"I’ve always had a plan for myself," says Stephen Lattanzi '08 of Winchester, Mass. And ever since he performed in a production of Robin Hood in second grade, theater has been central to that plan.

At Bates, Lattanzi has acted in eight stage productions, often in lead roles such as Angelo in this spring's production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. One of two winners of a regional competition in the 2008 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, he'll compete at the national level in April.

"Steve certainly has the talent and the drive to make a go of it as an actor," says Martin Andrucki, a theater professor who has directed Lattanzi. "He's a pleasure to work with, because he's so dedicated and so creative."

Lattanzi's theatrical drive has taken him behind the scenes, too. He has directed, designed lighting and studied set construction at Bates. Back home, he has dedicated his summers to the Winchester Cooperative Theatre's Summer Acting Conservatory for high school actors, which he co-founded.

A double major in theater and English (and a football player his first three years), Lattanzi applauds Bates for equipping him to live his dream. "There are brilliant minds in the theater department," he says. "And they are all genuinely interested in their students' development.

"For an actor, as you can guess, having people believe in you is probably the biggest thing. So to work with the amazing faculty and actors here, and have people believe in my ability has, I think, helped me grow by leaps and bounds."