Rosebud actress prepares to bid adieu
Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
Many Rosebud theatergoers may not know her by name, but anyone who has been to Rosebud in the last year will likely remember her acting. Sienna Howell-Holden has been a Rosebud Theatre student for four and a half years.
“I took half a year off because I wasn’t sure I wanted to be an actor, and then I ended up just feeling the void that it left in my life when I wasn’t a part of it,” said Howell-Holden.
Her father is an actor, and she said she grew up watching him. She said she has been encouraged in acting but no one has really told her it is something she should pursue because it’s not a financially stable line of work. However, she said, she realized that it was something that lived deep in her and she felt she was losing a part of herself by not doing it.
“When I’m sitting in a theatre and I’m watching a show, it doesn’t really matter if it’s really good, there’s something in my soul that comes to life, that really just sparks,” said Howell-Holden.
“I love being on stage and being able to hopefully create that for even just one other person, because there is no feeling in the world that is like it, not that I’ve experienced yet.”
This past year she has been in Oliver, The Secret Garden, She has a Name and A Bright Particular Star. Now she is working on her student final project, ‘Songs for a New World,’
“I love, love, love musicals. I think, at least for me, there’s something in telling a story through song that is just extremely powerful, and it transcends spoken word,” said Howell-Holden.
“I love the music in this show, the music in the show just has so many different styles.”
She said it couldn’t be classified into just one genre of music, as it has gospel, rock, and swing.
“I like a lot of what the show talks about. It’s all about finding a place to belong, finding a place you can call home and that, I truly believe, is what we’re all looking for,” said Howell-Holden.
She said she likes that all of the characters are struggling with it, some of them getting it right and some getting it wrong. She said she also likes that the show is about having to make a choice and not being able to just let life pass you by. The characters have to decide to make life better, or worse.
“It’s going to be powerful, I have a lot of hope for it,” she said.
The role that has affected her is that of Martha, in ‘The Secret Garden.’
“It was the character that I think I feel most attuned to, who just feels closest to my heart. It didn’t feel like a real stretch playing her, because I felt like I understood her,” said Howell-Holden.
“It was just quite a joy to be able to play this down to earth woman, who is just full of tough love and yet utter kindness at the same time. It was really fun, and the cast was really great and we just had a lot of fun.”
Currently she can be seen performing in ‘A Bright Particular Star!’ From April 18 to 20, ‘Songs for a New World’ will be onstage. These will be the last performances in which to see this talented actress in. As of June 1, she will be moving to England where she plans to specialize in musical theatre.
“I think I’m going to go audition. I’ve got some really excellent training behind me, and I think I’ve got a strong enough foundation that I can just try to make it happen,” said Howell-Holden.
To reserve tickets for ‘Songs for a New World’ call 403-677-2015, or call 1-800-267-7553 for the Rosebud Theatre box office.