Stark Newton is a local actor, currently performing as Buddy in Homewood Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Memory.” In this interview, he shares how he got his start in acting and some of his favorite memories of being on stage.
Q: How did you get involved with performing?
A: When I was really little, I was really interested in—how do you get into plays, movies, TV shows? So, my mom signed me up for the Birmingham Children's Theater summer camp, and, from there, I went to being in my first play, "Twelfth Night" with The Bards of Birmingham. And, that's how I got into it.
Q: Who inspires you as a performer?
A: When that's the question, it's not really who inspires me. It's what inspires me.
The thing that inspires me is everyone coming together to tell one story for the audience to see and react to. And, I don't know, it's just so fascinating to me.
Q: What is your favorite/most memorable performance?
A: My favorite performance, so far, is one I did called “Save Hamlet,” which was kind of like a modernized version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” I played King Claudius, and, what I love about it most, is how I got to do this funny, hilarious accent, walk around like I was the king of the world—giving orders to completely random people, and I got to say some hilarious lines.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
(L to R) Kyle Bass, Stark Newton, and Ellise Mayor practice lines for their December show, Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" at the Homewood Theatre on Oct. 23, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
(L to R) Kyle Bass, Stark Newton, and Ellise Mayor practice lines for their December show, Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" at the Homewood Theatre on Oct. 23, 2024.
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
(L to R) Kyle Bass, Stark Newton, and Ellise Mayor practice lines for their December show, Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" at the Homewood Theatre on Oct. 23, 2024.
Q: Tell us about an upcoming performance.
A: I will be in the upcoming play of Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” at Homewood Theatre in early December. I’ll be playing a happy, sweet, loveable boy, named Buddy, with an amazing relationship to his cousin and best friend, Sook.
This play tells the story of how they spend their Christmases together, and it’s about their amazing relationship.
Q: What performances do you have upcoming in the next year or so?
A: Currently, I do not have any upcoming performances planned for the next year after this. But, I do volunteer at the Oak Hill Cemetery for their historic tour.
So, if you’re interested in the cholera epidemic that swept through Birmingham, come see me next fall!
