EVERETT — Heaven Ewers, 17, is a senior at Mariner High School and president of the drama club.
Heaven moved from the New York City borough of Queens midway through her freshman year to live with her oldest sister in Everett, so she could attend high school here rather than in a big city. Heaven has been taking theater classes since. She was a cheerleader her junior year.
After graduation, she wants to go to either Edmonds Community College and major in psychology and early childhood development or study theater arts at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City.
Question: What’s it like being named Heaven?
Answer: I love my name. I have my days that don’t really match up to my name. I try to be heaven, which is this outgoing person. I try not to have too many bad days to make my name have a bad look.
Q: Why did you move here?
A: My mom felt it was better for me to be out here, opportunity-wise.
Q: Did you want to move here?
A: No, not really. It was difficult. I was in a whole different environment. Everyone knew each other from middle school. I was here from New York and didn’t know anybody.
Q: How did theater help?
A: It made me express myself more freely.
Q: What roles have you played?
A: My first show was “The Wiz.” I started off as cast crew. I was a flying monkey for two nights. Someone was sick so I filled in.
After the flying monkey, I was Allison Trent, the wife of some man in “Thirteen Past Midnight.” We did “Beauty and the Beast” the musical and I was the enchantress and also ensemble. After that we did the “The Will and The Spirit” and I was this crazy person who talked to spirits. I was a waitress in one play. This one now, “The Nitwits,” I am Miss Dinwiddie who is super flirtatious and quirky at the same time. I kind of had a mix of different parts.
Q: What is your dream role?
A: I like making people laugh. I also like tragedy roles. My dream role is to die at the end. Why not?
Q: Do you want to be famous?
A: Famous in the right way, yes. For something that is a passion, not because I did a dumb trick. For something that is good. I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Natalie Portman. She plays every role great. Her beauty is fascinating to me and her roles she is casted as, she is the perfect fit.
And Keanu Reeves.
Q: How do you improve your acting skills?
A: Watching other people and critiques.
We record our plays and watch them. It’s kind of cringy. I hate watching myself, “Oh, why did I do that?” But you also learn, “I could have done that better.” You kind of judge yourself.
Q: What makes you stand out?
A: I’ve never met anyone like me. People try to be someone else. You can’t be someone else, because there’s only one you. And you have to be your true self.
Q: What teacher influenced you the most?
A: Kristin Simeone-Myhre. She was the drama teacher. She now teaches something else. I miss her so much, but in the end you have to learn to work with everyone. You have to be around everybody.
Q: Typical day?
A: I come in early for weight training at 6:15. Sometimes I drain myself out because of how energetic I am and have to take naps after school.
Q: What is your goal as president of the drama club?
A: Drama kids are the most underrated kids in school. My job is to get us out there and more recognition. I want to get hoodies, shirts and sweatpants.
Q: What do you miss most about New York?
A: My family. My mom and my dad and my other sister.
Q: What do you like to do outside of school?
A: I like reading books. Online books. I don’t read paper books, it’s the sad truth. I like reading online. And watching YouTube makeup videos and I like the show “Dance Moms.”
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Lolita.” It is written as a romance, but it’s really not a romance.
Q: Favorite classes?
A: Theatre and creative writing. I want to write a book, to be out there to be not only in the drama world but the author world.
Q: Is somebody going to die at the end?
A: Probably.
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