The Person Behind the Apple, Chalkboard and Stickers: Roberta James

Name: Roberta James

School: Wheaton Warrenville South

Subject(s):  Communications Studies and Acting Class

Grade: 10-12

Wheaton Patch: What inspires you to work with children?

Roberta James: It's their attitude. They're so willing to learn and so willing to try something. They're more risk takers than adults are, especially on stage.

WP: What is your favorite hobby?

Movies. Movies is the biggest thing. When I'm not doing a show I can maybe have one evening where I watch four or five films in a row. I love doing a double or even triple feature on Saturday if someone is willing to go with me.

WP: What was your favorite vacation?

London two summers ago. I got to go see the theater. We saw 39 steps which is a comedy spoof based on the Hitchcock film.

WP: Where did you go to college? Degree?

RJ: My undergrad was ISU. I have a Theater Education Degree with an English and Communications minor.  And I have my Master's Degree from Columbia College in Interdisciplinary Arts.

WP: Who is your role model? Why?

My mom. Just last year she survived cancer.

WP: What is your favorite food? Restaurant?

RJ: Café Iberico, Tapas restaurant. Chocolate is really the favorite food.

WP: What is your best birthday memory?

RJ: My 30th Birthday. It was just a cool evening hanging out with friends, nothing really special. It was kind of a surprise, my friends said, "you're coming with us—now." It was nice.

WP: What is your favorite music?

RJ: Everything but country music or heavy metal.

WP: Who is your favorite historical figure and why?

RJ: Rosie the Riveter, she is such a strong woman.

WP: When did you get your first cell phone? What was it?

RJ: In 1994, I had just started teaching. It was one of those bag cell phones that you plugged into the car. It wasn't even really wireless either because you had to plug the bag into your car.

WP: Do you have siblings? How many? Where in the order are you?

RJ: I have one older brother, Mike.

WP: What is your favorite holiday? Why?

RJ: It has to be Christmas. I am just like a little kid. It's fun, I'm just as excited as the kids are.

WP: Did you play sports or do any extra-curricular activities in school?                                            

RJ: I was in theater, speech team, marching band and show choir— pretty much all of the fine arts stuff my school offered.

WP: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

RJ: Italy, it's the one place I really want to go that I haven't been to yet.

WP: What is your favorite board game?

RJ: I really like Monopoly because it's so competitive.  I can get a little nasty. Monopoly is good.

WP: Coke or Pepsi? Or coffee? Tea?

RJ: I don't drink soda and coffee—totally.

WP: What would you do with $1,000,000?

RJ: Travel and investments.

WP: Do you have any pets?

RJ:No, I'm never home. They would die of loneliness or a kidney infection because I would never be able to take them out.