Fresh Focus: Colin Kniss

First-year student Colin Kniss from Princeton, Illinois, may be a Graphic Design major, but has also bestowed his acting gifts on the St. Ambrose University Theatre Department.

Kniss chose St. Ambrose University because of the feeling he got after stepping on campus. Plus, he wanted to leave Illinois and see what a school in Iowa had to offer..

"I chose Ambrose because when I visited here, it just felt like home to me," Kniss explained. "I also don't have to live in Illinois my whole life."

On campus, Kniss is also involved in University Chorale and College Democrats.

Thinking forward to the future, Kniss admits that he isn't quite sure of what he wants to eventually do. He knows that he wants to move out of the midwest, maybe to California. However, as of right now, he just wants to enjoy his time here and see where it takes him.

Kniss first got involved with theatre when he was in the fourth grade at a nearby community college. It was at that age that he got his first role as Dan, in Cheaper by the Dozen. Later in his middle school years, his school offered theatre and he dove right in. His first school performances were in the musicals High School Musical and Guys and Dolls.

In high school, Kniss continued to participate in theatre. In fact, it was at this stage in his life that he got to play his all time favorite role of Mr. Drussel from The Diary of Anne Frank. Clearly it was a fan favorite role, too because his high school drama department awarded him with the award for best supporting actor.

"I really enjoyed my character Mr. Dussel because he really isn't the same person as me," Kniss explained. "I was actually able to act."

To date, The Diary of Anne Frank is also his favorite production. He enjoyed the storyline and learning about all of the history that surrounds this play. Plus, he remembers how close the cast was.

When he got to St. Ambrose, Kniss was excited to expand upon his theater repertoire. He has auditioned for the shows offered and has lent his talents to the student directing class a couple times. Recently, he has received a role in Senior Courtney Cook's one-act play The American Dream as Young Man, and we hope that this will be the beginning of multiple on stage appearances from him.