The theatrics of RoZsa Horvath

Harold Goldstein

Having directed more than 50 shows at Pierce College, theater arts Professor RoZsa Horvath reflects upon her theatrical background and her new play.Born in Hungary, Horvath became involved in theater and acting at age 3. She inherited her theater interests from her father, who acted alongside magicians. “I was a child actress,” said Horvath. “I used to love to pretend when I was little.”With a love of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, Horvath would bring together kids who lived around her and put on shows based on the fairy tales for the neighborhood to see. The 1956 Hungarian revolution, however, forced her family to move to America, where her young acting career and theater interests temporarily faded.”When I came to this country, I couldn’t speak English,” said Horvath. “So that kind of ended (theater for me) for awhile.”After going through grade school, Horvath studied at San Diego State University, where she earned her speech degree. She then worked as a fashion coordinator at The Broadway department store in San Diego. Although she was working, she still did what she loved when she was a little girl.”I still acted in San Diego,” said Horvath. “I performed at the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Granada Playhouse (and) the California Pacific Repertory Theatre.”Besides acting, Horvath worked on broadcasting and other activities while studying at San Diego State. “I was vice president of the International Students Association,” said Horvath, “so I had a radio show where I interviewed all the international students about recipes from their country. I was also involved with the Institute for Readers Theatre, where we would take books and dramatize them at San Diego State. I then performed community and professional theatre around San Diego mostly.”After getting married and moving upstate, Horvath found teaching to be more satisfying than show business.”I found that I didn’t like show business,” said Horvath. “I had always been a teacher. Even when I was in high school, I use to teach creative drama to little kids. After being in the business for 10 or 12 years, I found that it wasn’t as satisfying as teaching. And I’m very lucky because I get to teach what I love. “Since I started directing here 25 years ago, I don’t miss the acting at all. I find directing far more creative and satisfying.”To make use of her teaching skills, Horvath applied to the Los Angeles Community College District and chose Pierce College to begin her teaching career.”This theater had just opened and they were looking for somebody who could teach costuming, makeup and acting,” said Horvath. “So I came in and I had no idea that I was going to be talking to 12 people, including the president of the college. Anyway, I get a call back a week later saying that I got the job. And I’ve been here ever since and it’s been fun.”With many of her plays having great acclaim with faculty, students and general audiences, Horvath tells a few favorites of her own among the many she’s directed.”A play by Jay Leonard called ‘The Diviners’ was my first adult drama that I directed,” said Horvath. “The cast was so perfect and it was such a wonderful experience that I always am looking for that ‘Diviner’ experience. Among those, I couldn’t pick a favorite. There’s ‘The Looking Glass,’ ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ and ‘The Elephant Man.’ ‘All My Sons’, I think, is going to be another ‘Diviner’ experience.”Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” deals with the overall American Dream and how it is turned nightmarishly bad for one particular family.The story focuses on one man who profiteered during World War II by sending faulty airplane parts to fighter planes that were being built or needed repair. When authorities caught on, the man got out of the heat by blaming his partner for sending the parts to the manufacturers. As the play unfolds, the audience sees how this one event dramatically changes the members of the family and their perceptions of one another.”This is a real family drama,” said Horvath. “It’s a highly emotionally-charged…(and) fabulously-written play. More importantly, the play really brings home the influence of the past on the present.”With such a sensitive storyline, picking and choosing the people that were just right for the characters was a long and hard endeavor for Horvath.”It was very difficult to pick because I had so many talented people,” said Horvath. “I had 50 people who auditioned and I had some tough choices to make.”"All My Sons” begins its theatrical debut at the main stage of the Performing Arts Building on April 4 at 8 p.m. General Admission tickets cost $15, and student and senior tickets cost $12. Ticket information is availably by calling 818-719-6488.

 

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