2008 Woodie Awards
VALLEY PEOPLE: Child Prodigy?
Tammy Funicello
Issue date: 11/9/05 Section: Valley Life
- Page 1 of 1
|
Dillon Zrike (rhymes with trike), a 14-year-old freshman at Glendale High School, is already half way to completing his A.A. Degree in Theater Arts. He managed to complete one year at Valley while being home-schooled for sixth through eighth grade.
"Dillon seems to have a propensity for reaching a level of excellence at whatever he chooses to do," said his father, Kenneth Zrike. "Dillon has worked very hard over the years in all facets of the arts, and he is already an accomplished musician, actor and dancer."
Dillon Zrike has already had a busy, exciting life. He and his 17 year old brother, Daniel, were born in Japan and moved to New York at the age of 3. After a three year stay in Arizona he moved to the San Fernando Valley. Since then he has moved three more times to different houses in the area for various reasons. All that moving at such a young age helped him learn to adapt to all situations.
Zrike, who has been acting since age 5 when he was cast in the musical "Kids" in New York because his brother was in it and they needed an extra person, has done various plays at Valley and elsewhere, as well as some independent films such as "Arizona Summer." Although he likes films, he would much rather be in plays and musicals because he enjoys the comraderie among the people he meets in the shows.
"Theater is way better," said Zrike. "I don't like the whole hurry-up-and-wait thing. You have to get up early in the morning just to sit around and wait all day to say two lines."
Recently, Zrike took up a new hobby, tap dancing. He started just about a year ago and now is the lead tap dancer in "Dames at Sea."
Zrike also has another talent, drumming, which he picked up about a year and a half ago and is currently in two bands. One is a blues band with his brother while the other he started recently with a few of his friends.
"He has a great energy and great tap feet," said "Dames at Sea" director Cathy Piles. "He has such a great career ahead of him. He is terrific to work with. He is like everyone's little brother."
He doesn't have a lot of free time between school, rehearsals and homework. When he gets the time he loves to read and play sports, especially football, which he hopes to start playing for his school in February. He also enjoys taking gymnastics classes.
"He is deserving of every role he gets, and most directors feel Dillon gives them everything he's got," said his father. "For this, I'm very proud of Dillon."
