Rachael Uyeno started out as a little toddler, running around the fields singing “The Hills Are Alive,” from the musical, The Sound Of Music. Now she is pursuing her acting career playing the role of Shelby, a 30-year old, middle aged women, in the new soul-satisfying musical, The Spitfire Grill.
Her acting career first started at Maryknoll School in the fourth grade and continued her passion, up until today where she is a graduate student, at University of Hawai‘i. On her journey, of becoming a world renowned actress, Rachael has faced many challenges on how to be her character, Shelby, and what motivates her each day. But to overcome these challenges she has her own ways of dealing with them.

“You have to be vulnerable, and let the feelings get to you,” said Uyeno. “Being vulnerable allows you to embrace the words and feelings of your character and reenact those actions on stage.”

Rachael, 29, says the advantages of knowing the feelings that her character is showing, allows her to express those feelings. She has been in both depressing moments, as well as rejoiceful moments, which allows her to easily understand the expressions, Shelby is feeling.

“With me being 29 and Jorin being 18, we have experienced many feelings through relationships, so we kind of understand how to act in those types of situations,” Uyeno explains.

Being an actor comes with these feelings, and it is different being in someone else’s shoes. It gives Rachael a different life to be in, and a different person to be.

“It is both challenging and exciting to be an actress, but to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is a good feeling. It gives you a break from your own life, and lets you experience a new one through your character,” Uyeno adds.

She explains that sometimes you need a break in life, just to relieve yourself from all the stress, and that break is acting. You get to be a different person, you get to have a different life, and you get to have a new journey.

“When I read the script, I feel it,” Uyeno stated. “The emotion I give on stage, is real. I experience what the character is feeling. I know what the character is going through. I am the character.”