By Dylan Bryant

Bright lights blare down onto a stage; an audience watches an actor’s every move. It seems intimidating, but not for Ian Blake. He may only be a freshman, but he’s proven that he’s got the talent to snag a lead role in the school’s production of The Three Musketeers.

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Ian Blake. He may seem like your average freshman but there’s so much more considering that he’s in the Lion Heart Choir, ROTS and theatre both in and out of school.

Ian started out his theater career at the age of six after being forced by his mother, “At first I didn’t really like it, but then as time went on, I got more into it,” he said. From the small stage to the Broadway stage, Ian has experienced both. He’s tried out for a Broadway play. “Trying out wasn’t as nerve racking as I thought,” he explained.

One would expect that with this kind of experience everything would be perfect. But “nobody’s perfect” as he admits himself. When messing up lines happens, “I don’t let it show by improving,” Ian said.

As Flight Commander of Echo Flight, Ian wants to continue his high school ROTC career into the military after college, “Both of my grandfathers were in the Navy, so I want to follow in their footsteps,” he said.

He also is a member of Lion Heart Choir which he describes as hard but fun. He’s been in choir since middle school, “I started out in choir at Henry Middle School and knew that I was going to do it in high school,” said Ian.

As a freshman he has also snagged the role of d’Artagnan in the school’s 2011 production of The Three Musketeers. “It was an awesome feeling seeing that I won the role, considering that I had originally read for a different role,” Ian said.

But behind all those extracurricular activities there’s a regular boy who likes to listen to Sabaton and who’s favorite sport is hockey, who likes action movies, and whose favorite kind of music is metal, who like any other boy enjoys watching football. “My favorite football team is the Patriots,” he said.

Ian also has other aspirations like getting his IB diploma and his learner’s permit when he turns 15, especially since he was zoned for Vista, “I was originally supposed to go to Vista, but my mom wanted me to come to Leander for IB. I also liked Leander because they have a great theater program,” Ian said.

The opening date for The Three Musketeers is Nov. 3, 2011 and is playing until Nov. 6, 2011. Get your ticket information at: http://www.leandertheater.org/