Actor and writer Galen Williams has always been a big believer in education.
“I’ve always loved it and being in a position to further educational development is always something I make time for,” he said.
Galen came to work with students at the Academy’s first summer camp directly from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he is appearing in Once on this Island. The Broadway alum has also appeared in Slave Play which won 12 nominations at the 74th Tony Awards.
“I enjoy teaching because I think at the end of the day that’s its helping a person become a better actor; more honest and believable,” he said.
Galen guided the class through both dramatic and comedic monologues.
“They can both be pretty challenging if you don’t have a natural ear,” he admitted.
Galen believes anyone can make it in the profession if they’re prepared to put in the work.
“Education is incredibly important to us as artists and creators,” he said. “If we have a solid foundation, we will always have work. It exponentially increases our chances. At least at the base level you know if you don’t pass an audition, you know it is not because you’re not talented. Training supports you. Work begets work and the more you have the more your name gets out there.”
Galen says acting is all about learning how to be an effective communicator, although not everyone learns the same way. He says he learns as much from teaching as his students do from him.
“It teaches me new ways to listen,” he explained. “How can I listen and identify their weakness and strengths? How do you connect in a way that can be effective? They’re teaching me how younger minds perceive material. The biggest thing they’re teaching me is how to be a more effective communicator, one that can push them but not in a way that’s discouraging. I want to build them up as well as push them forward.”
As an actor, Galen says taking on a role isn’t so much as pretending to be someone else but learning how to be yourself.
“We have to tune into who we are in these circumstances we wouldn’t normally find ourselves in,” he said. “A really great actor gives themselves over to a circumstance. Actors like Meryl Streep, Viola Davis and Angela Bassett are never the same. In each role they think “who am I in this character?”
