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Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Madeline Weinstein is a junior studying theater at Western Oregon. Originally hailing from Seattle, Washington, Weinstein didn鈥檛 have much enthusiasm for the idea of college after her graduation from high school.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cheesy, but then I visited Western Oregon, I was very hesitant. And then I realized, this is a very friendly place. People are waving 鈥榟i鈥� to each other, even on the weekends,鈥� Weinstein said.

After visiting Western, Weinstein knew she wanted to apply.

鈥淢y mom actually said something that is going to stick with me forever, and it鈥檚: 鈥榩ick a school where you feel comfortable walking into a room and feeling confident that someone would help you,鈥欌�� commented Weinstein, 鈥渢hat was the deciding factor.鈥�

Weinstein had plenty of acting experience when she started at Western. She acted in all twelve shows that her high school produced in her four years there. In fact, Weinstein鈥檚 main inspiration was her high school drama teacher. Because of that one teacher, she decided to get her bachelor鈥檚 degree in theater and then continue on to get her master鈥檚 degree in education.

Weinstein hopes to relocate back to Washington after graduating to teach high school drama; 鈥淚 want to give back and inspire my high schoolers,鈥� she remarked.

Since coming to Western, Weinstein has participated in multiple shows in a various number of capacities. As a first-year, she was responsible for the sound in Western鈥檚 production of 鈥淪hakespeare in Hollywood.鈥� She has also been a part of paint crew, and has acted in one-acts and ten-minute plays.

鈥淓ven if I don鈥檛 get into the main stage shows, I know that there鈥檚 still a chance for me to act in the one-acts and the ten minutes,鈥� said Weinstein.

Something that Weinstein loves about the theater program is that 鈥渢hey don鈥檛 always put the 鈥榩erfect鈥� actors in there, they put people who they know can learn from the experience and鈥� who can grow more.鈥�

Overall, Weinstein鈥檚 experience in the artistic community at Western has been positive: 鈥淚鈥檓 not a number, I鈥檓 an actual person with a name.鈥�

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton