AYAA Interview: Devon Policci

Devon as Roger in Studio 3's Grease. (2015)

Devon Policci, a young actor from Chandler, Arizona, started out with Perry High School and has since worked with many other theatres around the Phoenix metropolitan area, including Spotlight Youth Theatre, Valley Youth Theatre, Studio 3 Preforming Arts and many more. Devon found his love for the theatre when he was cast as Pugsley Addams at Perry High School. Shortly after finishing that show, he auditioned for Grease at Studio 3 in Gilbert and landed the role of Roger and worked with Marie South and Emma England, who taught him a lot about theatre. After Grease, Devon launched into non-stop steak of doing shows leading him to performing at the Herberger Theatre as Sonny LaTierri with Valley Youth Theatre, directed by Bobb Copper, who also cast him as Jetsam in The Little Mermaid also preform at The Herberger Theatre.

Full Real Legit Name

Devon Christopher Policci

Where were you born?

Chandler, Arizona

What’s home like? Brothers? Siblings? Parents? Pets?

3 brothers and my dad

When and why did you start performing?

I did one musical in 7th grade but officially started in 9th grade

First show you ever saw?

The Lion King

First Broadway show you ever saw?

Never seen a show on Broadway but I saw the Broadway tour of Jekyll and Hyde.

Most influential show you ever saw? Why was it so influential?

Wicked. This show made me realize I want to be an actor.

Favorite show you’ve ever been in? Why?

Grease. It's such a fun show to be in! It has lots of fun dancing and acting. The costumes are fun and the music is awesome!

Most challenging acting experience? Why?

I would have to say the role of Paul Sycamore in You Can't Take it With You. I was asked to play the part shortly before it opened and had very little time to learn the part.

Right now, you are portraying Sonny in Valley Youth Theatre’s production of Grease. What is your favorite part about being in Grease? How is VYT’s production of Grease unique? This is also your second show with VYT this summer; how does VYT differ from other theatres?

Well Grease is by far my favorite show to do. It has a lot of fun aspects and it's a show everyone can watch and have a blast while watching it. [Our production is]  very unique because it has an amazing set and killer costumes. VYT is a very different theatre with high expectations and they really push you to be the best you can be. They have very many resources and they give you the chance to perform in a professional theater.

This year, you were nominated for Best Supporting Male for Perry High School’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the ASU Gammage High School Musical Theater Awards. What were the High School Musical Theater Awards like? How did it feel to perform at Gammage? How did you handle being the swing in a production? How does doing a production at your high school differ from doing one in the community?

The High School Musical Theater Awards were very fun and exciting. Performing on the Gammage stage 

was definitely an amazing experience. Being the Swing for that show was fun because I really got to have fun and play the different roles. All the characters are so very different from each other so it was fun to experiment with those characters. High school shows are a lot of fun and you get to have your school come see you but doing community theatre is great because people from all over come to see you perform!

Devon as Shrek with Audrey
Coleman in Shrek Jr. at AYT. (2015)

Speaking of nominations, this year you were nominated for your portrayal of Shrek in Shrek Jr. at Actor’s Youth Theatre last summer. What was your biggest challenge in playing Shrek? What did you gain from that experience? 

Shrek was a fun role and was really out of my comfort zone and I was fortunate enough to have fun with that character. The hardest part about that character was by far the accent. I gained a lot of experience from this role because it was my first lead role in a musical.

At Studio 3, you were in their production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. How did you handle all the dancing involved in that production? What do you think is Studio 3’s greatest strength as a theatre? What have you gained from performing there?

Well, being a brother in that show was extremely difficult and took a lot of practice to perform those dances. Studio 3 is an amazing theatre that has amazing choreography that is very challenging. I have gained a lot of dancing knowledge from them. They really whipped me into shape.

Also at Actor’s Youth Theatre, you were in their production of Sweeney Todd this February. What was your favorite part of being in that show? What was AYT’s biggest challenge in mounting a show as serious, as challenging and as dark as Sweeney Todd?

Well, this show was a very dark show, but also a very fun one. This show was very vocally demanding and had some crazy hard music. This was my first ensemble role and really made me appreciate everything the ensemble does to make shows great!

Favorite character you got to play during the 2015-16 season?

This is a close tie between William Barfee in Putnam and Jetsam in The Little Mermaid.

Devon as Jetsam with Tatumn Zale and Sam Primack in
VYT's The Little Mermaid. (2016)

Favorite person you got to play opposite of during the 2015-16? (Romantically or otherwise)

Sam Primack and Tatumn Zale were by far my favorite people to play opposite of [in The Little Mermaid]. Wouldn't have survived that show without them!

Dream role?

Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde.

Theatres in Arizona you would love to work with, but haven’t?

Hale Centre Theatre 

Craziest stage experience (mishap, funny improvised joke, etc.)?

I was filling in for Steven Ricks as Olive's Dad in Putnam and my Panch accidentally skipped a scene and changed a 1 minute change into a 15 second quick change from a full suit to street clothes. I went onstage pulling up my pants, tucking in my shirt, putting on my jacket without shoes to give a juice box to Loraine.

Weirdest show you’ve ever been to? (Whether it be the nature of the show, casting decisions, etc.)

Joseph at Valley Youth Theatre. I had no clue what the show was about and when all those different 

Style songs were playing, I was very confused. It was an amazing show done perfectly!

Devon Policci with the other T-Birds at the MAC for Studio
3's Grease. (2015)

Favorite costume you’ve ever worn? Least favorite?

My favorite costume would probably have to be my T-bird jacket from Grease at Studio 3. Least favorite would probably have to be my Shrek costume because that head was way to big for me.

Best youth production you have ever seen?

By far Spring Awakening at Spotlight Youth Theatre. Kenny Grossman is a god!

Advice for young performers? Auditions? Behavior? Life?

Be yourself and if you want something, work your butt off for it. 

Favorite actors and actresses? Stage?

Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes! 

Favorite plays?

Almost Maine

Favorite musicals?

Bare, Grease, Bonnie and Clyde

What is the best showtune of all-time?

"Santa Fe" from Newsies

Musical/play on Broadway currently you’re dying to see?

Hamilton

Devon as Mitch Mahoney in Perry
High School's The 25th Annual Putnam
Country Spelling Bee. (2015)

Favorite TV Show?

That 70's Show

Secret guilty pleasure?

Peanut butter

Performer you would die to perform with? 

Jeremy Jordan

How do you feel about the atmosphere of youth theatre around Arizona? What do you like about it?

I think we are very fortunate to live in a state with so much theatre. It's amazing.

Most underrated show?

Bonnie and Clyde or Bring It On 

What’s your “adult” plan? Keep performing professionally or…?

I would love to keep performing. My dad was a professional actor and I would love to follow in his footsteps.

Upcoming projects?

Grease at Valley Youth Theatre

Young actor/actress in the Phoenix area you'd love to perform with

Vinney Pugliese and Sarah Pansing!

Thank you to Devon for doing this interview with us! You can check him out in Valley Youth Theatre's production of Grease, which runs at the Herberger from August 12th (tomorrow!) to the 28th.