The Argonaut

Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Entertainment

Bruce Williams watches a rehersal in NDNU theatre.

With his black socks and contemplative look, the director walks about the theater as the performers practice on stage. He watches quietly for a moment, an imposing figure, before stopping the scene.

"Let's hear that line again," he says sternly. "Louder. Shout it."

The performers comply. Moments later, the director smiles broadly and nods.

"Exactly, just like that."

Bruce Williams, the visiting director from the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, has come to NDNU to teach theater students a little bit about how professional theater works - and even more about proper diction, with the NDNU production of "You Can't Take It With You."

"It was really intimidating to have a director from off-campus," said Victoria Chavez, an NDNU junior and a member of the cast. "He really is a stickler for the small things, but that's good. You just have to crack his shell and you get the fun ooey-gooeyness in the center."

Williams history, however, is not as theatrical as one might think. Born in 1953, Williams early life was one of moving and military. As an Air Force officer, Williams' father moved the family between three different air bases: Little Rock; Fort Worth, Texas; and Shreveport, La.

"We moved in a circular motion between the three places," said Williams. "But it didn't seem like a lot of moving around, when compared to other families."

It wasn't until high school that Williams became interested in theater and performance.

"In high school we put together a radio show," said Williams. "It was live theater with a radio broadcast."

From there, his interest grew. Once in college, he involved himself more in the theater, taking part in a play called "The Physicist" and becoming inspired by one of his first acting teachers, Jayaga Zych, who polished his training and taught him the power of language and movement.

"It wasn't one moment or thing that did it," said Williams. "It a process that slowly happens. Theater slowly became a part of my life."

Williams first became interested in ACT while in college when someone mentioned that they had just done a production of Cyrano de Bergerac.

"It sounded like the place to go," said Williams. "I wanted to get away from home. I had been born in California so it kind of made sense to me."

Continued...

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