2008 Woodie Awards
Two students to shine on PPAC stage tonight during 'Moby Dick'
Jeff Sullivan
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
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11/08/07 - University of Rhode Island students Benjamin Gracia and Yosa Yon never dreamed they would star in a play. But, tonight, that's just what the two plan on doing at the Providence Performing Arts Center. This evening, they take on leading roles in the Mixed Magic Theatre's production of "Moby Dick."
The play tells two stories of revenge, the old classic and a modern parallel story focusing on the drug and gang problems of inner-city youths today.
Gracia plays Father Mapple as part of the "old world crew" struggling with the great whale of today's world - drugs. Gracia came to URI looking to study computer science and secure a job that, in his words, would definitely pay well. He had no idea at that moment that a newfound passion for acting would overcome his fiscal ambitions, and lead him to become a theater major.
"I had realized that [the computer science major] wasn't going to work out," he said. "I was in limbo for a little while, but then I took Theater 100 and it pretty much changed the rest of my college career."
Born in Providence, Gracia's family moved to East Providence when he was 7. He said that during his youth he experienced some of the themes of drug-related violence and gangs, through his own interactions and from the local news media. Those same themes are prevalent in the "Moby Dick" play.
"It definitely gives a true-to-life portrayal of the kinds of situations that many urban youths face today," he said. "You see these kids who see no other way of making it in the world other than selling drugs, and I definitely see the real-world parallel."
Gracia said that actors like Al Pacino and Ian McKellen were extremely influential in his method of acting because of the resounding presence they display on the stage or on the screen.
"They command a presence and you just take to it immediately," he said. "I look to that and hope that one day I can command such a presence. Christopher Walken is like that, too … I wish I could do a good impression, but he's just so specific in his communication I just can't do it."
The play tells two stories of revenge, the old classic and a modern parallel story focusing on the drug and gang problems of inner-city youths today.
Gracia plays Father Mapple as part of the "old world crew" struggling with the great whale of today's world - drugs. Gracia came to URI looking to study computer science and secure a job that, in his words, would definitely pay well. He had no idea at that moment that a newfound passion for acting would overcome his fiscal ambitions, and lead him to become a theater major.
"I had realized that [the computer science major] wasn't going to work out," he said. "I was in limbo for a little while, but then I took Theater 100 and it pretty much changed the rest of my college career."
Born in Providence, Gracia's family moved to East Providence when he was 7. He said that during his youth he experienced some of the themes of drug-related violence and gangs, through his own interactions and from the local news media. Those same themes are prevalent in the "Moby Dick" play.
"It definitely gives a true-to-life portrayal of the kinds of situations that many urban youths face today," he said. "You see these kids who see no other way of making it in the world other than selling drugs, and I definitely see the real-world parallel."
Gracia said that actors like Al Pacino and Ian McKellen were extremely influential in his method of acting because of the resounding presence they display on the stage or on the screen.
"They command a presence and you just take to it immediately," he said. "I look to that and hope that one day I can command such a presence. Christopher Walken is like that, too … I wish I could do a good impression, but he's just so specific in his communication I just can't do it."