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16 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, July 5 1988 Taylor takes a big bite out of the Big Apple Eighteen year old Taylor Price's butterflies will no doubt be gone by the time this story is read. But when he was being, inter- viewed by the Star last Wednesday afternoon, he admitted he was pretty nervous about taking the 11 hour train ride into New York city. Not that he was nervous about the train--Taylor was more con- cerned about how he'd make out in the six weeks he is to spend in the Big Apple, living at the 92nd St. 'Y', and studying at the most pre- stigious theatrical institution in all of North America. From literally thousands of au- ditions conducted in major cities «all over this continent, only 175 [oops between the ages of 18 and were accepted by the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, for an intensive six week summer ses- sion of theatrical training. Taylor Price was one of the cho- sen few. And nobody was more surprised than he was. "I didn't think I'd get in. My parents didn't think I'd get in. No- body really did," he recalls. "And nobody wanted me to get my hopes up. Including me." The one person who was confi- ent of Taylor's abilities was Port Perry High School teacher and dra- ma enthusiast Diane Lackie. "She found an ad for auditions in Toronto sometime in April, and she said, why don't you give it a shot?" Taylor said. He hemmed and hawed before saying "Why not?" 'He snagged an audition in the nick of time, and worked up two monologues, a comedy and a dra- ma, for the occasion. The comedic piece was culled from the book "Witches of East- wick", and he portrayed the devil- ish part performed by Jack Nichol- son in the movie of the same name. The dramatic monologue was more familiar to Taylor. He re- * enacted a role he'd performed a year ago at the high school--a wealthy man who puts his wife in an insane asylum. The play is called "The Insanity of Mary Gir- ard" and the part won him two "Best Perfgrmance" awards. In Feb of 1987 the students entered " Girard" in the Sears Collegiate/ Drama Festival, where it won four awards: for Best Cos- tumes, Best'Ensemble Work, Best Production, and Best Individual betformanos-which went to Tay- or. Then the play travelled to Lind- say to compete in the Eastern On- tario finals and this time only one award was given to the Port Perry troupe--Best Individual Perfor- mance. Again, it went to Taylor. With that kind of track record, no wonder Diane Lackie was con- fident that Taylor would do well at the auditions. - The actor himself, however, wasn't so sure. "Yeah, I was nervous (about the audition) but not really nervous. I had nothing to lose by doing it," he said. : So with that attitude in mind he went to his five o'clock appoint- ment at the Plaza II in Toronto-- and obviously wowed 'em. : "I thought I did pretty good," Taylor said, but he heard no feed- back at the time from the person conducting the audition ("I guess they don't want to crush your dreams"). He was told he'd hear ei- ther way within six weeks--but it took a lot longer before he did. Just when he figured he'd never hear from the Academy, he came home one day to find a message from the institution on the Price family's answering machine. Needless to say, he was ecstatic. Mrs. Lackie said triumphantly, "I knew you'd get in!" Her protege replied, "I didn't." Despite his surprise, it was pure fact that Taylor would start the six week session July 4, in a school that has graduated some of the greatest actors and actresses of our time. People like Robert Redford, Danny de Vito, Kirk Douglas and Cecil B. deMille have all spent time in the hallowed halls of this Meet America's Best-Dressed Superspy. (ORB PCE PESTS SH NESS, NC TON FL EON TOL ELA FO COMOEN 0 CREO OIE LR 1.500 YS FCS CED OA XN SC LE ETE ECOL 0 PRC MODAN - CET PONCE HAL SHB 0A EOL G0 LCS + OCD BL 50 ECE PL NEL ES OIE o_o. COMING THIS WEEK! 68 WATER STREET, PORT PERRY 985-9888 Sunday to Thursday -- Noon to 9:00 PM Friday & Saturday -- Noon to 9:00 PM also available at 16 Baldwin St, Brooklin i) ° Taylor chuckles, "Where. the ~ore than a century old institu- tion. And now there's Taylor Price. "I really don't know what I'm expecting," he said last week. Al- though he is prepared for a lot of hard work, a lot of good times, and a real education in acting, movement, voice, mime, and fencing (it's New York!). He was also looking forward to living at the YMHA. He said, "It's supposed to be some massive cultural centre, the best place to stay in New York. And the cheap- est," he added with a grin, Living in New York is what made him most nervous, howev- er. "When I think about it, I've never even been to summer camp. The longest I've ever been away from home was a week." Co He spent that week in Kingston, at Queen's University where he participated in a Youth Theatre Course. He calls the experience the most "emotionally draining" period of his life, and he expects even more of the same in the Big Apple. Still, he wouldn't be doing it if he didn't love it--and love it he does. : 'Not bad for a guy who didn't even think about theatre until Grade 10 (he just completed Grade 12 and will go back for anothe year of O.A.C. courses). J "It wasn't even on my timeta- ble. I was just pretty bored with my computer science class, and my friend, who was taking theatre arts, was always telling me to 'take it," he said. Since he didn't think too much of computers, Taylor ditched the course and signed up for theatre arts. "It was the best course I ever dropped," Taylor laughed. As soon as he walked into the classroom, he realized he was into something he liked a whole lot. He threw himself into it with a passion, and last year, took part in the Theatre Co-op program at the high school (where students wrote their own plays and performed them in other schools throughout this area). . An all-round student, he's capa- ble at all subjects school has to throw at him, but he's particularly. well known for his artwork. Tay- lor's been drawing "ever since I could hold a pencil" and has fo- cused on the darker side of life for: subject matter. Recently, his work was accepted at a juried show in Stouffville. His talents are numerous, but then again, he comes from a fami- ly of artistic people. His parents, Dr. Ralph and Patricia Price, are world-renowned for their expertise in folk art. His sister Kim designs jewellery and his brother Matt is about to become a chef. ° "We grew up in an aesthetically pleasing environment," he says, tongue slightly in cheek. k But as much as he enjoys art, Taylor's most passionate love at the moment is theatre. "It's a challenge. It's fun. You lose yourself in it. It consumes your time and I like finding things that occupy my time like that," he said. He'll have plenty to occupy his time in New York, and he's hop- ing contacts he makes there will further his advancement into the . acting field. fo He's thinking he might start off |_PHONE 985-8471 in Toronto theatre, then work u to off-Broadway, before hitting L.A. and the movies. big bucks are." ii SH Port Perry's Taylor Price has certainly pulled a coup. The artistic 18 year old earned himself a spot in North America's most prestigious theatrical school, whose graduates include the likes of Robert Redford and Danny deVito. Taylor will be attending a special six week session at the New York school, and he'll be living at the Manhattan 'Y'. Quite an honour and an adventure--for more on this talented teenager, see story. DON FORDER INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. SELWIN FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. Guaranteed Investment Certificates 1 YEAR - ANNUAL 10%% 10%% SHORT-TERM 30 DAYS to 89 DAYS 9%4% -- RATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE -- SHOPPERS Mortgage and Loan Corporation SHOPPERS Mortgage and Loan Corporation bh fmt Tras ' to