic crossing section and I must have tangled feet with another dancer. I went down hard right in the middle of the stage! I think it took me a minute to get up, but of course when I did, I was laughing hysterically (my typical reaction to falling and everything else!) It didn't help that another girl in the company was laughing just as hard, so every time I would look at her I would bust up again. Not to mention the fact that my knee was bleeding! I guess I should have been embarrassed, but I thought it was too funny. So I guess that blunder always stands out to me.
Q: What are you studying at Seattle U?
A: I'm just trying to get my core credits finished as of now. I just finished Spanish 115, so I'll take 125, then 135, and then I'll at least have gotten my foreign language credits taken care of. I believe I'll be a sophomore after this next Spanish class.
Q: In 2015 where will you be?
A: I hope to be a Principal dancer with PNB, dancing great ballets, and hopefully I'll be married by that point. I would love to have a baby while I'm still dancing, so maybe I would be contemplating a family.
Q. Still listening to country music? Who are the top artists/songs on your play list?
A: I will ALWAYS listen to my country music! It is my roots, after all:) I love Taylor Swift's new album, and I think Keith Urban has some great new songs as well. Rascall Flatts never disappoints!
- Safaa D.
JUSTIN HUERTES (January):
Q: What have you been doing since Speech & Debate closed?
A: I've been missing Speech & Debate! Haha! Luckily, I've been keeping busy. I got to be a part of a fantastic workshop at the Rep for a new play written and directed by Adam Rapp called Welcome Home, Dean Charbonneau. And that was a crazy-amazing experience! Adam Rapp's an incredibly talented playwright and director, so I learned a lot from him and from the actors.
I also worked with my friends at Contemporary Classics again on Zanna, Don't! and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (on which Contemporary Classics worked with RK Productions). Spelling Bee was great! I've never been a part of a cast that was so tight-knit. We're all still best friends and plan get-togethers as much as we can!
My current job, I'll save for a couple of questions down....
Q: What was it like to be Crush of the Month?
A: Honestly, that was a little surreal! Especially being the FIRST Crush of the Month! I was definitely flattered. My friends loved it. During Speech & Debate, Erin Stewart would introduce me to her friends as "Crush of the Month Justin Huertas"! She still greets me like that sometimes: "Is that Crush of the Month Justin Huertas?" Actually, when my friends heard about this follow-up interview, they all got so excited!
Q: How do you keep in touch with your cello roots now that you have moved on to acting?
A: I'm currently the cellist for the national tour of Spring Awakening, which is a Tony Award-winning Best Musical -- one of my favorites actually. So, lucky for me, I get to play rock music every night on my cello!
- Julie H.
MOSES YIM (August):
Q: What's been keeping you busy since your interview with Teen Tix in August?
A: I have been keeping relatively busy since the interview. For one the show ran pretty successfully and then I had a couple of stage readings which were fantastic! It was the first time I had ever done anything like that and it was fun and different. Its like adult story time and I was asked to do two different readings which I was stoked and very fortunate to do.
Q: What was it like to be Crush of the Month?
A: Wow... when Holly sent me the email I was very flattered. I've never really considered myself crush worthy and am trying really hard to not let it get to my head! haha just kidding. Its pretty cool because for a long time I've always thought asians haven't really been viewed as attractive or crush worthy, but to receive the crush of the month in any form was really reassuring. If I were to be crush of the year, it would be for my asian peeps!!
Q:
A: My perfect saturday would run something like this. Basketball game in the morning, lunch with a close friend, playing a bit of music with my "band" brothers and sisters, dinner with my family, then snuggling up with my hypothetical girlfriend for some dvd time!! I'm a simple man Safaa...
ZOEY BELYEA & TALLIS MOORE (July):
Zoey:
Q: What shows have you done since we last caught up with you during Past Curfew?
A: Hair at SCT summer season. I played Janie, the pregnant one. Had so so much fun rocking out to hippie songs in the sunny end of the summer. And Reckless at my school, Seattle University, where I'm currently a junior. This show was really exciting for me, I got to work with Braden Abraham who also works at the Rep. He was such a great director, it was a huge learning experience for me. Also my character was in a wheel chair and deaf so that was a challenge.
Q: What’s your next project that we can point your fans towards?
A: I'm performing in Theater Schmeater's production of Crooked January 14-February 15. It's this really hilarious and beautiful story about a 14 year old girl, a little bit of an outcast, who finds an ultra religious friend (that's me!) when her mother moves her back to Mississippi. I think it's something all Teen Tix members will really enjoy, it's a super honest portrayal of the issues and stresses that teens deal with everyday. And my mom's in it too!!
