Cole Escola

And meanwhile, I wasn't eating because I knew if I said I need money for food, she would say, well, we can't do that. I'm sorry, you can't do this play. And, you know, I lied again. To the adults in the play saying like, oh, yeah, no, I can stay with my grandma in the nursing home so I can be late at rehearsal.

And meanwhile, I wasn't eating because I knew if I said I need money for food, she would say, well, we can't do that. I'm sorry, you can't do this play. And, you know, I lied again. To the adults in the play saying like, oh, yeah, no, I can stay with my grandma in the nursing home so I can be late at rehearsal.

And meanwhile, I wasn't eating because I knew if I said I need money for food, she would say, well, we can't do that. I'm sorry, you can't do this play. And, you know, I lied again. To the adults in the play saying like, oh, yeah, no, I can stay with my grandma in the nursing home so I can be late at rehearsal.

And just 11 years old trying to keep everyone in the dark about the fact that I was a child.

And just 11 years old trying to keep everyone in the dark about the fact that I was a child.

And just 11 years old trying to keep everyone in the dark about the fact that I was a child.

Well, you know, Grapes of Wrath, a serious play. Very. But you, like you're saying, but you ended up finding community there, like an extended family almost.

Well, you know, Grapes of Wrath, a serious play. Very. But you, like you're saying, but you ended up finding community there, like an extended family almost.

Well, you know, Grapes of Wrath, a serious play. Very. But you, like you're saying, but you ended up finding community there, like an extended family almost.

Yeah. This woman that played Rose of Sharon, her name was Susan, she bought me food on our meal breaks every day. Yeah. It was never an issue. I never asked her. She saw what was going on. And yeah, so she would buy me food and then other actors would give me rides to my grandma's nursing home. And I was in heaven.

Yeah. This woman that played Rose of Sharon, her name was Susan, she bought me food on our meal breaks every day. Yeah. It was never an issue. I never asked her. She saw what was going on. And yeah, so she would buy me food and then other actors would give me rides to my grandma's nursing home. And I was in heaven.

Yeah. This woman that played Rose of Sharon, her name was Susan, she bought me food on our meal breaks every day. Yeah. It was never an issue. I never asked her. She saw what was going on. And yeah, so she would buy me food and then other actors would give me rides to my grandma's nursing home. And I was in heaven.

Now you were in shows, like you said, you were in Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, Les Miserables. What kind of parts did you play?

Now you were in shows, like you said, you were in Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, Les Miserables. What kind of parts did you play?

Now you were in shows, like you said, you were in Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, Les Miserables. What kind of parts did you play?

Well, because I was a, you know, for all intents and purposes at the time, a boy who could sing. I was always cast as, you know, like the romantic male lead, like Matt in the Fantastics or Marius and Les Mis. Seymour on Little Shop was a little fun because at least I got to dance a tango with Mr. Mushnik for Mushnik and Son. So I got to be girl in that one number.

Well, because I was a, you know, for all intents and purposes at the time, a boy who could sing. I was always cast as, you know, like the romantic male lead, like Matt in the Fantastics or Marius and Les Mis. Seymour on Little Shop was a little fun because at least I got to dance a tango with Mr. Mushnik for Mushnik and Son. So I got to be girl in that one number.

Well, because I was a, you know, for all intents and purposes at the time, a boy who could sing. I was always cast as, you know, like the romantic male lead, like Matt in the Fantastics or Marius and Les Mis. Seymour on Little Shop was a little fun because at least I got to dance a tango with Mr. Mushnik for Mushnik and Son. So I got to be girl in that one number.

But yeah, for the most part, I played these really boring parts that didn't speak to me or spark me at all. And sort of for that reason, I... didn't pursue acting after high school. I didn't think that that's what I wanted to do.

But yeah, for the most part, I played these really boring parts that didn't speak to me or spark me at all. And sort of for that reason, I... didn't pursue acting after high school. I didn't think that that's what I wanted to do.