by Leia Owen
With a name like Grimm, it’s no wonder this junior has participated in theater. However, one would not guess that he has danced on stage in tights before. Cody Grimm often wears jeans, black boots, and dark tee-shirts depicting bands such as Metallica and Motorhead. First impressions are often wrong though.
Grimm has acted and performed since he was in the sixth grade, when he was looking to ‘try something new’ and follow in his uncle’s footsteps. He has performed in shows such as Twelfth Night, Oklahoma!, Cinderella, Improv Troupe and the upcoming show Footloose, among others. Whether he is the playful, drunk bassist of Mistress Olivia’s band or the Federal Marshall in a small western town, Grimm takes all of his roles seriously.
“I try to really understand my character,” Grimm said,”and I try to figure out how they would interact in any social situation.”
Peers often describe him as a friendly and approachable guy. Sophomore Brooke Leibowitz recalls spending time backstage with Grimm during Twelfth Night, discussing their favorite TV Show, Doctor Who. The two enjoy talking about the the show and making various ‘Whovian’ jokes (that’s humor for the fans of the series). They often laugh about ‘wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey’ and puns like “What does the doctor eat with spaghetti?… Dalek bread!”
However, Grimm often portrays aggressive roles, from the “Big Bad Wolf” of Curses! to Coach Dunbar in Footloose.
“He always plays angry people or authority… but really he’s a friendly guy,” said sophomore Taylor Benson.
On the contrary, his friend Nick Allan feels he has played a range of characters. “He can be really versatile as an actor, I’d say. I’ve seen him play the funny comedy relief characters, and then the mean, make-you-crap-your-pants-when-he-comes-on-stage kind of guys.”
Colleagues often note his serious attitude. Sophomore Edj Andrews sees Grimm as determined and having a strong moral compass; he knows where “the line is” and when not to cross it. When Grimm was a freshman, he played a bully in a short play about autism. He was able to convey his character’s anger and hatred without going too far, but he apologized to many audience members whom he talked to afterwards.
Grimm is meticulous. He cares deeply about all of his performances and therefore tries to perfect his “final product.”
“He always insists on getting everything right, so he knows when something isn’t right and then he tries hard to fix it,” said Andrews. “He seems very aware of what he’s doing on stage. ”
Any actor knows the importance of devoting 110% of yourself to your role, and Grimm is no exception. His rehearsal attendance record is high, and he has even taken extra time this past semester to work with his friends on scenes produced by the Advanced Theater Studies class for their final exams.
“He has one of the best attitudes we have; he puts himself into everything he does, and he is always invested,” said Kennedy Prashaw, his scene partner from last fall’s Shakespeare show, Twelfth Night.
Various actors have all cited Grimm’s dedication as his most notable trait when it comes to performing. Junior Jack Colaianni recalls a time during the show Beyond The Wardrobe , which they performed last year, when Grimm was in charge of moving a large, brown, wheeled door during set changes. One night as the door was moved, it fell and landed on top of Grimm, who began to shout about it. The two hoped the audience didn’t hear, and fortunately, no one did. Colaianni can not remember another time that Grimm has ever broken or ‘dropped character’.
“He commits more than anyone else I’ve ever met, and that’s rare,” said Colaianni.
Aside from his commitment, Grimm believes that what sets himself apart from other actors is his ability to become his character. He feels what they would feel and can express those emotions on stage. This becomes especially important when the character you’re portraying is the meanest or loudest member of the ensemble, something Grimm is quite familiar with.
“Others pretend to be their characters,” said Grimm,” but you have to be the character, you know?”
Although he plans on pursuing biology, at least for his high school career Grimm has and will spend many hours in rehearsals and on stage, continuing to cultivate his acting skills.
“My favorite thing about performing arts is being able to take anything and create something from it,” Grimm said. “ There are no rules, and you can create what you want.”
