“Hakuna Matata” was definitely the motto of theater students on Wednesday, when two actors from the Lion King Tour — Ben Lipitz and Courtney Thomas — conducted a workshop for UNM theater students.
Lipitz and Thomas came to help and work with students on acting, dancing and singing — all things that must be top-notch when performing in The Lion King. The workshop gave students the opportunity to learn a lot and get some advice from professionals in the field they may want to pursue as a career.
Lipiz plays Pumbaa in the show, and has been in the business for 14 years. He recently celebrated his 5,000th performance. Thomas plays 12 different characters in The Lion King, and started dancing when he was 17. The show also consists of seven different languages, which the students got to get a taste of throughout the workshop.
The first thing the actors did with the students was a simple exercise of concentration and focus — walking around the room, stopping, jumping, clapping and touching their knees or shoulders. They then did an acting exercise to try to draw their audience in by going around in a circle saying the same phrase: “Pay attention,” with each student pronouncing it in their own way.
The exercise was used to help the students explain how to portray something using their bodies and language.
The last thing the actors worked on with the students was a dance number from the actual show, in which they got to participate. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for these theater students.
“The students had great energy, and I had to match their energy,” Thomas said .
In the workshop, Lipitz laid down some wisdom with a strange phrase: “Get a bigger problem.” The idea stems from focusing on creative goals and not losing sight of them.
“When an artist focuses on the business they end up missing the actual goal,” Lipitz said.
Lipitz and Thomas also offered life advice for those in attendance.
“Go for your dream, experiment with life in a healthy way — have fun and don’t lose joy,” Thomas said.
Lipitz advised students to use their time studying, to experience life and to put themselves outside of their comfort zone.
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“Studying is where you can experiment, so take those risks and be brave,” Lipitz said.
Lipitz and Thomas can be seen performing in The Lion King, which runs at Popejoy until Oct. 30.
Emma Citizen is a culture reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com
