Emboldened by military career, retiree finds new challenge in acting

 

Ron Newberry photos
Jim Reynolds, a retired master chief, has acted in nine plays at the Whidbey Playhouse, including a small role in “1776” in April.

Half a lifetime ago, Jim Reynolds was thrust into a recruiting office in the Arizona desert and tasked with signing up sailors.

This wasn’t his comfort zone, taking charge as a U.S. Navy recruiter and convincing the young men and women of affluent Scottsdale that this was the life for them.

But he was expected to produce results, especially in 1986, when the Reagan administration was talking up a 600-ship naval fleet.

“The military kind of set me up for overcoming my fears,” Reynolds said recently as he sipped of cup of coffee at Starbucks in Oak Harbor. “As a young guy, I was scared to death of being up front.

“But there are few things I can’t stand more than being scared of something.”

Now four years removed from active duty Navy status, Reynolds continues to push himself and tackle fears.

He’s become a common figure onstage and behind the scenes at the Whidbey Playhouse in Oak Harbor in recent years, exploring deeper a creative, even funny, side of himself while satisfying his ambition to conquer challenges.

“He’s a good actor,” said Janis Powell, business manager at the playhouse. “He comes in and adds a real upbeat note to the theater. A lot of his characters are a bit of a comedy act in a way. He’s kind of like that. He’s warm and personable.”

The transition from master chief to novice actor was too tempting to pass up.

The idea peaked his interest while watching his son James participate in a rehearsal of “Aladdin” at the playhouse in 2007.

“My son is something of a showman,” Reynolds said.

As it turned out, dad was too.

Although time was tight because of the Navy, Reynolds got up the nerve to try out for a small part as pirate in “Peter Pan” in 2008 and landed the role.

Since retiring from the Navy in 2010 after 30 years of service, Reynolds has acted in eight more plays at the playhouse, five in the past two years.

“It’s a total expression of yourself you can’t get anywhere else,” he said.

The expression he enjoys most is a smile.

“I just love character-type acting and comedy,” he said. “I find it uniquely challenging.”

He’s found stepping onstage and owning the stage to be both frightening and exhilarating. He said he’s learned to repurpose any fear, knowing he has a responsibility to those working with him.

“I don’t want to say conquer it, but tame it,” Reynolds said. “Make it useful not only to yourself, but to others.”

Tackling challenges, while also encouraging others, are big to Reynolds.

At 52, with a long Navy career behind him, he embraces his role as a work and family life consultant at Fleet and Family Support Center at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.

At the Whidbey Playhouse, which he calls family, he hasn’t played lead roles onstage but is a large presence off of it, serving as a leader, mentor and cheerleader.

Reynolds has spearheaded the playhouse’s community service involvement with the “Adopt a Highway” program where playhouse members volunteer to clean up a stretch of State Highway 20.

He is known to lead the cast in prayer before they step onstage.

“He does a lot for the community as well as things with the playhouse,” said Allenda Jenkins, who is on the playhouse board. “He’s just an all-around great guy. He has a real heart for the community.”

Reynolds’ Navy career includes leadership positions with three different electronic attack squadrons (138, 139 and 142) on Whidbey Island as well as spending his final three years in the Navy as a command master chief with VP-1 patrol squadron.

Among his sea duty highlights was a stint with the USS Midway on its final cruise in 1991.

“That was nostalgic to me,” he said. “It was a really hard-working ship.”

Now with his feet planted firmly on the ground in Oak Harbor, Reynolds is tackling new missions. A physical fitness buff, he is active in running, water sports and rock climbing.

Although the Whidbey Playhouse’s 2014-15 season starts this month with “The Odd Couple (Female Version),” Reynolds’ next acting pursuit will be auditioning for Monty Python’s “Spamalot” this winter.

As with anything, he isn’t seeking perfection.

“I do not like to fail,” he said. “I’ve given myself a license to fail. I know it’s part of doing.”

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