---

PROVIDENCE - Julienne Penza hardly had time for this interview.

Let's all breath for her. Inhale deeply. Exhale. There. Again. Oops, no, too much time...

Penza, 23, is so busy doing what she loves, she doesn't have time to read novels or dance or read about dancing or dance about reading, two of her favorite hobbies.

The 2001 Foxboro High grad is interning at Trinity Repertory Company, while pursuing her MFA in Rhode Island College's Performance and Society program.

The daughter of Foxboro's Patricia and Philip Penza will also be starring as Catherine in "Proof" at the Barker Playhouse in Providence March 17-25 (for more info, visit www.playersri.org). The Boston College double major grad - theater and sociology (which, on occasion, can be the same thing, as she excitedly points out) - became "really serious" about theater when she was a Foxboro High freshman.

"There was a phenomenal drama teacher there at the time, Tom Alera, who really pushed me and believed in me and made me excited about acting," said Penza. During her high school "career," she played the young lead Kim McAfee in "Bye Bye Birdie" and the lead Maria in "The Sound of Music."

"When I got to Boston College, I became fascinated with the technique of acting, and also became interested in how theater can be used as a tool for social change," she added.

While at B.C., she performed in "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Good," "Necessary Targets," "Anything Goes," and Christopher Durang's "Baby With the Bathwater." Since beginning her three-year program at Rhode Island College, she still works on the craft of acting, but is also learning much about theater education.

Since she made the move to Providence, Penza has acted in "This Is Our Youth" and directed "The Heidi Chronicles" for the Epic Theatre Group. This past fall, she played Catherine in RIC's mainstage production of "The Foreigner."

And why did she want to go behind the scenes at Trinity?

"The second year of my program at Rhode Island College is a ten-hour internship at an area theater. I knew as soon as I was accepted into the program that I wanted to do my internship at Trinity," said Penza. "Trinity Repertory Company not only produces thought-provoking, important theater, but also is committed to the education of young people in theater through its Project Discovery program. The atmosphere at Trinity is so amazing because everyone there has the same vision and the same level of commitment to making great theater happen. I knew I had to intern there."

Presently, she works in Trinity's education department. She co-teaches two classes on site, one for high school and one for middle school.

"Once a week, I go off-site and teach my own class at North Cumberland Middle School," added Penza. "We work on skill development in both acting and playwriting, and produce an original student piece at the end of the year. I also work in the Trinity office, and have the privilege of sitting in on new play reading-workshops with the Company."

She visualizes this kind of work continuing professionally. "I want to always act, and take it as far as I can, but I also want to be a theater educator and practitioner," said Penza. " I can definitely see myself as a college professor and/or acting coach."

The highlight at Trinity so far has been meeting William Peterson of TV's "C.S.I." who took a break from filming his number one TV show to star in "A Dublin Carol" at Trinity in December.

"We, the education department, took him to speak with students at an area high school, and he was just so down-to-earth and gracious," said Penza. "Listening to him speak about his long career in the theater and film reminded me of why I wanted to be an actor in the first place."

There has also been an externship of laughter.

"I will say that the Company members in their workshops and around the theatre are all hilarious. There is never a dull moment in the artistic offices," said Penza.

Nor for Penza. Who, as I write this, is off to discover a few more.

HAVE ANY INTERESTING backstage news or ntoes? Tell them to Jamie Merolla at 508-236-0431 or at jmerolla@thesunchronicle.com