Senior Dylan Catapat has been involved in theater since elementary school. He is a cast member in the majority of Metea’s theater productions, including the upcoming play “War of the Worlds.” Due to the uncertainty of this year, the directors have had to make many changes regarding rehearsals. However, Dylan continues to adapt to the situation due to his enthusiasm for theater.

How long have you been in theater?

I started back in first or second grade. Our school did this little production of “Old McDonald”. I don’t remember how I actually got into it but my teacher gave me the role of Old McDonald. She was really supportive and she is really the reason why I started doing theater. That show got me where I am today.

How long have you been in Metea Theater?

I have had the amazing opportunity to be involved in theater since my freshman year. That year we held a fall musical instead of spring. They needed about four freshmen to join the musical that year. I was so lucky to be involved in “Little Shop of Horrors” that year.

What has been your favorite role to play?

My favorite role was during my sophomore year. We put on a production of “Newsies” and I had the opportunity to play Albert. He was a very exciting and energetic role to play. I really enjoyed myself playing him.

Why did you decide to audition for “War of the Worlds”?

I am always an advocate for auditioning if you have any sort of interest. I’ve been in a lot of productions but this one seemed special, mostly because of the circumstances. I was really intrigued by the idea of doing something I am not used to acting-wise.

What is your role in the play this year?

This year I am playing this character named the Stranger in “War of the Worlds”. The show is about an alien invasion by the Martians. So the Stranger was part of the National Guard and he really focuses on talking about how to restore the Earth. He is a little sketchy in his ideas. He has been a really interesting role to play.

What were some of the difficulties you had to navigate through this year for filming?

I did a lot of learning this year. I am very used to acting on a stage and needing to use these huge facial expressions so the audience can see. Filming a show is a lot different. I was able to use more subtle expressions while still having that same feeling of intensity that you see on stage. It just felt a lot more intimate since I’m so close to the audience. Another thing was the family aspect of the show. Usually, in theater, we all get super close. “War of the Worlds” only has a little bit of dialogue between characters, so as a cast, we did not work as close as we usually do. This year with editing and not seeing the other actors, you have to put a lot of trust in the people around you. So even without seeing them physically, we were able to all be in this together.

Do you have plans to continue doing theater in the future?

I’m not sure if I am going to make it a career but I will definitely be continuing it. I’m more music-oriented in my career goals but I will always love theater and the stage, even in a production like this.