Kirby Duncan shares his experience working with the performing arts programs at Berkeley High School. As a BHS sophomore, Duncan has been exploring the Visual and Performing Arts program for two years and has grown to love the group of people that share his interests. “It’s really fun to just be on your own and be like, ‘I’m nailing this scene,’ or ‘I’m nailing this song, I’m doing my best, and I get to go show it off to other people,’ But it’s also really fun to work with people on this performance that you all collectively love,” said Duncan.
Duncan explained that this was not his first time in any theater program. Duncan grew up in a household that was invested in the performing arts. His mother in the past was a puppeteer, and his father still plays music today. “I would make puppets with all my friends, and then we’d put on a puppet show,” said Duncan.
Duncan has also been exploring more opportunities to choreograph. He created some choreography for the BHS production of “Urinetown,” and this upcoming spring he will be choreographing four pieces in “Hadestown.” Duncan shared his strategy on how to come up with choreography. “I listen to it over and over and over, and I sort of map out the different counts,” Duncan explained.
Many people know that pursuing theater as a career can be quite challenging. “The general consensus is that you really, really have to want it, you really have to go for it, and you have to be good at it.” Duncan said. Duncan fully intends to continue with performing arts in some way post graduation.