Name: Gene Roos Age: 17 School Affiliation: West Milford High School Activity/Sport: Choir/Musical Theater 1) How did you get involved with musical theater? Ever since I was a little kid, my parents knew that I had an interest and love for all kinds of music, and I was always singing as far back as I can remember. In fact, if I heard a song once, I could hum the whole thing right away, and by the second or third time, I’d know it by heart. 2) Who is your biggest inspiration? I’d have to say that my mom is definitely my biggest inspiration. She has always been there for me, encouraging me, looking out for me, and never letting me get away with anything! Her support always means the most to me - no matter what kind of day she’s had, (or the kind of day I sometimes CAUSE her to have), she’s always in my corner, helping me to become a good man. 3) Name three things you would bring with you if you were on a deserted island. First off, I’d have to bring my iPod, because music would hopefully get me through my ordeal until the rescue helicopter came! Next, I would definitely need some sunscreen because, if you’ve ever seen me, my skin is really fair - the sun would melt me like butter on a toasted bagel! Finally, I’d bring someone for company - unlike Tom Hanks, I don’t think talking to a volleyball for an extended period of time would cut it, so I would need someone who would be able to hold up his or her end of a conversation. 4) Share a favorite moment with your music group. In my musical career so far, one of my favorite moments was when my friends/co-singers and I, all of whom are members of the “West Milford Chamber Singers” won the award for First Place Jazz Choir in the Roxbury Choir Competition this past March - this was a prestigious award, since we were up against many choirs from around the entire state of New Jersey. My other favorite moment was when, this past May, our W.M.H.S. Concert Choir was chosen to perform with other professional choirs from across the United States on the famous stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City. 5) Share something no one knows about you. I really don’t keep secrets from my friends and family, but there’s one thing I’d like to get off my chest: although I am almost 18 years old and 6’3” I still enjoy watching “The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” show every Saturday morning. I even proudly wear a Power Rangers T-shirt that my mom recently bought for me. Even though I’m almost an adult, this routine is something that I don’t want to lose - it brings back wonderful memories from my youth, and is something I would like to share with my children some day. Thanks to Gene for giving us all a few chuckles today. Would you like to be featured in an upcoming Take Five? Know someone else who would? Drop us a line at nyoffice@strausnews.com and nominate yourself or a friend. We’d like to learn about the great kids in West Milford, from elementary school through college. We’ll see you again next week for another Take Five. Bonus Five 6) What would most people be surprised to know about musical theater? That even though many people think choir and musical theater are mostly for girls, they are not. I mean, how do you suppose our favorite singers, actors, and popular entertainers in today’s world discovered that they enjoyed and had a talent for performing? They needed to be given an introduction - a sort of background to really ensure that that’s what they wanted to do with their lives in the future. Music and theater in school normally provides that helpful setting 7) Describe your support system. My support system happens to be very large. I live with my mom and my step-dad, who provide guidance, structure, and day-to-day encouragement. I am also lucky to have my dad involved in my life, since he also loves and supports me. My three parents, my step-siblings, my girlfriend, Ashley, and all of my friends really make my life the best it can possibly be. 8) What are your long-term goals? After I graduate from High School in 2011, I would love to go to college for musical theater (i.e. Rider University), and really work my butt off to get a leading role on stage, either on or off-Broadway. My true goal is to become a famous singer. 9) What do you do with your time when you are not acting or singing? Right now, it’s the summer, so I work a lot, both at my job at Sears Hardware in Hewitt, and my other job providing animal-care for my mom’s pet-sitting business, “Critter Sitters.” When I’m not doing either of these activities, I pretty much just keep singing until it’s time to perform. 10) What is your favorite movie, and why? That truly is a tough one. I have many favorite movies, but if I had to choose just one, I’d probably say “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” Even though this film mainly has a strong cult following due to the earlier roles the characters played, it is one I could watch over and over again, and it always gets funnier the more I see it. No matter how many times I hear the same lame jokes or stupid puns, I laugh as hard as I did the first time.