Final curtain call for a bigger-than-life character

After 14-years at Arizona Western College, Chip takes a bow and the curtains draw to a close.

Theatre Professor Forrest Straley, affectionately known as "Chip," says that his journey here has been lengthy but rewarding, including between 35 and 40 theatrical productions, half of which he directed, the rest directed by his students.

To him, the most treasured productions have been Look Homeward Angel, Twelve Angry Jurors, Stand and Deliver and Of Mice and Men.

"Every production is very different, but these ones that really stood out to me," he says.

When Straley arrived in 2000, the Theater in which most productions are executed was referred to as the Little AWC Theater. He felt the name was degrading in a sense. The word "little" itself undermines the meaning of someone or something's potential. As a result, he petitioned to have the name changed to the AWCTheater.

Flashback

Professor Straley graduated with a BA in English, Theatre, and Education from Mary Washington College in 1980. In the next couple of years he became a professional actor and director and found himself touring the U.S. doing Shakespearian shows.

Straley returned to school and received his MFA in Acting and Directing in 1993. In 1997 he began his teaching career and his adventurous touring days came to a halt. At this point, Straley was married with a child and felt that a stable career close to home would be the best option for him and his family.

Straley claims his love of Theatre stems from his "need to be the center of attention." When he was in the 5th grade, his teacher, Mrs. Finchum, made him and his classmates read Hamlet in class. In the 7th grade, young Straley entered and won a talent show performing an excerpt from Hamlet.

"I was always a big mouth, and I never had stage fright," he says. "Instead of nervousness, I had anticipation and eagerness."

In high school he moved up from solely acting in school productions to acting and directing. In college Straley took part in every play he could, whether it was on or off stage. He was involved in everything except musicals, which were not to his liking.

Shakespearian acting was what he could not stay away from. It drew him, he says, in like a bear to honey.

"In order to do this type of acting you have to be good at social drama and focus on effect and affect. The audience is the main focus."

Flashforward

After the current semester is over, Straley will retire from AWC and continue his teaching career elsewhere. While he has enjoyed his many years at this institution and is very proud of his students, he wants to explore other opportunities.
 

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