Graduates of performing arts high schools look back and face the future. JAMES LEYNSE LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS BEYOND‘FAME’ JOAN MARCUS By Gerard Raymond
[email protected] rik Altemus made a critical decision when, in the eighth grade, he transferred to the Orange County High ESchool of the Arts. Prior to attending the Southern California performing arts school, he went to a “stereotypi- cal” junior high school, he says: “It was all about whether or Clockwise from top left: Coby Getzug in the Los Angeles County not you were on the football team. I hated it. I was complete- High School for the Arts’ production of “Blood Wedding;” Noah Robbins with John Glover in “Secrets of the Trade,” Off-Broadway; Krysta Rodriguez with Nathan Lane in “The Addams Family” on ly ridiculed, and talent didn’t mean anything to those people.” Broadway; Erik Altemus in the Orange County High School of the Continued on page A2— Arts’ “60’s-a-Go-Go” 1104 SPOT College Guide Feature.indd 1 11/1/10 3:29 PM —continued from page 2 But enrolling in the musical theater program The acting education at OCHSA really helped him as an artist: “I was able to immerse myself 100 percent in what I did artistically. It wasn’t just some- of a lifetime... thing I did on the side. I had academic class- es, yes, but now my days were surrounded by doing what I loved to do.” He adds, “All of a sudden, I was one of the popular kids and it was all about how talented you were.” Several young performers who went to performing arts high schools concurred that Erik Altemus the experience gave them a leg up in their careers and, more importantly, spoke di- rectly to their passion for the arts.