Nick Tavares
Seacoast Theater Educator
Nick Tavares is a theatre artist based in Portsmouth, NH. Currently a theater education major at the University of New Hampshire, Nick is driven in his direction, teaching, designing, and writing in shows all around the seacoast. His wirtten works, like Flushed! have been produced, and he has directed and music directed shows like Annie Jr, The Addams Family, Elf Jr, Frozen Jr, and many more. Nick is a common production member and counselor at youth theater company Upside Arts, as well as reoccurring in productions held by Bardo Theatre Company, local elementary and middle schools, and was the coordinator of theater at Camp North Star.
My Work
When I first did theater, I felt as though I had finally found my place. In any shape or form, theater creates a community, one that I needed as a kid, and one that made me the person I am to this day. All of my work goes towards making that inclusive community for kids, based upon three principles...
Empathy
Confidence
Sense of Self
In all of the theater I design, light, direct, teach, and produce, these 3 traits are at the forefront of my mind, and I push all of my students to lead with these attributes.
In my work as a director and writer, I focus on giving the actor the freedom to have fun. I do not take granted all of the benefits and magic that theater brings to youth performers a I have been lucky enough to experience that magic in my coming of age. Who says we cannot have that magic while having a little bit of fun, too?
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Some of my favorite moments while working on shows have stemmed from the collaboration of students and friends. My writing takes into account all of the perspectives from everyone working on it. When teaching music, nothing makes me think how grateful and happy I am when kids start dancing to what they are singing, or a student tries something out of the blue on stage. I love what I do because the kids and people I work with love it, too.
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In all of my theatrical endeavors, I find myself coming back to a quote, well, some lyrics by my Mom's favorite artist, Phil Collins. "In learning you will teach, and In teaching you will learn." I'd like to think these words mean a lot more than just the context of the film Tarzan. I would not have any of the confidence, creativity, sense of self, of empathy I have now if not for the teachers and role-models I have had through theater. If I can help any kid find those things that those teachers in my life helped and allowed me to find, than I win. If then those kids are inspired and proud enough of themselves to help others to the same, then how can I lose?
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