You may only know him as the voice that advertises the plays at the end of the day during theatre season, but there is much more to the VHS Spotlight Players star, Senior Alex Karpinski.
Alex has been in eight shows at VHS alone and another four when he was in HBW middle school. Alex has auditioned in every production that has been performed during his school years and has gotten in in one way or another, from being the voice of a man-eating plant to being a judge in a spelling bee.
“I get to explore new personalities,” he said. “I get to be someone I’m not.”
He has certainly been many different people on stage during his 12 total performances. “Playing Doug Panch in the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has been my favorite role so far. The things I got to say were ridiculous, hysterical, and I loved everything about it.”
Reflecting on Spelling Bee being his last show in high school he said “I am sad about it. They (the cast and crew) have become my family. It’s almost like saying goodbye.”
The VHS stage isn’t the only place to find Alex. You will also see him in the audience of many Broadway productions.
“I’ve been going to Broadway shows since I was in third grade when I saw 42nd Street” he said. “When I saw my first show it really made me think that this is what I want to do.”
Alex also works at the Paper Mill Playhouse as an usher during their productions. “I absolutely love my job. What I like most is seeing the inner workings of how a theatre operates. The usher is really the face of the theatre because they are the first and last person the audience sees coming in and out of the show,” said Alex.
Other than acting, he is also into film writing. Why he wanted to be a screenwriter?
“I want to be able to tell stories to people that need to be told,” Alex said. “For instance, I want to write a movie about 9/11. I feel historical movies are the best way to educate people and 9/11 is a story that can’t be forgotten.”
Alex finds his inspiration in screenwriter John Carpenter who made movies such as Halloween, Christine, and The Fog.
“John Carpenter brings quality to horror movies which I find very fascinating. When you watch the movie Halloween it is very different from other horror movies. It’s not a classic horror movie, it’s just a classic movie in general. I am even thinking about writing a horror movie in the style of John Carpenter,” Alex said.
When he graduates, Alex is going to the New York Film Academy in New York City. For one year, he’ll learn film production-more specifically, screenwriting.
“After that fate takes its course. I hope to be able to work in the Hollywood and Broadway industries when I leave the film academy.”
