University Theatre recently began rehearsals for its upcoming production of The Heidi Chronicles, and Patrick Narmi, a freshman in First Year College, has been working hard to master his part as one of the lead male roles, Peter Patrone.
Narmi will be starring alongside Diana Quetti, a junior in communication who plays Heidi, and Jason Croder, a sophomore in chemical engineering who plays Scoop, the other lead male role. Quetti has been on stage multiple times since her freshman year, but this is the first University Theatre show for both males.
“Some students come to State with a lot of experience in high school theatre or community theatre already,” Allison Bergman, assistant director of University Theatre, said. “So, it’s not that unusual for a freshman to be cast in a large role if they are right for the role.”
Narmi participated in theatre throughout high school. He said he now looks forward to using his talents to bring Peter to life.
“I’m probably most excited about finding a new ‘theatre family,’” Narmi said last week. “I feel like it’ll be really cool and exciting to get that back and have something that’s familiar, but still new and exciting at the same time.”
The Heidi Chronicles, written by Wendy Wasserstein, is a feminist story following the lead character, Heidi, through the rapidly changing lifestyles and ideologies of the 1960s onward as she struggles with relationships and conflicts. Heidi meets Peter early in the play, and the two become lifelong friends. After finding out that Peter is gay, Heidi is conflicted about her romantic feelings toward him, but the two eventually overcome all problems.
“[Peter] and Heidi have a really, really close relationship that lasts throughout the years,” Narmi said. “They get mad at each other sometimes, but they’re always friends and they’re always there for each other.”
Narmi was first introduced to theatre during his freshman year at Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw. He took a theatre class for an easy grade, but after doing in-class plays, he “fell in love with the rush of being on stage.”
His favorite role in high school was Trevor Graydon III, a ridiculously oblivious and hopelessly romantic character in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Some of his other lead roles included King Dacron, the lead antagonist in The Clumsy Custard Horror Show and Ice Cream Clone Review, and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast.
“My favorite part about doing theatre was being about to be someone who wasn’t myself, so I could escape my problems for even two or three hours at a time,” Narmi said.
Narmi had always done theatre with high school friend Mattalin Manning, so when he started college, her older sister, Jordan Manning, a senior in communications at N.C. State, encouraged Narmi to audition.
“[Patrick]’s the kind of person who, when you look at him, he just looks like an actor,” Manning said. “He’s got a very versatile look and a voice that resonates and is perfect for the stage. I encouraged him to audition for The Heidi Chronicles because I had a feeling he would get a part.”
Narmi has enjoyed many different types of roles through his acting career. But now he gets to act in a way that is quite foreign to him — as a gay man — and looks forward to the exciting new challenges it may bring.
“From an acting perspective, it’ll be interesting and different because I’ve never actually had to play a gay man,” Narmi said. “I don’t think it’ll be too difficult, but it’s definitely something I’m not used to.”
The Heidi Chronicles will be playing April 5-21 at the Kennedy-McIlwee Studio Theatre in Thompson Hall. Adult tickets are $18, seniors and children are $16 and NCSU students are $5. Tickets are available online at www.ncsu.edu/arts and at the box office on the second floor of Talley Student Center.
