By Eliza Carlton, Staff Writer
Freshman Steele Howell is fitting right in with the arts programs here at Reynolds. Howell made the transition to Reynolds from Jefferson Middle School, and is surprising theatre teachers with his undeniable talent as a performer.
“Steele stays focused and ‘in the moment’ when he’s on stage. For a young actor, staying invested and completely involved in what his character is experiencing, is very difficult,” theatre teacher Teri Beadle said. “He is very adept at creating an aura of believably defined characterizations that give his performance depth.”
Beadle realized almost immediately upon teaching Howell that he would be a great addition to the theatre program here at Reynolds.
“His desire to learn, his ability to collaborate, and his passion for doing the very best work that he is capable of doing makes Steele stand out as a performer,” Beadle said. “Hopefully in the future, Steele will be able to audition for the Main Stage at RJR.”
Already Beadle has been thoroughly impressed with Howell’s performances, both inside and outside of school.
“He does plays all over the area, and he’s very busy,” Beadle said. “I just saw him perform last night at Yadkin Arts in the play ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged’. It was delightful!”
Steele is constantly wanting to improve, and his older sister, Bea Howell, who is a junior here at Reynolds, is nothing but supportive.
“He has taken on more serious acting roles recently and has matured through his acting. He gets better every day and is always giving 100% in everything he does, and that makes me want to work harder as his big sister and be a good role model for him,” Howell said.
Steele developed a passion for the arts at a young age, when his family would take him to different shows and performances. He tried out for his first acting role at the age of seven. He has landed many lead roles, but one in particular has stood out to him.
“My favorite role was the Beast in Beauty and the Beast,” Steele said. “I loved it because it was so challenging. It was difficult to portray the physicality and voice of the role. The Beast is also misunderstood and changes from being cruel and selfish to kind and gentle.”
Howell credits much of his success to his family, friends and fellow actors.
“The Directors and other actors I’ve worked with have influenced my acting. My favorite part of theatre is meeting new people with a passion for this art,” Howell said. “The transition from Reynolds has been great, I’ve made lots of new friends and they have been very supportive of my passion.”
As for his plans for the future, Howell is keeping his options open.
“After high school, I want to pursue an acting career and go as far as it will take me,” Howell said.