MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- Standing center stage with a spotlight directed at him is 22-year-old Kyle Nicholas Lambros, preparing to win his audience over once again.
Lance Cpl. Lambros, administrator and security manager with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, is not only a Marine but a well rounded actor as well. He’s scheduled to perform in the play “Catch Me if You Can” at Gila Ridge High School’s performance art center, Jan. 28, 2011, at 7 p.m.
“I love acting because it’s engaging. It’s happening right now; there is no cut,” said Lambros. “It’s the living theater. Once the play starts, you can’t stop.”
Lambros started acting in grade school where it appeared he had natural talent. His inspiration to continue stemmed from the enjoyment he got from being on stage.
“I had a blast being out there,” said Lambros. “It really was the most fun I had when I was younger, so I couldn’t help but come back to it.”
Born and raised in Phoenix, Lambros attended Bourgade High School where, as a freshman, he took the lead role in his first musical “Once Upon a Mattress.”
“I love the crowd and being an entertainer,” said Lambros. “Making people laugh or shocking them, and getting an emotion out of them is really rewarding.”
Lambros has acted in eight plays so far, holding the lead role in seven, and also performed in three musicals. When asked to do his first musical, Lambros accepted without hesitation because it provided him more stage experience, regardless of his confidence in his voice.
One of his favorite aspects of acting is the opportunity to gain insight into the imagined lives of the characters he portrays.
“Being on stage gives you a chance to be someone else for a while,” said Lambros. “You are living within a story.”
After graduating high school as an honor thespian, his goal was to enroll in a university and study acting further. Although he was accepted to many schools, finances did not allow him to see his plan through.
He attended a semester of community college, but quickly lost interest and followed in the footsteps of his father, a U.S. Navy veteran, and marched into the Corps in January 2009.
Lambros took a break from acting once he reached his first duty station in Okinawa, Japan. However, soon after arriving in Yuma he decided it was time to get back to the stage. “Catch Me if You Can” offered the perfect opportunity.
“He has a great acting voice,” said Mike Finch, the play’s producer who also works on station as a security specialist for the mission assurance department. “He is great not only because he is a Marine, but he is doing an awesome job on stage. You can tell he definitely has an eye for this business.”
Lambros’ break from acting didn’t diminish his skills too badly, as he was awarded the crime-mystery play’s lead role as Inspector Levine after his first audition.
“I was excited to get back out there,” said Lambros. “You learn a lot about yourself when acting because you have to separate who you are from the character. The excitement of being in front of a crowd, bearing it all out there and showing it off to everybody is extremely worthwhile.”
Upon hearing the news of his selection, Lambros notified his command and sought their approval.
“Doing an extracurricular activity while in the Marine Corps can be difficult, especially when it has nothing to do with being a Marine,” said Lambros. “That’s why it’s important to have your command’s support. You also really have to be committed yourself.”
Once his time in the Corps has helped remove the financial obstacles that first prevented him from pursuing his dream however, he plans to use his G.I. Bill benefits to attend the University of California, Los Angeles and enroll in their acting college.