EUGENE, OR – On a whim, Lane Community College student Mathew Bostrom of Eugene decided to perform at the Los Angeles International Performing arts contest in January 2012.
He won fifth place twice, for singing, and for acting in a scene; second place in the monologue category; first place for acting in a commercial; and finally, first place in overall acting.
"Winning," says the 19-year-old, is "pretty much an indescribable feeling."
The awards give Mathew the opportunity to work in June 2012 with Los Angeles record producer and vocal coach, James Lugo, who will record a promotional video of Mathew's singing.
While in Southern California, Mathew intends to pursue a bachelor's degree in acting.
"I came to Eugene with aspirations of being a dancer," says the Central Point, OR resident, who enrolled at both Lane and the University of Oregon in fall 2010. However, injuries sustained from dancing prompted him to concentrate on acting.
Lane theater instructor Sparky Roberts says Mathew had never performed Shakespeare before she cast him as Tranio in her spring 2011 production of "Taming of the Shrew." Yet, she says, "Everyone who commented on the show had something admiring to say about Mathew."
The young drama student attributes his success to his drama instructors at Lane. "Sparky takes the language of Shakespeare and makes it believable," he says, while Patrick Torelle "taught me about physicality and method acting."
Mathew encourages others to take a similar "leap of faith. No matter what the outcome, you will learn and grow from the experience."
Lane is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Visit online at www.lanecc.edu or www.twitter.com/lanenews or www.facebook.com/lanecommunitycollege
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Media contact: Joan Aschim, PIO, aschimj@lanecc.edu or (541) 463-5591