Q: What are your 2011 New Year’s resolutions, theatre-related or not?
A: I almost always have to resolve to get more exercise. That's an important part of being an actor and just being a healthy person. I also want to start writing more poetry, I'm taking a class on it next quarter so hopefully that one will stick.
Q: And finally, what was it like to be Crush of the Month?
A: I feel honored to even be named Crush of the Month. Teen Tix is such an AMAZING organization. I have personally benefited from my Teen Tix pass more times than I can count, and often been one of the youngest people in the audience. Just know that I love Teen Tix, I was a teen tix member almost from the beginning, and as long as teenagers keep seeing theater and keep encouraging their friends so see more theater I'll be happy. We are the future, dudes. Let's own it!!
LAURA GILBREATH (March):
Q: Since "Three By Dove" you've been in quite a few more performances, do you have a favorite for 2010?
A: 2010 has been a great season of dancing. The ALL BALANCHINE program stands out in my mind as one of my favorite programs yet. Getting to perform the Waltz Girl in Serenade was amazing, Choleric in The Four Temperaments was also a highlight; it was just a fantastic program. In addition, the second movement pas de deux in Jerome Robbins' Glass Pieces [during the DIRECTOR’S CHOICE program] was fantastic.
Q: What blunder stands out in your mind?
A: I think I was an apprentice at the time and we were performing Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet. I was in the fourth movement corps section. I remember this night very clearly; it was Friday the 13th (the only reason I remember this is because Kent Stowell [PNB’s founding artistic director] was offstage in the wings joking and telling me to be careful out there because of the date!) I made my entrance and things were going pretty smoothly. Then we got to this rather chaotic crossing section and I must have tangled feet with another dancer. I went down hard right in the middle of the stage! I think it took me a minute to get up, but of course when I did, I was laughing hysterically (my typical reaction to falling and everything else!) It didn't help that another girl in the company was laughing just as hard, so every time I would look at her I would bust up again. Not to mention the fact that my knee was bleeding! I guess I should have been embarrassed, but I thought it was too funny. So I guess that blunder always stands out to me.
Q: What are you studying at Seattle U?
A: I'm just trying to get my core credits finished as of now. I just finished Spanish 115, so I'll take 125, then 135, and then I'll at least have gotten my foreign language credits taken care of. I believe I'll be a sophomore after this next Spanish class.
Q: In 2015 where will you be?
A: I hope to be a Principal dancer with PNB, dancing great ballets, and hopefully I'll be married by that point. I would love to have a baby while I'm still dancing, so maybe I would be contemplating a family.
Q. Still listening to country music? Who are the top artists/songs on your play list?
A: I will ALWAYS listen to my country music! It is my roots, after all:) I love Taylor Swift's new album, and I think Keith Urban has some great new songs as well. Rascall Flatts never disappoints!
- Safaa D.
JUSTIN HUERTES (January):
Q: What have you been doing since Speech & Debate closed?
A: I've been missing Speech & Debate! Haha! Luckily, I've been keeping busy. I got to be a part of a fantastic workshop at the Rep for a new play written and directed by Adam Rapp called Welcome Home, Dean Charbonneau. And that was a crazy-amazing experience! Adam Rapp's an incredibly talented playwright and director, so I learned a lot from him and from the actors.
I also worked with my friends at Contemporary Classics again on Zanna, Don't! and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (on which Contemporary Classics worked with RK Productions). Spelling Bee was great! I've never been a part of a cast that was so tight-knit. We're all still best friends and plan get-togethers as much as we can!
My current job, I'll save for a couple of questions down....
Q: What was it like to be Crush of the Month?
A: Honestly, that was a little surreal! Especially being the FIRST Crush of the Month! I was definitely flattered. My friends loved it. During Speech & Debate, Erin Stewart would introduce me to her friends as "Crush of the Month Justin Huertas"! She still greets me like that sometimes: "Is that Crush of the Month Justin Huertas?" Actually, when my friends heard about this follow-up interview, they all got so excited!
Q: How do you keep in touch with your cello roots now that you have moved on to acting?
A: I'm currently the cellist for the national tour of Spring Awakening, which is a Tony Award-winning Best Musical -- one of my favorites actually. So, lucky for me, I get to play rock music every night on my cello!
- Julie H.
