Von Alberto
Hometown: General Santos City, Philippines
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance; BSBA International Business, Minor in Japanese
2024
How did you become interested in theatre?
When I was growing up in the Philippines, I was very interested in movies. From Finding Nemo to Iron Man, movies were sandboxes of worlds different from my own, and I wanted to play in them. I started mimicking movements and voice patterns and acted as if I were the characters on the screen. I was so into it that I accidentally hurt myself flying off a chair and hitting my head on a desk, thinking I was Superman. Safe to say that whenever someone was flying on screen, I used my imagination instead of doing my own stunts.
Theatre didn’t come into my life until 6th grade. My mom and I had been living in these United States for about 4 or 5 years at that point, and I just started the middle school experience. When I saw a casting call for my middle school’s production of Into the Woods, I saw it as an opportunity to enhance my acting skills, so I auditioned. I was cast as Wolf #2, and I was thrilled to be a part of something that allowed me to play. What I was not expecting was how fun it was to do live theatre. The queasy feeling you get before going on stage, the heat that came from the large lights hanging from the ceiling, and the roaring sound of applause the audience made were reasons I continue to do theatre to this day. Since then, I’ve been interested in theatrical arts and performed in other productions to better my acting skills.
What kind of career do you hope to have?
The main career choices I have so far are to become a voice actor, a Broadway actor, or a movie actor. But as long as I continue to act in the future, I’ll be happy with whatever career I get.
What is your favorite thing about the Department of Theatre?
Even though I’ve only been at UNC Charlotte for one year, I’ve experienced great kindness from everyone. Everyone’s easy to talk to and get along with, especially the Department of Theatre. They’re so nice and often share their experiences in the world of theatre.
Do you participate in any community activities or work in the Charlotte arts community?
I participated in productions at the Flat Rock Playhouse, but haven’t participated in anything in the Charlotte arts community. I’d love to participate in it though!
When you are not in class, studying, working, or rehearsing, what do you like to do for fun?
I love watching movies and TV shows/anime! They help me get ideas on how actors play different roles. I listen to music a lot and play with my Goldendoodle whenever I’m back home. I also love to draw in my free time and read whatever’s on the shelf. I tend to go hiking once in a while and visit art museums. They’re one of my favorite places to go to whenever I’m bored. I play video games often and love to learn different languages. I’m trying my best to become a polyglot. I only know 3 languages at the moment, and one of them I’m learning here at UNC Charlotte! Oh, and I also love to travel!