Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 17, 1995 TAG: 9503170028
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BREEA WILLINGHAM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Roanokers don't remember much about Gorman, either, although one of his ancestors is known to anyone who attended Patrick Henry High School.
Gorman's great-grandfather, Dwight McQuilkin, was a superintendent of schools in Roanoke, and Patrick Henry has an academic building named for him, McQuilkin Hall.
Gorman, now 27, returned to his hometown Thursday with the National Theater of the Performing Arts, a New York City-based company, to co-star in Shakespeare's classic ``Romeo and Juliet'' at Patrick Henry.
Gorman joined the group in January after auditioning with more than 700 other actors. He was one of nine actors chosen to tour with the company.
The group has been on the road for about six weeks, performing for high school students in several states. The next stops include Charleston, W.Va., and Philadelphia.
Although all of his Roanoke relations have either moved or passed away, Gorman said coming back to Roanoke was ``kind of like a homecoming'' because this was his first home. He returned here periodically during his childhood to visit his grandparents.
Gorman came back to Virginia after he graduated from high school to study drama at Radford University.
Gorman and his wife, who is a ballerina, have lived in New York for four years. Besides performing with the acting group, Gorman has appeared on an episode of ``As The World Turns'' and stars in a feature film, ``The Game,'' about two best friends in college who get caught up in counterfeit money and blackmail. It's due for release on video at the end of the summer.
Acting is a dream come true for Gorman, who said he doesn't plan to leave show business soon.
``I enjoy acting very much, and I want to act for the rest of my life,'' he said. ``Acting is something that only improves with age.''
by CNB