Senior quarterback tries his hand at drama as he stars in ‘Legally Blonde’

There’s quite a disparity between touchdowns and show tunes, yet senior quarterback Will Liddle is bridging that gap as one of the leads in this year’s spring musical “Legally Blonde.”

Liddle has been the starting quarterback for Saratoga’s varsity football team for the last three years, and may even pursue football at the college level.

In his final semester at the school, Liddle is participating in his first drama production. Although he has not had much previous experience with the drama department here — other than seeing a couple of shows — Liddle is already impressing his peers and directors with his work ethic and singing abilities. Following auditions, he got the role of Warner, one of the lead characters.

“Will is so easy to work with, and that makes the rehearsal process so much easier,” senior Samantha Sherman said.

He admits the audition was an anxiety-provoking experience, but Liddle said that he is used to singing and ended up enjoying the audition process.

“I sing with my mom on the weekends because she’s a pastor, so I am pretty used to singing around other people,” Liddle said. “I was nervous, of course, but I was really happy with how it went.”

Liddle also demonstrated his musical skills by playing guitar during the talent section of last year’s “Mr. Saratoga” competition, impressing all who saw him.

Now, with the newfound responsibility of playing a lead, Liddle is rising up to the challenge. Warner Huntington III, Liddle’s character, is the ex-boyfriend that Elle, the female lead, follows to Harvard Law School. The character is confident, slightly sleazy and very ambitious, qualities that Liddle says are extremely far from his true personality.

“The interesting thing about this role is that I’m able to play someone that I’m not in real life, and it’s really challenging me to expand my acting skills,” Liddle said.

Sherman has been cast as Elle, meaning that she and Liddle spend a lot of their rehearsal time together. Sherman is excited to be able to work so closely with Liddle and has high expectations for the show.

“I think he's been doing great so far in rehearsals and everything,” Sherman said. “He's really talented and we're lucky to have him this year for the musical.”

In the past, the football team and the drama department have been supportive of each other by attending each other’s games and shows, but their rosters have been largely separate. However, Liddle’s participation in the musical can encourage others to try activities outside of their comfort zone.

For the moment, though, Liddle has kept his newfound extracurricular mostly to himself.

“I haven’t told any of [my football friends] about the musical, but I’m not that worried,” Liddle said. “I mean, if they care, then that’s good, but if not, it’s my life to live anyways, not theirs.”

In exploring this new facet of the school, Liddle feels as though he is broadening his horizons and getting to know a whole group of students that he had almost little interaction with previously.

He also said many of his previous conceptions about the drama department have been challenged. Saying he saw the program as “somewhat strange,”  he is finding that the drama community is actually extremely welcoming.

“I just didn’t do this kind of thing, especially coming from football, but now that I’m here, I’m meeting a lot of cool people and making some great friends,” Liddle said.

Based on this experience, Liddle advises students to also try new activities and extracurriculars despite whatever stereotypes or norms say.

“No one ever tried something and didn’t learn a thing or two in the process,” Liddle said. “Just go out and do it. Who cares what people think?”