Noa Dowl values and emphasizes the importance of versatility and seamlessness in acting. As a cast member for ACU Theater’s production of Metamorphoses, Dowl, junior theater major from Dallas, covers roles ranging from Zeus to Hades.

“I am most excited about the challenge of presenting a play as flawlessly as possible to a new audience each night,” Dowl said. “In the past I’ve waited tables, and for some reason I need for my tables to be arranged perfectly. I enjoy the ease that those I wait on feel as a result of this.”

The neat organization and delivery Dowl eluded to in a past job correlates directly with how he approaches his acting.

“Our goal in performing Metamorphoses is to deliver the stories to our audience as smoothly as possible.”

Metamorphoses, which premiered Thursday evening, is the theatrical adaptation of the Roman poet Ovid’s 15-book saga titled The Metamorphoses of Ovid. The play covers a handful of vignettes dealing with various tales from Greek mythology.

Attendees of the performance need not be afraid if Greek mythology has merely been shelved in the back of the mind after being introduced to the content in a freshman level high school English class.

“There’s a lot of narration within the story so the audience is able to sit back as the scenes are painted for them by the colorful acting and commentary,” Dowl said.

The set of the play boasts a pool of three-foot deep water that many scenes utilize.

Andrew Lang, junior theatre major from Abilene, plays King Midas in the show. (Optimist photo by Paige Otway)

Dowl joked that the crew has been most worried about pranksters sneaking into Culp Theater late at night to play in the production’s pool.

“We’ve been worried about that or the pool busting and flooding our theater,” he said.

As he looks toward what is to come after graduating next year, he shared his plans to relocate back to Dallas where his acting agent is. From there he plans on pursuing work where the opportunity arises within television or film acting.

“I even entertain the idea of freelance acting, just doing my own thing. That’s where you can make your own ideas come true. You don’t have to wait for someone else to cast you.”

But for now Dowl is focusing on the remaining performances of Metamorphoses.

“The good news is that every show sold out before we even opened,” said Michael Duran, the director of Metamorphoses.

Those lucky enough to nab a ticket to the show this weekend will enjoy seeing Dowl and company deliver a dynamic interpretation of an exceptional production boasting stories that have been shared for thousands of years.