by Leah Budson
Junior Ezra Dulit-Greenberg has enjoyed acting ever since his mom suggested he act in a show at the Cabot After-School program, he said.
Today, he is not only involved in acting, but also in singing and sketch comedy writing. This year, he will perform in “Coastal Disturbances” and “Cabaret Troupe,” in addition to directing “Nitrous Oxide” with senior Jack Reibstein.
In “Coastal Disturbances,” which goes up Wednesday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 9, Dulit-Greenberg plays Leo, a complex character. “He seems to be the average guy: a bit aimless, but confident and suave,” he said. “What’s most interesting is how much his exterior melts away throughout the show and how much he is changed by Holly, the woman he meets on the beach.”
Because “Coastal Disturbances” is a play, Dulit-Greenberg was able to develop Leo’s character more he would have been able to in a musical or a sketch-comedy piece, he said. “Plays give the greatest opportunity for character development and depth of performance.”
Dulit-Greenberg’s favorite Theatre Ink production he has participated in thus far is “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” which went up last December. “I loved the script, my role and the entire cast and crew in addition to its process as a whole,” he said. “I felt more absorbed in theatre then than at any other point.”
In addition to “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” Dulit-Greenberg also participated in last year’s two musicals, “Legally Blonde” and “Pippin.”
“Musicals certainly have the widest range of onstage expression,” he said. “They can also be shallow sometimes because it feels a lot more like performing than acting.”
However, “I don’t prefer any type of show because they are all so different,” he said.
When compared to musicals and plays, sketch comedy is “a different beast entirely,” said Dulit-Greenberg. “It is more collaborative than anything else Theatre Ink does, and that’s why it is so important,” he said. “It’s the only show where the actors have complete control over what the audience sees––it’s an unbelievably fun process.”
Having participated in Nitrous Oxide last year, Dulit-Greenberg explained his desire to direct the production, “As I went through last year in Nitrous Oxide, I became more and more excited about where the process was going. I shifted from wanting to absorb all the new skills to wanting to teach them to other people.
“I am so excited to start directing Nitrous Oxide. I think it will be a life-changing experience,” he said. “Not many people get to do this, and I intend to enjoy every moment of it, even the difficult ones.
Theatre Ink director Adam Brown said, “It is huge that he’s taking on a leadership role this year. Whenever students go into leadership roles, they get to learn how to lead, mentor and teach their peers.
“In a sense, we do theatre not just to perform, but also for growth opportunities,” he said. In addition to being a great learning opportunity for Dulit-Greenberg as a director, Brown said that the troupe will be able to learn from Dulit-Greenberg’s acting and writing skills.
Even though Nitrous Oxide is the first production Dulit-Greenberg will direct, Brown said that he always brings a sense of leadership and a respectable work-ethic to productions he takes part in. “He represents someone who does not just comes to rehearsal and works hard, and I think other students see that and it makes them work harder,” said Brown.
“He brings a sense of seriousness that we’re not just putting up a play. Theatre is an art, a discipline, and you have to work hard throughout the process to get to the performance.”
Dulit-Greenberg has grown immensely since his freshman year, according to Brown. “When Ezra came in as a freshman he was tentative and a bit nervous. He’s always had really good instincts, but I think he was afraid to take risks.
“He’s a junior now, and to see how much he’s developed over the last three years is incredible,” he said.
Dulit-Greenberg’s willingness to take feedback has helped accelerate his growth as an actor, according to Brown. “He wants to get better every time. He always seeks feedback and wants to work with it,” he said. “As an actor, you want to evolve, and it is amazing that he has always embraced that.”
Dulit-Greenberg said he is incredibly grateful to Theatre Ink for the community it provides. “I cannot say enough good about Theatre Ink, and I have no idea where I would be without it,” he said.
More than being an amazing and professional theatre program, “It really is a family and a home and is one of the warmest, most welcoming communities I will ever find.”