30 Under 30: David Cohen
Age: 19
High School: R.A. McMath
In his younger years, David Cohen saw his older brother (Andrew Cohen) on stage. He’d point and say, “I wanna do that!” So today, at 19, he is.
Cohen, raised in Richmond and still a resident, is an aspiring film actor now studying at University of B.C. Local audiences last saw him on stage at Gateway Theatre in December, playing the role of Mendel in the musical Fiddler on the Roof.
Cohen trained in musical theatre with Perry Ehrlich’s Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! program. He says theatre gives him a sense of fulfillment, and acting allows him to discover things about himself that he would have never known otherwise.
Acting, he concludes, is a constant exploration of oneself and one’s abilities.
Inspiration? “I’m inspired by so many people in so many ways, whether it’s the the best filmmakers or theatre-makers in the world, or my big brother and sister, for inspiration, perseverance, or education and guidance.”
Most proud of? “The one that sticks out is my involvement with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. As a kid, I was the young French narrator for the official logo reveal. Finally, at the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics, I was one of a handful of people selected to sing the Canadian National Anthem at the ceremony (and on the CD version as well). It’s as if I was there as the Olympic process started and as it ended.”
Advice? “The arts is a marvelous thing. Whether it be painting, photography, singing, dancing, acting, or all of the above. If you like doing it, you should always keep doing it. Art is hard, but you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.”
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