Alisha Gard ’06 talks about acting and the definition of success

After catching the acting bug in middle school, Alisha Gard ’06 found her calling.

“My sister and I used to play softball, but she was always way
better than me,” Gard says. “So, I decided to try something different and auditioned for a musical in eighth grade. I got a part in the show, and ever since I have loved acting!” Gard now lives in Burbank, Calif., where she trains and is building up her resumé.

“I have been going out on as many auditions as possible, and even if I don’t book the part, I learn something new every time,” Gard says. “I most recently booked parts in the All-American Rejects music video for the song ‘Beekeeper’s Daughter,’ as well as a commercial for a local hospital here in Los Angeles.”

She hopes to become a series regular on a television show, “but as long as I am working and paying my bills doing what I love, I won’t complain,” she says.

“Besides the simple fact that it provides entertainment, theater is beneficial for so many reasons,” she says. “I find it to be a confidence-builder, as you have to be super comfortable in your skin and be willing to take risks. It also teaches empathy and teambuilding because you have to relate with the character and work as a team with your castmates. I wish it were a requirement for everyone to take at least one theater class because you learn so much even from the most basic theater games.”

Gard says performing gives her the chance to play characters different from herself, live vicariously through them and do and say things without consequence.

“For most characters, you have to do a lot of research and really invest yourself in creating the most believable character possible,” she says