by Christy Rodriguez de Conte
Actor De’Garryan Andrews puts years of honing his dedicated craft to good use to thrill audiences in the lead role in Palaver Tree Theater’s newest production, “Hour of the Wolf.”
This powerful play, written by local playwright Anthony Lamarr White, follows an ex-con who, after serving a 30-year sentence, is ready to share his story. But as the tagline states, “What could possibly go wrong?”
Find out when the play runs Sept. 19-21 at the Crawfordville theater.
As a child, remembering the sight of a parent’s face gleaming with pride becomes a core memory. For actor De’Garryan Andrews, that core memory fuels his acting and dedication to the theater.
“There was always something about [my mother’s] reactions to my performances that made me beam with joy,” Andrews says. “Even though she is no longer with us, all of my performances are dedicated to her.”
Andrews is no stranger to the stage and the difficult roles it demands. Inspired by stories of Black people on stage and screen, classics like “The Color Purple” and “A Different World,” Andrews has always been a performer.
Growing up in Havana, Florida, his creative outlets were limited but his creativity was unstoppable. He found a creative and spiritual home in Havana’s New Jerusalem M.B. Church and never looked back. He then received formal training at Florida State University, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and Tasha Smith Actor’s Workshop.
The desire to express himself and connect with others through theater supported him throughout each step. “[Acting] keeps my inner child alive and allows me to travel to places and times I’ve never been. It’s a way to reach people and touch people and maybe change lives,” says Andrews.
When it comes to acting, Andrews has not limited himself. He has developed both a stage and film career. When reflecting on the differences between each process, Andrew admits film allows him more exploration and time to try new things. Additionally, because a film is not usually shot in sequential order, it can be less about finding a flow to the performance and more about being “on” for one take at a time.
Theater is a different beast.
For Andrews, theater is about creating a process that includes acknowledging a character’s back story, designating beat changes, and memorizing lines in a way that Andrews refers to as “dead letter perfect.” What truly makes theater a unique experience is its shared experience and ephemeral nature. The audience is sure to shape the story and inform an actor’s performance, providing an adrenaline rush that dissipates as quickly as it appears.
Read more on the Tallahassee Democrat.
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