By Kimia Ashraf

Second quarter is in full swing at Reynolds and the school’s new changes are becoming a norm. Teachers and faculty have adjusted to the new workplace and students have had plenty of time to get to know their new mentors. The theatre department’s new drama teacher, Nick Zayas, is bringing many new changes to this popular section of our school’s popular program.

   Zayas received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California after graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts High School Theatre Program. He then went on to teach as the middle school theatre teacher at the Arts Based School for four years before transitioning to Reynolds to teach high schoolers for the first time. He has also had the experience of working with the Acting Out Company at UNCSA  and has pursued acting roles in North Carolina as well as Los Angeles.

   “Reynolds has a nationally recognized arts magnet program which I was very excited to be a part of. It has a really diverse student body with a lot of talent and a lot of kids who are really dedicated to theatre” Zayas said.

   Despite his passion for theatre, Zayas did not always know this is what he would end up doing.

   “I didn’t always know that I wanted to be a teacher… It’s something that I definitely discovered later in life,” Zayas said. “I think what I bring is a lot of acting background from my training at the School of the Arts as well as University of Southern California.”

   Mr. Zayas also has many hopes for his new students roles in the realm of acting.

   “I hope that they will be well-rounded theatre artists, no matter what skill level they’re at. I hope that they will have experience both on stage and back stage and that they will know about what it takes to make it in the art of theatre. They should follow their hearts,” Zayas said.

   Acting students who take Mr. Zayas’ class also has have had a positive experience so far.

   “There are a lot of new people this year, and I’m excited to see what they’ll do after the seniors leave,” senior Natasha Dell said. “We do a lot more exercises with everybody in a circle, we talk about important issues and we have a lot of fun!”

   Zayas’ students hope that the new class will begin to unite the peers.

   “I hope that everybody will just be a little more friendly, for one, and that the people that don’t talk as much will open up this year,” Dell said.

  Progress is well underway for this year’s theatre program at Reynolds with the addition of Mr. Zayas as well as several optimistic and hopeful new students.